We use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of the US population, to examine social rank effects on the relationship between life satisfaction and economic status. We examine the effects of income, home values, mortgage debts, financial...

We explore how households insure themselves against consumption volatility. We asked households how they would fund an unexpected emergency consumption expense equivalent to one month's income. Answers reveal a range of consumption insurance mechanisms, including borrowing from credit markets...

People suffer financial distress when they face financial and non-financial difficulties from repaying their outstanding debts. This paper analyses the prevalence of financial distress, how this distress is related to consumer credit use, and whether financial distress can be predicted. We aim...

Choosing a mortgage is one of the most important financial decisions made by a household. Financial innovation has given rise to more complex mortgage products with back-loaded payments, known as ‘Alternative Mortgage Products' (AMPs), or ‘Interest-Only Mortgages'. Using a specially designed...