Latest news with #JulieMay
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
'Ridiculously You Podcast' seeks bold experts to talk self‑love, boundaries and body positivity
Julie May is recording Season 1 of the new Ridiculously You Podcast and is casting expert guests. Leaders in empowerment, wellness, entrepreneurship, and body positivity can now apply to share their real stories on self-love, boundaries, and living unapologetically at AUSTIN, Texas - July 23, 2025 - Julie May, founder of the Ridiculously You self‑love movement, began recording the first episodes of 'The Ridiculously You Podcast' this week and is inviting additional guests to join the program's inaugural season. The weekly interview series pairs May's trademark 'live out loud' philosophy with candid stories from leaders, healers and entrepreneurs who have turned their own 'too much' into a force for good. Season 1 will premiere in September; tapings continue through late August. 'I created The Ridiculously You Podcast to have the kinds of conversations we wish people were having - unfiltered, deep, sometimes hilarious, always transformational. If you're done watering yourself down and want to speak from the soul, I want you on the show.' Guest criteria Bonus points - A quirky or controversial take on the self‑development space. - The ability to laugh at yourself while having a meaningful conversation. - Showing up with heart, humor and humanity. Interviews are recorded remotely via Zoom and run about 45 minutes. Guests receive a promotional toolkit when their episode airs. Apply to be a guest at Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis while recording slots remain. About Julie May Julie May is an international award‑winning keynote speaker, two‑time best‑selling author, host of The Ridiculously You Podcast, and founder of the Ridiculous Women Society. After losing 100 pounds through radical self‑love and a sustainable low‑carb lifestyle, she has helped thousands ditch perfectionism, set unshakeable boundaries, and live unapologetically out loud. Her work has been featured on KSL 5 News, Good Things Utah, CBS, and ABC. Media Contact Company Name: Ridiculously You Contact Person: Julie May Email: Send Email City: Austin State: Texas Country: United States Website: Press Release Distributed by To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: 'Ridiculously You Podcast' seeks bold experts to talk self‑love, boundaries and body positivity
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FICO To Roll Out New Scores to Reflect Your "Buy Now, Pay Later" Habits, Impacting Millions of Americans' Credit
"Buy now, pay later"users may hurt their credit if they don't pay back those loans on time. Credit score overseer Fair Isaac (NASDAQ:FICO) announced new scoring models last month that will evaluate BNPL usage when determining credit worthiness. The program, scheduled to roll out this fall may help some folks gain access to better loan terms but failing to pay on time is going to hurt. The processing services let retailers provide installment loans at the point of sale so buyers can spread out payments. The loans may have no interest or service fees, potentially encouraging customers to overspend. Not surprisingly, a Bankrate survey released in May showed that about 'half of buy now, pay later users have experienced issues like overspending and missing payments.' Don't Miss: —with up to 120% bonus shares—before this Uber-style disruption hits the public markets $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. FICO will include BNPL data on upgraded Score 10 and Score 10 T credit models. It wants the new data to provide lenders with "greater visibility into consumers' repayment behaviors, enabling a more comprehensive view of their credit readiness." FICO Vice President and General Manager of B2B Scores Julie May emphasized the impact on young buyers, noting it will "more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products." Using FICO's Score 10 to roll out the initiative has raised some eyebrows because it won't be included in Score 8, currently the most widely used credit scoring product. In fact, FICO modeling is now up to Score 16 but, like the iPhone, older versions remain broadly popular due to long credit cycles and the need for lenders to invest, train and incorporate newer processes. Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Credit agencies have gathered BNPL loan activity for several years now. But this is a largely unregulated industry and not all payment processors report these transactions. So, a substantial chunk of U.S. lending activity may be missing from current data. FICO's new models will try to fill these gaps but there could be unintended consequences because, according to the survey, nearly one-third of Americans have used the service. Bankrate Senior Industry Analyst Ted Rossman told CNN that young folks with limited credit histories are frequent users, and those most vulnerable to credit downgrades. Given survey results, new models may amplify negative credit scores of those overspending and missing payments. Of course, it's hoped this credit activity will boost scores if debts are paid on time and in promises to aggregate multiple BNPL loans, but dangers abound if old school installment loan scoring seeps into the new models. Its common knowledge that borrowing up to your credit card limit is bad for your score because it signals financial stress. Now consider a young buyer who takes multiple BNPL loans at the same time. With traditional scoring, it looks like the customer is maxing out multiple short-term credit lines, raising all sorts of red flags. Rossman believes that customers who pay their debts promptly should be fine under the new rules, but hedges his bets despite FICO assurances. "Things like frequent opening and closing of accounts would be disastrous for your credit score," he told CNN. "With Buy Now, Pay Later, you're doing that every few weeks or even every few days." Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? FAIR ISAAC (FICO): Free Stock Analysis Report This article FICO To Roll Out New Scores to Reflect Your "Buy Now, Pay Later" Habits, Impacting Millions of Americans' Credit originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Los Angeles Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Buy now, pay later loans will soon affect some credit scores
NEW YORK — Hundreds of millions of 'Buy Now, Pay Later' loans will soon affect credit scores for millions of Americans who use the loans to buy clothing, furniture, concert tickets, and takeout. Scoring company FICO said Monday that it is rolling out a new model that factors the short-term loans into their consumer scores. A majority of lenders use FICO scores to determine a borrower's credit worthiness. Previously, the loans had been excluded, though Buy Now, Pay Later company Affirm began voluntarily reporting pay-in-four loans to Experian, a separate credit bureau, in April. The new FICO scores will be available beginning in the fall, as an option for lenders to increase visibility into consumers' repayment behavior, the company said. Still, not all Buy Now, Pay Later companies share their data with the credit bureaus, and not all lenders will opt in to using the new models, so widespread adoption could take time, according to Adam Rust, director of financial services at the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America. Here's what to know. Typically, when using Buy Now, Pay Later loans, consumers pay for a given purchase in four installments over six weeks, in a model more similar to layaway than to a traditional credit card. The loans are marketed as zero-interest, and most require no credit check or only a soft credit check. The main three credit reporting bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, haven't yet incorporated a standard way of including these new financial products in their reports, since they don't adhere to existing models of lending and repayment. FICO, the score of the Fair Isaac Corporation, uses data from the bureaus to calculate its own credit score, and is independently choosing to pilot a new score that takes the loans into account. BNPL providers promote the plans as safer alternatives to credit cards, while consumer advocates warn about 'loan stacking,' in which consumers take on many loans at once across several companies. So far, there's been little visibility into this practice in the industry, and the opacity has led to warnings of 'phantom debt' that could mask the health of the consumer. In a statement, FICO said that their new credit score model is accounting for the growing significance of the loans in the U.S. credit ecosystem. 'Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers' financial lives,' said Julie May, vice president and general manager of business-to-business scores at FICO. 'We're enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products.' FICO said the new model will responsibly expand access to credit. Many users of BNPL loans are younger consumers and consumers who may not have good or lengthy credit histories. In a joint study with Affirm, FICO trained its new scores on a sample of more than 500,000 BNPL borrowers and found that consumers with five or more loans typically saw their scores increase or remain stable under the new model. For consumers who pay back their BNPL loans in a timely way, the new credit scoring model could help them improve their credit scores, increasing access to mortgages, car loans, and apartment rentals. Currently, the loans don't typically contribute directly to improved scores, though missed payments can hurt or ding a score. Since March, credit scores have declined steeply for millions, as student loan payments resume and many student borrowers find themselves unable to make regular payments on their federal student loans. Nadine Chabrier, senior policy and litigation counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending, said her main concern is that the integration of the loans into a score could have unexpected negative effects on people who are already credit-restrained. 'There isn't a lot of information out there about how integrating BNPL into credit scoring will work out,' Chabrier said. 'FICO simulated the effect on credit scoring through a study. They saw that some users' scores increased. But if you factor in something that, last week, didn't affect your credit, and this week, it does, without having very much information about the modeling, it's a little hard to tell what the consequences will be.' Chabrier cited research that's shown that many BNPL users have revolving credit card balances, lower credit scores, delinquencies, and existing debt. Women of color are also more likely to use the loans, she said. 'This is a credit vulnerable community,' said Chabrier. Rust, of the Consumer Federation of America, said he doesn't expect this to be a game-changer for consumers who already have a credit profile. 'Are we at a point where using BNPL loans will dramatically alter your credit profile? Probably not,' he said. 'I think it's important that people have reasonable expectations.' Rust said the average BNPL loan is for $135, and that repaying such small loans, even consistently, might not result in changes to a credit score that would significantly move the needle. 'It's not about going from 620 to 624. It's about going from 620 to 780,' he said, referring to the kind of credit score jumps that affect one's credit card offers, interest rates on loans, and the like. Still, Rust said that increased transparency around the loans could create a more accurate picture of a consumer's debts, which could improve accurate underwriting and keep consumers from over-extending themselves. 'This addresses the problem of 'phantom debt,' and that's a good thing,' he said. 'Because it could be something that keeps people from getting too deeply into debt they can't afford.' Lewis writes for the Associated Press.
