Die vorliegende Studie zielt auf die Einschätzung der ökonomischen Stabilität der Haushalte in Deutschland ab. Ausgehend von der Betrachtung der unterschiedlichen Immobilienfinanzierungsregime wird anhand aggregierter und disaggregierter Haushaltsdaten die wirtschaftliche und finanzielle...

Over-indebtedness of private households has been a problem in Germany for decades. Over-indebtedness depends on both the economic and financial vulnerability of people and their resilience potential. Social, economic and individual causes and triggers overlap in the process of over-indebtedness....

Since 1 June 2003 the file of the Central Office for Credits to Private Individuals has recorded information relating to all consumer credits and mortgage loans contracted by natural persons for private purposes, as well as any payment defaults resulting from these loans. This registration aims...

We define predatory lending as a welfare-reducing provision of credit. Using a textbook model, we show that lenders profit if they can tempt households into “debt traps,” that is, overborrowing and delinquency. We then test whether payday lending fits our definition of predatory. We find...

This article addresses inequities in the apportionment of losses which arise when traditional consumer finance rules are applied to enforce consumer payment obligations which accrue during and after catastrophes. Disasters lead inevitably to job losses, to property destruction, and to inhibited...

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...

This study uses the 2009 Financial Capability Study dataset to examine the association between individuals' financial literacy and their costly borrowing decisions. The results indicate that financial literacy is indeed negatively associated with costly borrowing behaviors. Other factors such as...

Mortgage counseling is regarded as an integral tool in ensuring appropriate choices by prospective home buyers. We use micro-level data from an urban voluntary counseling program aimed at disadvantaged households to assess its effectiveness. We find substantially lower expost delinquency rates...

We specify and estimate a lifecycle model of consumption, housing demand and labor supply in an environment where individuals may file for bankruptcy or default on their mortgage. Uncertainty in the model is driven by house price shocks, education specific productivity shocks, and catastrophic...

The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) includes two educational provisions which require debtors to complete an approved credit counseling course prior to filing for bankruptcy and a financial education course prior to the discharge. Recent debates have raised...