Delinquency Rate
Candlefocus EditorWhen a loan or debt is delinquent, the account falls behind in payment from its usual scheduled progression, causing an abrupt halt to progress. This halt can cause a "domino effect" for the individual, as well as the lender, potentially leading to penalties, court cases, and repossessions.
The delinquency rate is a term used to refer to the percentage of the total amount of loans or debts outstanding that are delinquent. This number is calculated by dividing the total amount of delinquent loans by the total amount of loans outstanding. For example, if a lender has $100 million in outstanding loans and $20 million of those loans are delinquent, the delinquency rate would be 20%.
The delinquency rate is often used by lenders and investors to assess the risk associated with a particular loan portfolio. Generally, the higher the delinquency rate, the higher the risk. A higher delinquency rate can lead to a decrease in the value of a loan portfolio, which in turn can lead to an increase in the cost of credit for borrowers.
Lenders are always looking for ways to reduce their delinquency rate and ultimately decrease their risk. This can include measures such as offering better repayment terms and providing resources for borrowers to help them manage their debt. Additionally, lenders may also use credit scoring models to assess borrowers' creditworthiness before granting a loan in order to reduce the chances of delinquency.
In order to properly assess a loan portfolio, lenders must continually monitor their delinquency rate and take measures to reduce it. A low delinquency rate is a sign of a healthy loan portfolio and can go a long way towards minimizing risk for lenders.