IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jcopol/v42y2019i2d10.1007_s10603-018-9402-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Debt Judgments as a Reflection of Consumption-Related Debt Problems

Author

Listed:
  • K. Majamaa

    (University of Helsinki)

  • A.-R. Lehtinen

    (Consumer Society Research Centre)

  • K. Rantala

    (University of Helsinki)

Abstract

In connection with the strengthening and enlargement of financial markets, i.e., financialization, financial services and products play a major role in the everyday lives of consumers. One drawback of this trend is the increase in the number of debt problems. The data used in this article consist of Finnish district-court judgments related to debt that in most cases was consumption-related, and register-based data on debtors. We first compare debtors to the entire population of Finland by age, gender, marital status, and education, and also in different age groups. The focus then turns to the four most common types of debt in the judgments (based on consumer credit, operator services, distance selling, and credit card debts), and how age, gender, marital status, and education related to these debt types. According to the results, consumers under 30 years of age, in particular, men, those with a basic level of education, and the divorced were over-represented in the data, compared to the overall Finnish population. Young single adults were particularly likely to have accrued smaller amounts of debt related to instant loans and operator services, whereas more extensive consumer credit as well as credit card debt tended to be a problem among retirees. Credit card debt, as well as debts to lending firms, were more common among those with tertiary education than among those with a basic education. Overall, the adverse effects of financialization focused especially on young people with a low level of education. The results also indicate that legislation could partly reduce the negative effects of financialization.