Boston Globe
26-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Buy Now, Pay Later loans will soon affect some credit scores
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Here's what to know. Advertisement Why haven't the loans appeared in credit scores previously? Typically, when using Buy Now, Pay Later loans, consumers pay for a given purchase in four installments over six weeks, in a model more similar to layaway than to a traditional credit card. The loans are marketed as zero-interest, and most require no credit check or only a soft credit check. The main three credit reporting bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, haven't yet incorporated a standard way of including these new financial products in their reports, since they don't adhere to existing models of lending and repayment. FICO, the score of the Fair Isaac Corporation, uses data from the bureaus to calculate its own credit score, and is independently choosing to pilot a new score that takes the loans into account. Advertisement Why is this important? BNPL providers promote the plans as safer alternatives to credit cards, while consumer advocates warn about 'loan stacking,' in which consumers take on many loans at once across several companies. So far, there's been little visibility into this practice in the industry, and the opacity has led to warnings of 'phantom debt' that could mask the health of the consumer. In a statement, FICO said that their new credit score model is accounting for the growing significance of the loans in the US credit ecosystem. 'Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers' financial lives,' said Julie May, vice president and general manager of business-to-business scores at FICO. 'We're enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products.' What does FICO hope to achieve? FICO said the new model will responsibly expand access to credit. Many users of BNPL loans are younger consumers and consumers who may not have good or lengthy credit histories. In a joint study with Affirm, FICO trained its new scores on a sample of more than 500,000 BNPL borrowers and found that consumers with five or more loans typically saw their scores increase or remain stable under the new model. For consumers who pay back their BNPL loans in a timely way, the new credit scoring model could help them improve their credit scores, increasing access to mortgages, car loans, and apartment rentals. Currently, the loans don't typically contribute directly to improved scores, though missed payments can hurt or ding a score. Advertisement Since March, credit scores have declined steeply for millions, as student loan payments resume and many student borrowers find themselves unable to make regular payments on their federal student loans. What are the risks and concerns? Nadine Chabrier, senior policy and litigation counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending, said her main concern is that the integration of the loans into a score could have unexpected negative effects on people who are already credit-restrained. 'There isn't a lot of information out there about how integrating BNPL into credit scoring will work out,' Chabrier said. 'FICO simulated the effect on credit scoring through a study. They saw that some users' scores increased. But if you factor in something that, last week, didn't affect your credit, and this week, it does, without having very much information about the modeling, it's a little hard to tell what the consequences will be.' Chabrier cited research that's shown that many BNPL users have revolving credit card balances, lower credit scores, delinquencies, and existing debt. Women of color are also more likely to use the loans, she said. 'This is a credit vulnerable community,' said Chabrier. Will consumers see immediate effects? Rust, of the Consumer Federation of America, said he doesn't expect this to be a game-changer for consumers who already have a credit profile. 'Are we at a point where using BNPL loans will dramatically alter your credit profile? Probably not,' he said. 'I think it's important that people have reasonable expectations.' Rust said the average BNPL loan is for $135, and that repaying such small loans, even consistently, might not result in changes to a credit score that would significantly move the needle. 'It's not about going from 620 to 624. It's about going from 620 to 780,' he said, referring to the kind of credit score jumps that affect one's credit card offers, interest rates on loans, and the like. Advertisement Still, Rust said that increased transparency around the loans could create a more accurate picture of a consumer's debts, which could improve accurate underwriting and keep consumers from over-extending themselves. 'This addresses the problem of 'phantom debt,' and that's a good thing,' he said. 'Because it could be something that keeps people from getting too deeply into debt they can't afford.'
