Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the term "elderly" is defined as anyone who is 62 years of age or older. This designation is significant in fair lending, as the ECOA prohibits discrimination based on age in any aspect of a credit transaction, including mortgage lending.

ECOA protects borrowers from being denied credit or offered unfavorable terms based solely on their age, and it provides additional protections to borrowers considered "elderly."