CreditGauge LIVE

Consumer sentiment is down, but the credit data tells a different story. Delinquencies improved across all VantageScore credit tiers in May, and originations rebounded, led by personal loans hitting a nine-month high. In this episode, David Battany, EVP of Capital Markets at Guild Mortgage, shares how one of the nation's largest independent mortgage lenders is navigating affordability pressures and what he sees as the biggest opportunity to expand homeownership access. In the full episode, David covers: ➡️ Why the mortgage affordability problem comes down to a math equation and how zero-down programs are helping lenders solve it ➡️ How the industry is absorbing trended credit data, including VantageScore 4.0, and what responsible adoption looks like in practice ➡️ Why thin-file borrowers represent the single biggest opportunity for homeownership expansion and how residual income data could be the bridge Plus, VantageScore's Atif Mirza breaks down the latest CreditGauge™ data for May 2026, including delinquencies improving across all credit tiers, personal loan originations reaching a nine-month high, and auto loans as the only product where originations declined year-over-year. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge.

Fair lending isn't just a compliance obligation; in the age of AI, it's a model quality issue. In this episode, Kareem Saleh, Founder and CEO of FairPlay AI, explores why the best-performing lenders are optimizing for fairness, predictive accuracy, and explainability together, not as separate work streams. In the full episode, Kareem covers: ➡️ Why fairness blind spots are model performance problems ➡️ What the VantageScore 4.0 mortgage shift means for lenders ➡️ His outlook for consumer credit over the next 6–12 months Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fay and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for April 2026, including improving delinquency trends and strengthening mortgage originations. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health. Download the full CreditGauge analysis for free at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge.

Debt service burdens are rising across multiple asset classes, and many lenders still aren't filling the data gaps that would help them see it coming. In this episode, Matt Komos, Founder and CEO of OGMA Risk and Analytics, shares research on VantageScore 4.0's performance in mortgage pre-screening and where lenders are leaving risk management on the table. In the full episode, Matt covers: ➡️ How VantageScore 4.0 expands first-time buyer access at the top of the mortgage funnel without increasing portfolio risk ➡️ Why trended credit data, cash flow data, and alternative credit are still underutilized even by lenders who say they're a priority ➡️ How geographic precision down to the county level can help lenders grow responsibly Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for March 2026, including credit card balances declining, mortgage delinquencies improving 8.1% year-over-year, and Gen Z and millennials driving unsecured lending growth. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health. Download the full CreditGauge analysis for free at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge.

Hundreds of thousands of consumers want to buy homes but aren't quite mortgage-ready. Marcia Griffin has spent her career working with that 95%. In this episode, Marcia Griffin, Founder and CEO of HomeFree-USA, shares what she's hearing from consumers on the ground and what lenders need to do differently to reach them. In the full episode, Marcia covers: ➡️ Why getting consumers to simply look at their credit score is the critical first step ➡️ How HomeFree-USA works with first-time buyers, delinquent homeowners, and Gen Z renters who pay their bills but lack traditional credit history ➡️ What partnerships between lenders and nonprofits can unlock that neither can achieve alone Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for February 2026, including early-stage delinquencies hitting pre-pandemic levels at 1.15%, credit card originations up 53% year-over-year, and the average VantageScore rising to 701 despite continued migration into lower credit tiers. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Early-stage delinquencies rose across all credit tiers in January, more consumers are migrating into subprime and near-prime, and mortgage originations are ticking up. For lenders, the question is how to capture the opportunity that VantageScore 4.0 is now unlocking. In this episode, Tony Hutchinson, EVP and Head of Public Affairs at VantageScore and former executive at both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, breaks down exactly where lenders can use VantageScore 4.0 right now and what the cost savings look like. In the full episode, Tony covers: ➡️ The four places lenders can use VantageScore 4.0 today: federal home loan bank collateral pledging, VA lending, pre-qualifications, and mortgage servicing ➡️ Why VantageScore 4.0 costs at least 50% less than FICO Classic and how the industry could save $600 million by making the switch ➡️ How VantageScore usage in ABS grew from $13.4 billion in 2024 to $22 billion in 2025, and why 2026 is on pace to be even bigger Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for January 2026, including early-stage delinquencies rising across all credit tiers, subprime reaching 11.9%, and personal loan originations leading growth as consumers shift away from new credit cards. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

