Household Balance Sheet 2012 Update and Rebased Forecast

A statistical update and rebased projections are an integral component of Investor Economics’ Household Balance Sheet research. It is an important deliverable that is produced at the mid-point of the biennial Household Balance Sheet cycle. Our next Household Balance Sheet Report is slated for release in mid-2013. The current release includes an update (to the end of 2011) of every exhibit presented in the 2011 Household Balance Sheet Report, along with rebased projections to 2020 for all forecasts appearing in the original study. In addition to updated year-end 2011 data, we have also incorporated revisions to a number of the historic data series, along with certain refinements in various specific categories. These rebased projections do not constitute a new forecast. The updated data set enables users to track the short-term progress of each balance sheet component relative to the original long-term expectations presented in the 2011 report. Such deviations are a natural and expected outcome in any forecasting process. The value of the updated data resides in the fact that it might act as an early warning signal in terms of identifying where original projections are off track and provide a possible basis for revisiting the entire forecasting exercise.