Überschuldung in Deutschland zwischen 1988 und 1999 - SB SH

In 43% of the overindebted households live children, family households
are therefore elementary affected by overindebtedness. It is striking that
a high percentage (11%) in East Germany applies to couples who are
unmarried and have children; in West Germany this applies to divorced/separated
persons (20,5%).
In East Germany only 27% of the overindebted households get a salary/wage,
72% however receive public transfer payments. In West
Germany are more clients who are still working (52%). Self-employed
persons and freelancers who failed are belonging to the new group of
overindebtedness (approximately between 40,000 and 90,000 annually).
The average debt sum of overindebted households has on the whole
increased: in East Germany from about DM 10,000 to DM 20,000, in
West Germany from DM 20,000 to DM 40,000. Only 31% of the households
have debts which do not go too far (up to DM 20,000).16% have
debts of DM 50-100,000, 17% even have more than DM 100,000. The
majority of debts are owed to credit institutions whereas this is more
often the case in West Germany (72%) than in East Germany (56%).
Furthermore collection agencies (40% and 50% respectively) and mail
order companies (32% and 42% respectively) are often creditors in
West and East Germany. In East Germany debts among landlords
(32%) and insurance companies (30%), in West Germany debts among
telephone companies (27%) play a significant role.
Therefore it is not surprising that only 8% of the clients are faced with
the claims of only one creditor. 45% have between 6 and 15 creditors,
15% even 16 and more creditors. Creditors have obtained that 1/3 of
the clients have sworn an affidavit. 27% in West and 15% in East Germany
are affected by wage and salary seizures.
Outlook
In Germany, the debt relating to telecommunication and mobile phone
companies are increasing. If one takes into consideration that e-
commerce can be carried out by a mobile phone click and that the financial
institutes strongly promote the use of cash cards there are new
fields and possibilities to fall into the pit of overindebtedness.
To cope with current and future problems we recommend
• the amendment of the consumer insolvency procedure
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