The average VantageScore ended 2025 at 700, down two points for the year, and the subprime tier is growing while the prime tier contracts. But underneath the averages, a tale of two consumers is emerging that averages alone can't capture. In this episode, Silvio Tavares, President and CEO of VantageScore, makes the case that 2026 is a pivotal year for mortgage lenders, and that the biggest mistake large institutions are making is still using outdated credit scores. In the full episode, Silvio covers: ➡️ Why the K-shaped economy means lenders are effectively serving two distinct customer bases, and why treating them the same is a credit risk ➡️ How switching to VantageScore 4.0 could save the largest mortgage lenders over $600 million in 2026 and unlock over a trillion dollars in incremental mortgage activity ➡️ Why displaying a consumer's credit score on digital banking platforms is the single most effective way to drive engagement and retention Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for December 2025, including the average VantageScore dropping to 700, late-stage delinquencies rising 45% year-over-year, and mortgage late-stage delinquencies up 18.6%. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Late-stage delinquencies rose 30% year-over-year heading into the holidays, consumers are opening personal loans and credit cards to fund their shopping, and the K-shaped economy is showing up in credit union member data in very real ways. In this episode, Mani Massoomi, Chief Risk Officer at Patelco Credit Union, shares what he's watching this holiday season and pushes back on the instinct to retreat when uncertainty spikes. In the full episode, Mani covers: ➡️ Why BNPL usage for everyday essentials like groceries is a barometer of real financial stress ➡️ How Patelco is using cash flow data, alternative credit data, and risk-based decisioning to expand its credit reach while managing risk ➡️ Why uncertainty isn't a signal to close the credit box and what overcorrection costs the consumers who need credit most Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for November 2025, including late-stage delinquencies rising 30% year-over-year, personal loan and credit card originations climbing as consumers seek holiday liquidity, and balances reaching $106,000 while utilization stays flat. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Low-income consumer delinquencies rose 11% in October, the highest among income groups, marking a notable shift from earlier in the year, when mid- and higher-income households were leading delinquency increases. The K-shaped economy is clearly evident in the credit data. In this episode, Dr. Rikard Bandebo, Chief Economist and Chief Strategy Officer at VantageScore, traces how the delinquency story has shifted across income groups since the pandemic and why affordability, not income, is the real driver. In the full episode, Rikard covers: ➡️ Why lower-income delinquencies are now back at levels not seen since 2010 for credit cards and auto loans ➡️ How record rent increases and rising car ownership costs have squeezed household budgets far beyond income growth ➡️ What does the unusual mid-2023 to mid-2025 period, when higher-income delinquencies briefly outpaced lower-income, tell us about the broader credit cycle Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for October 2025, including credit balances reaching an all-time high, mortgage delinquencies in the 60 to 89-day category rising 12.1% year-over-year, and the average VantageScore holding steady at 701. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

For the first time ever, VantageScore had access to tens of millions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans spanning 10 years, enough to directly compare VantageScore 4.0 against classic FICO side by side. The results are clear. In this episode, Dr. Andrada Pacheco, Chief Data Scientist at VantageScore, shares what the analysis found and answers the model risk management question lenders are most often asking: how was machine learning used in building VS4? In the full episode, Andrada covers: ➡️ Why VantageScore 4.0 captures up to 13% more defaults than classic FICO and 49% more during stress periods like the pandemic ➡️ How VantageScore used machine learning creatively while keeping the model transparent, explainable, and FCRA-compliant ➡️ What the score mapping between VS4 and FICO Classic means for lenders currently in the backtesting and installation phase Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for September 2025, including mortgage late-stage delinquencies hitting their highest level since before the pandemic, early-stage delinquencies reaching a year-to-date high of 1.13%, and new account originations cooling across all products after a strong summer. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Auto loans have gone from the least risky credit product post-recession to the riskiest today, and it's not a subprime story. VantageScore research tracing delinquency data back to 2010 points to something more structural. In this episode, Dr. Rikard Bandebo, Chief Economist and Chief Strategy Officer at VantageScore, breaks down what's really driving auto loan stress and what lenders should do about it. In the full episode, Rikard covers: ➡️ Why prime borrowers are driving more of the delinquency increase than subprime ➡️ How a 57% rise in average auto loan balances since 2010, compounded by higher rates, is squeezing consumers across credit tiers ➡️ Why rising personal loan balances alongside auto delinquencies may signal a debt spiral and how cash flow data can help lenders get ahead of it Plus, VantageScore's Atif Mirza breaks down the latest CreditGauge™ data for August 2025, including superprime delinquencies posting the sharpest year-over-year rise, unsecured credit growing faster than secured, and credit card utilization climbing to 30.7%. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Late-stage delinquencies are rising across all credit tiers, the average VantageScore dropped to 701, and more consumers are shifting into subprime. At the same time, leading institutions are rethinking how they make credit decisions, and machine learning is changing what's possible. In this episode, Jay Budzik, SVP and Director of AI and Machine Learning Operations at Fifth Third Bank, explains how the same technologies that power voice transcription and lane-assist in your car are now being deployed to make more accurate and fair credit decisions. In the full episode, Jay covers: ➡️ How upgrading to more accurate credit scores can simultaneously improve bank profitability and expand access to credit for overlooked borrowers ➡️ Why transparency and explainability have historically been the biggest challenge for machine learning in credit, and how the field has evolved to address it ➡️ What Fifth Third watches beyond credit scores, including consumer deposit data as a first-stop indicator of financial health Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for July 2025, including the average VantageScore declining to 701 as more consumers shift into subprime, mortgage, and auto loan delinquencies, posting the largest year-over-year increases, and a divergence emerging between secured lending softening and unsecured credit growing. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

