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The Effects of Student Loans on Long-Term Household Financial Stability

Author

Listed:
  • Gicheva, Dora

    (University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics)

  • Thompson, Jeffrey

    (Federal Reserve Board)

Abstract

By examining how student borrowers fare financially after graduation, we attempt to further the existing knowledge of the costs associated with education debt and the manageability of the typical debt burden. We compare the financial stability of individuals who have borrowed for education to similar individuals who have not. We show that, keeping education constant, more student debt is associated with higher probability of being credit constrained and greater likelihood of declaring bankruptcy, particularly for individuals who accumulate debt but do not complete a Bachelor’s degree. We find evidence that homeownership rates may also be affected by education loans. Controlling for earnings tends to strengthen these relationships, which is consistent with omitted variable bias combined with positive return to student loans.

Suggested Citation

  • Gicheva, Dora & Thompson, Jeffrey, 2014. "The Effects of Student Loans on Long-Term Household Financial Stability," UNCG Economics Working Papers 14-2, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:uncgec:2014_002
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    Cited by:

    1. Alvaro Mezza & Daniel R. Ringo & Shane M. Sherlund & Kamila Sommer, 2016. "Student Loans and Homeownership," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2016-10, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    2. Fedaseyeu Viktar & Strohush Vitaliy, 2018. "A Theory of Inefficient College Entry and Excessive Student Debt," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 18(1), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Matthew S. Rutledge & Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher & Francis M. Vitagliano, 2016. "How Does Student Debt Affect Early-Career Retirement Saving?," Working Papers, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College wp2016-9, Center for Retirement Research.
    4. Gicheva, Dora, 2016. "Student loans or marriage? A look at the highly educated," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 207-216.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    student debt; personal bankruptcy; homeownership;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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