Skuldkostnadsandelen

Skuldkostnadsandelen refers to the proportion of a household's disposable income that is used to service its debt. This metric is often used by economists and financial institutions to assess the financial health of individuals and the broader economy. A high skuldkostnadsandelen can indicate that households are overextended with debt, potentially leading to financial instability if interest rates rise or income falls.

The calculation typically involves summing up all debt servicing costs, such as mortgage payments, loan repayments, and credit card interest, and then dividing this sum by the household's net disposable income after taxes. For example, if a household has annual debt servicing costs of 20,000 SEK and a disposable income of 100,000 SEK, their skuldkostnadsandelen would be 20%.

Different countries and financial bodies may use slightly varying definitions of disposable income or debt servicing costs, which can lead to minor differences in reported figures. However, the underlying concept remains the same: to gauge the burden of debt relative to income. Policymakers and central banks monitor this indicator as it can signal potential risks to the financial system. A rising trend in skuldkostnadsandelen across a significant portion of the population can be a warning sign of increased vulnerability to economic shocks.