Global Perspectives on Loan Debt Issues and Risks

A special issue of Journal of Risk and Financial Management (ISSN 1911-8074). This special issue belongs to the section "Economics and Finance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 August 2025 | Viewed by 6701

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Personal and Family Financial Planning, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Interests: student loan debt; education savings; retirement savings; stock market investments; financial well-being; time allocation; financial literacy and education; family and personal finance

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Guest Editor
Department of Finance and Economics, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC 29577, USA
Interests: financial planning; financial well-being; personal finance; retirement economics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of student loans to finance higher education is common in several countries. However, the economic policies governing these loans vary across nations. Additionally, there are differences in cultural, behavioral, and economic factors in countries that utilize student loans. This Special Issue aims to explore research topics related to student loans from the perspectives of various countries. We invite scholars and practitioners from a broad range of geographical and disciplinary backgrounds to shed light on the multifaceted nature of student loans. The topics of interest include the psychological and economic impacts of student loan debt on individuals and households, the affordability of higher education and debt management, and behavioral finance aspects of student loan acquisition and repayment. Other areas include financial education in managing student loans, the securitization and sustainability of student loans, the risks of student loan default, including the consequences for borrowers and the broader financial system, and outcomes for individuals who successfully navigate repayment. We encourage studies that provide international comparisons and cross-border insights, uncovering common patterns, shared challenges, and innovative solutions. Submitted papers must advance student loan research, offering theoretical, empirical, and practical insights valuable to policymakers, educators, lenders, and households.

Dr. Thomas Korankye
Dr. Blain Pearson
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • cross-country student loan analysis
  • student loan repayment
  • financial sustainability of student loans
  • student loan management and financial education
  • psychological effects of student debt
  • socioeconomic impact of student loans
  • student loan default risks
  • risk assessment in student lending
  • higher education affordability and debt
  • student loan securitization and risks
  • behavioral finance and student loans

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
Entrepreneurship and Student Loans: An Analysis of the Association Between Self-Employment and Student Loans
by Christopher Wertheim, Leobardo Diosdado, Sandra DeGrassi, Alexandra Theodossiou and Eugene Bland
J. Risk Financial Manag. 2025, 18(3), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm18030149 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 456
Abstract
This study examines the association between self-employment, otherwise known as entrepreneurship, and student loan debt. Based on data from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study, which were analyzed using a multinomial probit model, our results suggest that households that used student loans to [...] Read more.
This study examines the association between self-employment, otherwise known as entrepreneurship, and student loan debt. Based on data from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study, which were analyzed using a multinomial probit model, our results suggest that households that used student loans to finance the education of one household member are more likely to report that the other member of the household pursued self-employment, with everything else remaining equal. This association between student loans and household self-employment is both economically and statistically significant. Our results highlight the importance of alternative forms of financing for entrepreneurship and expand upon existing knowledge about the unintended effects of student loans. Policymakers should consider these results when analyzing the various intended and unintended benefits of policies affecting the availability of student loans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Perspectives on Loan Debt Issues and Risks)
18 pages, 1883 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Student Loan Debt on Emergency Savings and the Moderating Role of Financial Knowledge: Evidence from the U.S. Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking
by Thomas Korankye, Blain Pearson and Peter Agyemang-Mintah
J. Risk Financial Manag. 2024, 17(9), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm17090420 - 21 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3103
Abstract
This study examines data from the U.S. 2018 and 2019 Survey of Household Economics and Decision making (SHED) to understand the association between student loan debt and emergency-saving decisions, including the moderating role of financial knowledge. Controlling self-selection bias through a propensity score [...] Read more.
This study examines data from the U.S. 2018 and 2019 Survey of Household Economics and Decision making (SHED) to understand the association between student loan debt and emergency-saving decisions, including the moderating role of financial knowledge. Controlling self-selection bias through a propensity score and coarsened exact matching approach, the findings reveal that individuals with student loan debt are less likely to save for financial emergencies. The findings also show that financial knowledge is positively associated with a higher likelihood of having emergency savings. Furthermore, the results from the moderating analysis indicate a statistically significant interaction effect. Based on the empirical results and the corresponding interaction plots, the findings suggest that targeted financial education may lead to improved financial outcomes for student loan borrowers, rather than assuming that such education occurred prior to a loan application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Perspectives on Loan Debt Issues and Risks)
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