Increasing income by finding a second or third job, personal bankruptcy, but also transferring property to family or moving abroad to escape debt enforcement. A survey by the collection company EOS KSI Slovensko shows that the approaches of people affected by debt enforcement are diametrically different, including between men and women.
More than half of the respondents, 56.2 percent, when asked 'How should people affected by debt enforcement behave,' chose increasing their income by finding another job and paying off the debt as their first choice. This applies to 58% of the women and 54% of the men surveyed, young people up to 33 years old, more educated population groups, rather higher-income categories, and those with savings.
Women behave more responsibly and actively solve problems
In second place for solving debt enforcement, the survey revealed an attempt to get out of debt through personal bankruptcy. This solution is preferred by 43 percent of respondents, more often men, middle-aged categories from 34 to 65 years, residents of the Banská Bystrica region, people from multi-generational households, and adults living with relatives who share costs. Here too, women showed themselves to be greater fighters: 37% of female respondents would choose personal bankruptcy, compared to almost half, 49%, of male respondents.
"Men look for simpler solutions such as personal bankruptcy or fleeing abroad from debt enforcement, while women behave more responsibly and actively solve the problem," interprets Václav Hřích, director of the research agency AKO.
Every tenth respondent, i.e., 10.5 percent, would solve a debt enforcement situation with a loan from family, and approximately every tenth respondent, 10.2%, would not look for another job, would not choose personal bankruptcy, nor borrow from family, but would try to transfer their property to a close relative or friend.
Moving abroad or 'invisibility' are not good solutions
Among other solutions that people in debt enforcement would use is moving abroad. Some respondents even openly stated that they would try to act 'invisibly' and not respond. The tendency to flee from debts was declared in the survey more by younger age groups from 18 to 33 years.
"Not responding, not communicating, or moving abroad to live is definitely not the right way to resolve your obligations. In today's world of interconnected information systems, it is no longer possible to exist unidentified even abroad; the debt will catch up with you sooner or later. It is better to approach debts actively, communicate, and agree on a payment plan," concludes Peter Dvornák, CEO and Executive Director of EOS KSI Slovensko, summarizing the survey results.