Bankruptcy: Is it Enough to Forgive or Must We Also Forget?
47 Pages Posted: 4 Apr 2011
There are 2 versions of this paper
Bankruptcy: Is it Enough to Forgive or Must We Also Forget?
Bankruptcy: Is it Enough to Forgive or Must We Also Forget?
Date Written: November 9, 2010
Abstract
In many countries, lenders are restricted in their access to information about borrowers' past defaults. The authors study this provision in a model of repeated borrowing and lending with moral hazard and adverse selection. They analyze its effects on borrowers' incentives and access to credit, and identify conditions under which it is optimal. The authors argue that “forgetting” must be the outcome of a regulatory intervention by the government. Their model's predictions are consistent with the cross-country relationship between credit bureau regulations and the provision of credit, as well as the evidence on the impact of these regulations on borrowers' and lenders' behavior.
Keywords: Bankruptcy, Information, Incentives, Fresh Start
JEL Classification: D86, G33, K35
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation