Latest news with #CreditKarma
Finextra
21 hours ago
- Business
- Finextra
Intuit launches AI agents and fintech platform
Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU), the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, today announced a transformative set of proactive Intuit AI agents that will dramatically improve how businesses run and grow. 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. These agents will automate workflows and when combined with human experts will deliver real-time insights and improve cash flow for businesses. The new AI agents, embedded in the Intuit platform, create a more powerful QuickBooks that provides businesses with a virtual team working on their behalf while the customer is always in control. The agents transform how work is done and help customers grow, completing workflows across customer relationship management, financial analysis, payments, accounting, and more, saving businesses up to 12 hours a month.1 Their ability to seamlessly connect data across multiple applications proactively gives customers a 360-view of their business metrics and overall performance - all in one place. The result: 78% of customers say Intuit's AI makes it easier for them to run their business; and 68% state it allows them to spend more time growing their business.2 These AI agents are also able to work along-side trusted AI-enabled human experts to provide businesses with additional expertise and support. 'Intuit's AI-driven expert platform is transforming how businesses run and grow with first-of-its-kind agentic AI experiences,' said Sasan Goodarzi, Intuit CEO. 'When our vast amounts of data and AI capabilities are combined with the power of trusted human experts, Intuit's uniquely designed, integrated platform unlocks next-level efficiencies, profitability, and growth for businesses.' These new, done-for-you experiences are part of a completely redesigned and personalized QuickBooks web layout. The homepage is transformed into a striking display of customizable widgets with a powerful business feed that shows real-time intelligent insights, recommendations, and summarizes the workflows and tasks completed by the AI agents. Customers can seamlessly collaborate with human experts and connect to additional Intuit products, services, and third-party apps to truly realize the benefits and power of one integrated platform that drives next-level business efficiencies and growth, all in one place. In addition to the new web experience, the QuickBooks mobile app also has a new, modern interface that delivers the benefits of AI agents on the go. Introducing Intuit AI agents: A virtual team that does virtually everything Intuit's new AI agents will help businesses – at every stage – scale, enabling them to grow on a platform they know and trust. The AI agents complete day-to-day tasks, including managing customer leads, tracking payments, sending invoices, and reconciling a business's books. In addition, new, integrated collaboration tools allow a business owner and their accountant to seamlessly communicate and work together in QuickBooks. With the automation of workflows, collaboration with trusted experts, and the ability to deliver real-time, personalized, and actionable insights, businesses move faster, operate smarter, and uncover greater efficiencies and growth. • Payments Agent: Optimizes and grows cash flow by getting businesses paid an average of 5 days faster3 with tailored acceleration strategies that predict late payments, automate invoice tracking, and create and send invoices and reminders. • Accounting Agent: Automates bookkeeping and transaction categorization, and assists in reconciliation, delivering cleaner, more accurate books. • Finance Agent: Provides a comprehensive approach to the financial management of growing, mid-market businesses with robust reporting, KPI analysis, and scenario planning and forecasting based on performance and peer benchmarking, helping finance teams make smart decisions to achieve financial goals. 'I need more time to be able to invest back into my business,' said Kurtis Graham, founder, COSIGN Enterprises, LLC. 'Intuit's AI can help me save several hours a month and drive revenue for my business. That's a win-win for my business.' Customer Hub: AI agents that strengthen relationships and fuel business growth The Customer Hub, included in most QuickBooks Online plans, will provide two new virtual agents that automate and streamline the sales and customer relationship management (CRM) process, managing new leads and existing customers in one place to deliver delightful customer experiences and stronger relationships. • Customer Agent: Sources leads, drafts personalized email responses, suggests and schedules meetings based on engagement data, and tracks every customer opportunity in the sales cycle. • Marketing Agent: Coming later this year, it will automate audience management, campaign execution, and content creation to deliver impactful acquisition and retention marketing campaigns via Mailchimp. Intuit AI agents for growing businesses In the coming months, Intuit AI agents will be available for larger and growing businesses to tackle more complex tasks and boost productivity even further, enabling these businesses to scale with speed. • Payroll Agent: Proactively collects time and attendance data from your employees and runs payroll when you say so. • Project Management Agent: Manages project quotes, milestones, and budgets so businesses stay on track. For more than 40 years, Intuit has been leading the industry in delivering impactful customer experiences that help millions of consumers and businesses put more money in their pockets, helping them achieve their business and financial goals with less effort and complete confidence. The launch of Intuit's transformational AI agents is the latest innovation powered by Intuit's platform, bringing artificial intelligence and human intelligence together to power prosperity for its customers. Now, businesses and their accountants have access to a virtual team that saves them time, simplifies the day-to-day running of a business, and helps accountants more confidently and quickly advise clients on key decisions. Availability The new web and mobile interfaces, integrated AI agents and human experts, and Customer Hub will start rolling out today, July 1, to a range of QuickBooks Online products and customers in the US.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Your Personal Credit Matters – How to Build It Before You Need It
Think your LLC protects you from credit checks? Think again—here's what lenders really look at and how to get your score ready before your next big move. Let's get one thing straight—your business credit is not separate from your personal credit, especially when you're just starting out. If you're running a small fleet or even one truck, every lender, leasing company, and equipment finance company is going to look at your personal FICO score first. They're not just betting on your business. They're betting on you. And if you're waiting until you need money to care about your personal credit, you're already too late. This article is about taking control—because in trucking, access to capital can make or break your next move. Whether it's adding a truck, covering a repair, or surviving a slow month, your personal credit profile is either a weapon or a weakness. Here's how small fleet owners can get their credit right before it ever becomes an emergency. Don't get fooled by the legal structure. Having an LLC doesn't mean lenders won't look at your personal score. In fact, until you've got 3–5 years of business financials and strong business credit reporting, your personal credit is the co-signer on everything. Whether it's a: Truck lease Line of credit Business credit card Equipment loan Fuel advance program …they're pulling your personal credit first. Your LLC might help protect liability, but it doesn't shield you from credit checks. And if your score's under 620, most lenders won't even finish the application. Let's break it down. These are the key areas every underwriter is reviewing: Credit score (FICO 8 or FICO Auto) – Most want 680+ to unlock the best terms Credit utilization – Keep it under 30%, ideally under 10% Payment history – Any late payments in the last 12 months hurt your profile Credit mix – Installment loans (auto, student) + revolving accounts (credit cards) Length of credit history – The longer, the better Derogatory marks – Collections, charge-offs, bankruptcies, tax liens Pull your real credit report—not just the Credit Karma version. Use and check all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). That's what lenders are looking at. If your score is under 640, start here before you ever apply for business credit: Go through each line item on your report If anything looks wrong (wrong balance, duplicate account, incorrect late payment), dispute it directly with the bureau Focus on the card with the highest utilization first Bring each card under 30%, then under 10% Don't close cards—just lower the balance One missed payment drops your score 50–100 points Auto-pay removes the human error Don't apply for store cards, auto loans, or anything else unless it aligns with your trucking business Rebuilding takes 60–180 days to show results. But the earlier you start, the more leverage you'll have when it's time to grow. The best time to build credit is when you don't need it. Here's how to create a credit profile that's ready to work: Even if your business is new, most banks will offer a secured card with a personal guarantee. Use it to cover: Fuel Hotel stays Business subscriptions Pay it in full every month. This builds a positive history fast. Use vendors like Uline, Quill, and Grainger that report to Dun & Bradstreet and Experian Business. Pro tip: Don't just open the account. Use it. Pay it. Build the habit. Cards like WEX and Fuelman often report to both. Treat it like a credit card—stay under 30% usage and never miss a payment. How Good Credit Changes Your Trucking Strategy Here's what a 720+ personal credit score unlocks for you: Low-interest truck financing without massive down payments Business lines of credit to manage cash flow gaps Credit cards with 0% APR offers you can use to fund emergency repairs Approval for factoring lines with better terms Vendor accounts that reduce out-of-pocket costs It's not about borrowing to survive—it's about creating options so you can grow when the time is right. Too many fleet owners sabotage their credit out of habit. Avoid these traps: Co-signing for others – Their risk becomes yours Using personal cards for business expenses without tracking – This tanks utilization Paying late 'just this once' – One late hits harder than you think Maxing out cards to buy a truck – This lowers your score at the exact moment you need it high Discipline beats hustle when it comes to credit. Build slow. Use smart. Protect your score like it's part of your equipment—because it is. In trucking, cash isn't always king—credit is. Your ability to access working capital when rates drop, a truck breaks down, or opportunity knocks will make or break your long-term success. Don't wait until you're desperate to clean up your credit. Build it now. Use it strategically. And protect it like it's your CDL. Because the next time you walk into a bank, finance company, or dealership—they're not just looking at your MC number. They're looking at you. And if you've done the work, that's not a risk. It's a weapon. The post Your Personal Credit Matters – How to Build It Before You Need It appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Intuit bets big on AI to boost efficiency and trust in QuickBooks
When it comes to AI agents, the makers of QuickBooks are hoping that you're 'into it.' Intuit—the fintech platform that owns TurboTax, Credit Karma, Mailchimp, and QuickBooks—announced that it has implemented a new set of AI agents into its products. The company showcased how the AI agents work within QuickBooks at an event on June 24, and Fast Company was able to see a demonstration of how the agents can help business owners and entrepreneurs use them to speed up their bookkeeping and accounting processes. QuickBooks will incorporate a Payments Agent, an Accounting Agent, a Customer Agent, and a Finance Agent, all of which are designed to become intimately familiar with a business's specific customer base and financial track record, offer up insights, and make additional analyses. And though it's just now being rolled out, the new AI capabilities have been in the works for a long time. 'This is five or six years in the making,' Sasan Goodarzi, Intuit's CEO, tells Fast Company. 'We've made huge investments in the past five years,' he says, and the company has taken its time because when it comes to bookkeeping and accounting, 'accuracy matters.' In other words, Goodarzi says that while an AI tool like ChatGPT might spit out wrong or incorrect information, a customer relying on QuickBooks to crunch their numbers needs to be absolutely sure and trust in Intuit's accuracy—otherwise, they could find themselves with serious issues. As such, Intuit wanted to make sure everything was above board before launching to its full customer base. 'If it screws up, it's a big problem,' he says. Additionally, Goodarzi says that business owners are relying on a huge number of apps and platforms to run their companies, an issue that Intuit is trying to simplify. 'What I'm hearing from customers all the time is that they're over-digitized, there are too many apps. They're not getting the benefit from their time and money,' he says. 'This is about creating a one-stop shop, a refreshed way to discover all of the capabilities within QuickBooks,' he says, noting that many of Intuit's customers are unaware of how many tools exist within the QuickBooks ecosystem. And it's the discovery and engagement with those tools that Goodarzi says 'has been the area of the most positive feedback.' But the primary question: Are the AI implementations actually producing value for users? Yes, Goodarzi says. He notes that during the testing phase, the new AI capabilities have led to significant time and money savings for users, though that can be difficult to quantify, and expects that the new features will both resonate with QuickBooks' wider user base when they officially launch on July 1, and help the company's bottom line. 'I was talking about AI changing the world six years ago, and people were laughing at me,' he says. Now, 'we're actually seeing natural adoption, driving incredible value.' The extended deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is this Friday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Gen Z has virtually no excuse for financial illiteracy
The financial behaviours of Gen Z have been nothing if not consistent over the last few years. They routinely create trends about the merits of spending while you're young and fun. A few years ago, it was posting the text 'I'll make my money back, but I'll never…' with some image of a perceived once-in-a-lifetime experience. Now, the cohort is increasingly participating in 'doom spending' – a form of retail therapy that helps consumers cope with everyday stresses – more than older generations. It dovetails with another troubling trend: Almost half of Gen Z – 49 per cent – has decided that saving for the future is pointless, according to a late May Credit Karma survey. These choices exemplify poor money management skills, a reality that has led Gen Z to blame schools for not teaching them more about how to manage their finances effectively. But of all the generations, Gen Z is the one with no right to complain about the lack of access to personal finance education in school. If any generation had a chance to teach themselves, it is them. Young adults today have grown up in a world full of easily accessible financial information and services, such as digital solutions for seemingly every method of budgeting. That includes the rise of investing apps and robo-advisers, which provide a low barrier of entry to those ready to get into the stock market. Credit reports and scores are also widely available through free, legitimate services and even credit cards. Gen Zers have had access to content, online and off, that teaches the importance of understanding credit history since before they could apply for a card. The oldest of Gen Z were only 16 when I started writing about money on the Internet. In the subsequent 12 years, personal finance blogs morphed into podcasts and YouTube shows. Then there was the rise of 'finfluencers' on Instagram and TikTok. Plus, many personal finance personalities with a following got a book deal (me included). There are hundreds, nay, thousands of people across a vast spectrum offering advice on how to handle the almighty dollar. The democratisation of information should make Gen Z one of the most financially literate cohorts. With answers so easily found on smartphones they carry everywhere, access is hardly an issue. But only 33 per cent of the generation reports turning to social media for financial education, according to a 2025 survey conducted by Spruce, a mobile banking app. However, nearly 70 per cent of them have tried viral trends such as loud budgeting or soft saving compared to 51 per cent of millennials and 27 per cent of Gen X. Of course, the volume of information and competing narratives on topics such as debt repayment or building credit can be overwhelming. It also comes with the potential for misinformation. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 3 pm Thrive Money, career and life hacks to help young adults stay ahead of the curve. Sign Up Sign Up Figuring out what is accurate online can make using the Internet feel exhausting. Lessons on how to navigate the misinformation and learning how to decipher if a sales pitch from a beloved influencer is masking a subpar financial product is critical. These skills, when incorporated into the school curriculum, might be even more important than basic financial knowledge and habits, because the onslaught of nefarious content online is likely to grow even more pervasive thanks to generative AI. But the reality is that most of what children and young adults learn about money comes from their home life rather than their schooling. Tossing a single semester-long class into high school graduation requirements, which could be taught by a teacher who is not a personal finance expert, isn't going to be enough to move the needle towards fiscally prudent teens. Parents are the lynchpin in this battle for those coming of age to understand how to budget, save and invest. Money lessons start to imprint on children much younger than most would expect. A five-year-old child is capable of having an emotional reaction to spending and saving, based on research from a University of Michigan study. There's not a singular understanding as to why and how this happens, but it does mean parents are being watched and can educate well before their child is earning an income of their own. Having an open, age-appropriate dialogue about family finances, modelling good habits and talking through how to save for goals helps lay a foundation. People with a higher understanding of money basics are more likely to make ends meet and achieve goals like having an emergency savings fund or opening a retirement account, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (Finra) 2021 National Financial Capability Study, the most current available. Of course, the risk of relying on parents to impart wisdom is that they may not be a model example. A preview of Finra's 2025 study, to be released in July, found that only 27 per cent of American adults could answer five of the seven Financial Knowledge Quiz questions. However, with increased access to different resources, there's no reason that parents who themselves feel underinformed need to stay that way. Financial literacy is one of the most valuable gifts a parent can give a child – even if it means learning alongside them. But for Gen Z, especially those who have already left the nest, gaining that knowledge on their own has never been easier. BLOOMBERG
Bloomberg
21-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Gen Z Has Virtually No Excuse for Financial Illiteracy
The financial behaviors of Gen Z have been nothing if not consistent over the last few years. They routinely create trends about the merits of spending while you're young and fun. A few years ago, it was posting the text 'I'll make my money back, but I'll never…' with some image of a perceived once-in-a-lifetime experience. Now, the cohort is increasingly participating in ' doom spending ' — a form of retail therapy that helps consumers cope with everyday stresses — more than older generations. It dovetails with another troubling trend: Almost half of Gen Z – 49% – has decided saving for the future is pointless, according to a late May Credit Karma survey. These choices exemplify poor money management skills, a reality that has led Gen Z to blame schools for not teaching them more about how to manage their finances effectively. But of all the generations, Gen Z is the one with no right to complain about the lack of access to personal finance education in school. If any generation had a chance to teach themselves, it is them.
