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Home | Events Archive | Friends with Bankruptcy Protection Benefits
Seminar

Friends with Bankruptcy Protection Benefits


  • Series
  • Speaker(s)
    Noah Stoffmann (Kelly School of Business Indiana University, United States)
  • Field
    Finance
  • Location
    Erasmus University, Polak Building, Room 2-04
    Rotterdam
  • Date and time

    September 17, 2019
    15:30 - 16:45

Abstract

We evaluate whether social networks limit the effectiveness of targeted debt relief programs. In our setting, individuals learn about the likelihood of debt relief from the experiences of workplace peers filing bankruptcy. Peers granted bankruptcy can discharge debts, while peers facing dismissal lose all protections. Exploiting the random assignment of bankruptcy judges, we determine that individuals with a “dismissed peer” are significantly less likely to file bankruptcy and enter foreclosure. Our results highlight a novel channel relating social networks to household finances and demonstrate substantial spillover costs from granting debt relief.