Food insecurity among older adults in the U.S.: The role of mortgage borrowing

Housing wealth is the main source of wealth for many older adults. Using the Health and Retirement Study, we assess the impact of new mortgage borrowing on food insecurity among homeowners aged 65 and older. We find a substantial short‐term effect, with each additional $10,000 borrowed, lowering food insecurity by 2.2 percentage points. In a simulation of the impact of relaxing the debt‐to‐income borrowing constraint, food insecurity is reduced by 2.1 percentage points for previous nonborrowers and by 1.6 percentage points for borrowers. Results support the importance of access to mortgage borrowing to reduce material hardship in older age. Related Content: The effects of aging services and the supplemental nutrition assistance program on food insecurity among older Georgians: 2018–2020 Related Content: The long‐run prevalence of food insufficiency among older Americans Related Content: Do state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies influence program participation among seniors? Related Content: Does Social Security promote food security? Evidence for older households