We use UK household survey data incorporating measures of financial literacy and behavioural characteristics to analyse the puzzling co-existence of high cost revolving consumer credit alongside low yield liquid savings in household balance sheets, which we term the 'co-holding puzzle'....

Policymakers have expressed concern that some mortgage holders do not understand or correctly choose their mortgage products, especially alternative mortgage products (AMPs) with back-loaded payments. Using a specially design question module in a UK survey, we investigate the impact of consumer...

Choosing a mortgage is one of the most important financial decisions made by a household. Financial innovation has given rise to more complex mortgage products with back-loaded payments, known as 'Alternative Mortgage Products' (AMPs), or 'nterest-Only Mortgages'. Using a specially designed...

Is financial literacy a substitute or complement for financial advice? In this paper we analyze the decision by consumers to seek financial advice in the form of credit counseling concerning their credit and debt. Credit counseling is an important component of the consumer credit sector for...

We use UK household survey data incorporating measures of financial literacy and behavioural characteristics to analyse the puzzling co-existence of high cost revolving consumer credit alongside low yield liquid savings in household balance sheets, which we term the 'co-holding puzzle'....

We use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of the US population, to examine social rank effects on the relationship between life satisfaction and economic status. We examine the effects of income, home values, mortgage debts, financial...

Using data from multiple card issuers, we show that the most common penalty fee type incurred by credit card holders – late payment fees – declines sharply over the first few months of card life. This phenomenon is wholly due to some consumers adopting automatic payments after a late payment...