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Household Debt and Delinquency over the Life Cycle

Author

Listed:
  • Sommarat Chantarat

    (Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research (PIER), Bank of Thailand.)

  • Atchana Lamsam

    (PIER, Bank of Thailand.)

  • Krislert Samphantharak

    (PIER and School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California San Diego.)

  • Bhumjai Tangsawasdirat

    (Bhumjai Tangsawasdirat: Monetary Policy Department, Bank of Thailand.)

Abstract

This paper uses loan-level data from Thailand's National Credit Bureau to study household debt over the life cycle of borrowers. We decompose two aggregate and commonly used measures of debt—debt per capita and delinquency rate—into components that unveil the extensive and intensive margins of household indebtedness. We find a striking inverted-U life-cycle pattern of indebtedness as predicted by economic theories. However, peaks are reached at different ages for different loan products and different lenders. We also find that debt has expanded over time for all age groups. Younger cohorts seem to originate debt earlier in their lives than older generations. Meanwhile, older borrowers remain indebted well past their retirement age. Finally, we find a downward pattern of delinquency over the life cycle. Our findings have important policy implications on financial access and distress of households as well as on economic development and financial stability of the economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Sommarat Chantarat & Atchana Lamsam & Krislert Samphantharak & Bhumjai Tangsawasdirat, 2020. "Household Debt and Delinquency over the Life Cycle," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 37(1), pages 61-92, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:adbadr:v:37:y:2020:i:1:p:61-92
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    Cited by:

    1. Sommarat Chantarat & Chayanee Chawanote & Lathaporn Ratanavararak & Chonnakan Rittinon & Boontida Sa-ngimnet & Narongrit Adultananusak, 2023. "Financial Lives and the Vicious Cycle of Debt among Thai Agricultural Households," PIER Discussion Papers 204, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Juniours Marire, 2024. "Interactive influence of house prices and the repo rate on household debt in South Africa," Journal of Economic Analysis, Anser Press, vol. 3(1), pages 58-78, March.
    3. Chan Mono Oum & Gazi M. Hassan & Mark J. Holmes, 2022. "Do Remittances Increase Household Indebtedness: Evidence from a Cambodian Household Survey," Working Papers in Economics 22/02, University of Waikato.
    4. Kanis Saengchote & Krislert Samphantharak, 2020. "Delinquency Priority in Consumer Credit: Evidence from Thai Microdata," PIER Discussion Papers 135, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Ryszard Kowalski & Agnieszka Strzelecka & Agnieszka Wałęga & Grzegorz Wałęga, 2023. "Do Children Matter to the Household Debt Burden?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 1007-1022, December.
    6. Yunchao, Cai & Abdullah Yusof, Selamah & Mohd Amin, Ruzita & Mohd Arshad, Mohd Nahar, 2020. "Household Debt and Household Spending Behavior: Evidence from Malaysia," Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, vol. 54(1), pages 111-120.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    delinquency; demography; financial development; household debt; life cycle;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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