The FHFA just made history. For the first time, GSE-funded mortgages can be underwritten using a scoring model other than the classic FICO score. VantageScore 4.0 is now approved, and the mortgage market is working through what that means. In this episode, Armine Karajyan, Senior Director of RMBS at KBRA, shares her analysis of the FHFA announcement and what KBRA's research on hundreds of thousands of VS4 data points reveals about the model's performance. In the full episode, Armine covers: ➡️ Why KBRA considers the FHFA decision a historic shift and what it means for housing affordability and credit access ➡️ What KBRA's data shows about how VantageScore 4.0 scores borrowers differently, particularly in the mid-score range and among previously unscored consumers ➡️ Her 12-month outlook for mortgage originations, private label securitization, and the purchase vs. refinance mix Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for June 2025, including subprime late-stage delinquencies rising sharply from 2% to 2.5%, auto loan delinquencies posting the largest increase of any product, and average balances hitting a five-year high for the sixth consecutive month. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Mortgage delinquencies posted the largest year-over-year increase of any credit product, and superprime delinquencies tripled. Three forces are driving it: inflation, rising home prices, and a credit scoring system built for a very different economy. In this episode, Tony Hutchinson, EVP and Head of Public Affairs at VantageScore and a former executive at both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, explains why the mortgage market's continued reliance on legacy scoring models is worsening the problem. In the full episode, Tony covers: ➡️ Why inflation, home price appreciation, and outdated scoring models are converging to drive mortgage delinquencies higher ➡️ How VantageScore 4.0 brings in rent payment history and other modern data signals that legacy models ignore ➡️ What an Urban Institute study found about rent payments as a predictor of mortgage affordability Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for May 2025, including mortgage delinquencies posting the biggest year-over-year increase of any product, average credit balances reaching a five-year high for the fifth consecutive month, and early-stage delinquencies rising across nearly all credit tiers. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Auto loans are surging as consumers rush to lock in purchases ahead of tariffs, but early-stage auto delinquencies jumped 32% month over month. For ABS investors and lenders, the question is how tariffs will impact the market. In this episode, Mike Girard, Senior Director of Asset-Backed Securities at Fitch Ratings, breaks down how tariffs are already disrupting vehicle production and why Fitch revised its 2025 new vehicle sales forecast down from 16 million to 15 million units. In the full episode, Mike covers: ➡️ How tariffs could create a post-pandemic-style supply shock in the auto market, with worse consumer conditions this time ➡️ Why Fitch revised its auto ABS performance outlook to deteriorating for both prime and subprime ➡️ How lenders expanding their credit box to maintain sales volume could compound the risk Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for April 2025, including auto loan originations edging above pre-pandemic levels, early-stage auto delinquencies jumping 32% month-over-month, and overall balances holding at a five-year high for the fourth straight month. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.

Consumer credit stabilized in March, the average VantageScore rebounded to 702, and credit card balances held essentially flat. But behind the scenes, institutional investors are growing more cautious about the direction of the economy. In this episode, Joe Lau, President and Chief Investment Officer of Lord Capital and Chairman of the Fixed Income Investor Network, explains the critical role the asset-backed securities market plays in consumer finance and what happens to credit access when investor sentiment shifts. In the full episode, Joe covers: ➡️ Why ABS investors are more cautious today than 6 to 12 months ago, and what would change that ➡️ How student loan repayment resumption is creating a secondary risk for consumer ABS performance ➡️ What most consumers don't realize is happening in the background when they walk into a dealership and get a loan Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for March 2025, including the average VantageScore rebounding to 702, delinquencies improving across all categories, and balance-to-loan ratios declining across all products. Download the full CreditGauge™ analysis at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge. Updated monthly, VantageScore’s CreditGauge LIVE features the latest newsmakers and insights into consumer credit health.