Debt and Financial Expectations: An Individual- and Household-Level Analysis

Sarah Brown (), Gaia Garino, Karl Taylor and Stephen Wheatley Price

Economic Inquiry, 2005, vol. 43, issue 1, 100-120

Abstract: In this article we show that optimistic financial expectations impact positively on both the quantity of debt and the growth in debt at the individual and household levels. Our theoretical model shows that this association is predicted under a variety of plausible scenarios. In the empirical analysis we explore the determinants of debt and of growth in debt using British data. We find convincing support for our theoretical priors and show that it is optimistic financial expectations per se that are important in influencing debt, rather than the accuracy of individuals' predictions regarding their future financial situation. (JEL D18, D84, D91) Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.

JEL-codes: D18 D84 D91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (48)

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Working Paper: Debt and financial expectations: an individual and household level analysis (2004)
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