Suggested Citation

  • K. Majamaa & A.-R. Lehtinen & K. Rantala, 2019. "Debt Judgments as a Reflection of Consumption-Related Debt Problems," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 223-244, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:42:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10603-018-9402-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10603-018-9402-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10603-018-9402-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10603-018-9402-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. French, Declan & McKillop, Donal, 2016. "Financial literacy and over-indebtedness in low-income households," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 1-11.
    2. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell & Noemi Oggero, 2020. "Debt and Financial Vulnerability on the Verge of Retirement," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 52(5), pages 1005-1034, August.
    3. Goode, Jackie, 2012. "Brothers are doing it for themselves?: Men's experiences of getting into and getting out of debt," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 327-335.
    4. Disney, Richard & Gathergood, John, 2013. "Financial literacy and consumer credit portfolios," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 2246-2254.
    5. Koerselman, Kristian & Uusitalo, Roope, 2014. "The risk and return of human capital investments," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 154-163.
    6. Taylor, Mark P. & Jenkins, Stephen P. & Sacker, Amanda, 2011. "Financial capability and psychological health," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 710-723.
    7. Ottaviani, Cristina & Vandone, Daniela, 2011. "Impulsivity and household indebtedness: Evidence from real life," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 754-761.
    8. Anu Raijas & Anna-Riitta Lehtinen & Johanna Leskinen, 2010. "Over-Indebtedness in the Finnish Consumer Society," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 209-223, September.
    9. Gunnar Trumbull, 2012. "Credit Access and Social Welfare," Politics & Society, , vol. 40(1), pages 9-34, March.
    10. Atte Oksanen & Mikko Aaltonen & Kati Rantala, 2015. "Social Determinants of Debt Problems in a Nordic Welfare State: a Finnish Register-Based Study," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 229-246, September.
    11. Adele Atkinson & Stephen McKay & Sharon Collard & Elaine Kempson, 2007. "Levels of Financial Capability in the UK," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 29-36, February.
    12. Klapper, Leora & Lusardi, Annamaria & Panos, Georgios A., 2013. "Financial literacy and its consequences: Evidence from Russia during the financial crisis," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 3904-3923.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. N. Luotonen & V. Puttonen & E. Rantapuska, 2022. "Ability, Educational Attainment, and Household Financial Distress," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 655-672, December.
    2. G. Silinskas & M. Ranta & T.-A. Wilska, 2021. "Financial Behaviour Under Economic Strain in Different Age Groups: Predictors and Change Across 20 Years," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 235-257, June.
    3. K. Majamaa & A.-R. Lehtinen, 2022. "An Analysis of Finnish Debtors Who Defaulted in 2014–2016 Because of Unsecured Credit Products," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 595-617, December.
    4. Cesar Leandro, Julio & Botelho, Delane, 2022. "Consumer over-indebtedness: A review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 535-551.
    5. D. Burton, 2021. "Consumer Debt Prevention and Discharge in the Arabian Gulf," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 21-42, March.
    6. Carton, F.L. & Xiong, H. & McCarthy, J.B., 2022. "Drivers of financial well-being in socio-economic deprived populations," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    7. Ryszard Kowalski & Grzegorz Wałęga, 2022. "Regulation of Usury: Justification, Consequences, and Some Lessons from Polish Experience," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 57-73.
    8. J. Cloutier & A. Roy, 2020. "Consumer Credit Use of Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate Students: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 565-592, September.
    9. P. Hohnen & A. Rhiger Hansen, 2021. "Credit Consumption and Financial Risk Among Danish Households— A Register-Based Study of the Distribution of Bank and Credit Card Debt," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 311-328, June.
    10. 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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cesar Leandro, Julio & Botelho, Delane, 2022. "Consumer over-indebtedness: A review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 535-551.
    2. Rendall, Stella & Brooks, Chris & Hillenbrand, Carola, 2021. "The impacts of emotions and personality on borrowers’ abilities to manage their debts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    3. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    4. Marco FRIGERIO & Cristina OTTAVIANI & Daniela VANDONE, 2018. "A Meta-Analytic Investigation of Consumer Over-Indebtedness: the Role of Impulsivity," Departmental Working Papers 2018-08, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    5. Gentjan Çera & Khurram Ajaz Khan & Jaroslav Belas & Humberto Nuno Rito Ribeiro, 2020. "The Role of Financial Capability and Culture in Financial Satisfaction," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 39(4), pages 389-406, December.
    6. Youngwon Nam & Cäzilia Loibl, 2021. "Financial Capability and Financial Planning at the Verge of Retirement Age," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 133-150, March.
    7. Noemi Oggero & Maria Cristina Rossi & Elisa Ughetto, 2020. "Entrepreneurial spirits in women and men. The role of financial literacy and digital skills," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 313-327, August.
    8. Azra Zaimovic & Anes Torlakovic & Almira Arnaut-Berilo & Tarik Zaimovic & Lejla Dedovic & Minela Nuhic Meskovic, 2023. "Mapping Financial Literacy: A Systematic Literature Review of Determinants and Recent Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-30, June.
    9. Grohmann, Antonia, 2018. "Financial literacy and financial behavior: Evidence from the emerging Asian middle class," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 129-143.
    10. Beckmann, Elisabeth & Stix, Helmut, 2015. "Foreign currency borrowing and knowledge about exchange rate risk," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1-16.
    11. Xu, Yilan & Briley, Daniel A. & Brown, Jeffrey R. & Roberts, Brent W., 2017. "Genetic and environmental influences on household financial distress," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 404-424.
    12. Giuseppe Arcangelis & Majlinda Joxhe, 2015. "How do migrants save? Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey on temporary and permanent migrants versus natives," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-23, December.
    13. Ziyuan Lyu & Li Wei, 2021. "Information sources and participation in the Chinese insurance market: knowledge as a mediator," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 46(1), pages 79-106, January.
    14. Ćumurović, Aida & Hyll, Walter, 2016. "Financial Literacy and Self-employment," IWH Discussion Papers 11/2016, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    15. Oscar A. Stolper & Andreas Walter, 2017. "Financial literacy, financial advice, and financial behavior," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(5), pages 581-643, July.
    16. van Ooijen, Raun & van Rooij, Maarten C.J., 2016. "Mortgage risks, debt literacy and financial advice," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 201-217.
    17. Eleonora Patacchini & Edoardo Rainone, 2017. "Social Ties and the Demand for Financial Services," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 52(1), pages 35-88, October.
    18. Cristina OTTAVIANI & Daniela VANDONE, 2016. "Is Impulsivity a Mediator of the Relationship between Financial Literacy and Debt Decisions?," Departmental Working Papers 2016-06, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    19. Albert Hizgilov & Jacques Silber, 2020. "On Multidimensional Approaches to Financial Literacy Measurement," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(3), pages 787-830, April.
    20. Elisabeth Beckmann & Christa Hainz & Sarah Reiter, 2022. "Third-Party Loan Guarantees: Measuring Literacy and its Effect on Financial Decisions (Elisabeth Beckmann, Christa Hainz, Sarah Reiter)," Working Papers 237, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:42:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10603-018-9402-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.