There is no age limit for getting a mortgage. Federal law prohibits lenders from denying financing based on age, and that applies whether you’re 62, 72, or 82. What lenders actually look at is whether you can demonstrate the ability to repay — and for retirees, that calculation looks different than it does for someone with a traditional paycheck.

Retirement income sources like Social Security, pension payments, IRA or 401(k) distributions, investment income, and annuities all count toward qualification. If you have substantial assets but limited monthly income, some loan programs allow lenders to calculate a monthly income figure based on your portfolio — a method called asset depletion. That opens the door for borrowers who look “income-poor” on paper but are actually sitting on significant wealth.

Credit history, debt obligations, and the loan-to-value ratio all factor in as well. The same standards apply regardless of age — the question is always whether the numbers work, not how old you are.

If you’re in or approaching retirement and wondering whether a purchase, refinance, or downsizing makes sense for your situation, I can walk you through exactly what your qualification picture looks like. And if a traditional mortgage isn’t the right fit, a reverse mortgage may be worth exploring as an alternative strategy.