Household Liquidity Constraints and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from a Danish Mortgage Reform

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We study the causal effect of liquidity constraints on individual labor market outcomes by exploiting the 1992 mortgage reform in Denmark, which for the first time allowed homeowners to borrow against housing equity for nonhousing purposes. Following the reform, liquidity-constrained homeowners increased debt levels and had higher earnings growth and lower employment rates. The option to borrow against housing equity enabled liquidity-constrained individuals to move to high-wage jobs and invest in valuable human and physical capital. The results imply that relaxing household liquidity constraints during recessions can create better job matches, potentially increasing earnings and output in the longer run.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Finance
Volume78
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)3251-3298
ISSN0022-1082
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

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© 2023 the American Finance Association.

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