Government and Private Household Debt Relief During COVID-19
This study finds that nearly 30% of total debt relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was provided by the private sector, with the balance provided pursuant to government mandates focusing on mortgage and student loans. Households with lower incomes and lower creditworthiness were more likely to obtain forbearance relief, as were households who live in areas with higher Black or Hispanic populations, high infection rates, and more severe economic deterioration. The authors caution that the winding down of forbearance measures and subsequent structuring of debt repayments may have a significant impact on household debt distress and the aggregate economy given the amount of accumulated postponed repayments.
Susan F. Cherry et al., National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 28357
January 2021