26-06-2025
- Business
Buy Now, Pay Later loans will soon affect some credit scores
NEW YORK -- Hundreds of millions of 'Buy Now, Pay Later' loans will soon affect credit scores for millions of Americans who use the loans to buy clothing, furniture, concert tickets, and takeout. Scoring company FICO said Monday that it is rolling out a new model that factors the short-term loans into their consumer scores. A majority of lenders use FICO scores to determine a borrower's credit worthiness. Previously, the loans had been excluded, though Buy Now, Pay Later company Affirm began voluntarily reporting pay-in-four loans to Experian, a separate credit bureau, in April. The new FICO scores will be available beginning in the fall, as an option for lenders to increase visibility into consumers' repayment behavior, the company said. Still, not all Buy Now, Pay Later companies share their data with the credit bureaus, and not all lenders will opt in to using the new models, so widespread adoption could take time, according to Adam Rust, director of financial services at the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America. Here's what to know. Typically, when using Buy Now, Pay Later loans, consumers pay for a given purchase in four installments over six weeks, in a model more similar to layaway than to a traditional credit card. The loans are marketed as zero-interest, and most require no credit check or only a soft credit check. The main three credit reporting bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, haven't yet incorporated a standard way of including these new financial products in their reports, since they don't adhere to existing models of lending and repayment. FICO, the score of the Fair Isaac Corporation, uses data from the bureaus to calculate its own credit score, and is independently choosing to pilot a new score that takes the loans into account. BNPL providers promote the plans as safer alternatives to credit cards, while consumer advocates warn about 'loan stacking,' in which consumers take on many loans at once across several companies. So far, there's been little visibility into this practice in the industry, and the opacity has led to warnings of 'phantom debt" that could mask the health of the consumer. In a statement, FICO said that their new credit score model is accounting for the growing significance of the loans in the U.S. credit ecosystem. 'Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers' financial lives,' said Julie May, vice president and general manager of business-to-business scores at FICO. 'We're enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products." FICO said the new model will responsibly expand access to credit. Many users of BNPL loans are younger consumers and consumers who may not have good or lengthy credit histories. In a joint study with Affirm, FICO trained its new scores on a sample of more than 500,000 BNPL borrowers and found that consumers with five or more loans typically saw their scores increase or remain stable under the new model. For consumers who pay back their BNPL loans in a timely way, the new credit scoring model could help them improve their credit scores, increasing access to mortgages, car loans, and apartment rentals. Currently, the loans don't typically contribute directly to improved scores, though missed payments can hurt or ding a score. Since March, credit scores have declined steeply for millions, as student loan payments resume and many student borrowers find themselves unable to make regular payments on their federal student loans. Nadine Chabrier, senior policy and litigation counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending, said her main concern is that the integration of the loans into a score could have unexpected negative effects on people who are already credit-restrained. 'There isn't a lot of information out there about how integrating BNPL into credit scoring will work out,' Chabrier said. 'FICO simulated the effect on credit scoring through a study. They saw that some users' scores increased. But if you factor in something that, last week, didn't affect your credit, and this week, it does, without having very much information about the modeling, it's a little hard to tell what the consequences will be.' Chabrier cited research that's shown that many BNPL users have revolving credit card balances, lower credit scores, delinquencies, and existing debt. Women of color are also more likely to use the loans, she said. 'This is a credit vulnerable community,' said Chabrier. Rust, of the Consumer Federation of America, said he doesn't expect this to be a game-changer for consumers who already have a credit profile. 'Are we at a point where using BNPL loans will dramatically alter your credit profile? Probably not,' he said. 'I think it's important that people have reasonable expectations.' Rust said the average BNPL loan is for $135, and that repaying such small loans, even consistently, might not result in changes to a credit score that would significantly move the needle. 'It's not about going from 620 to 624. It's about going from 620 to 780,' he said, referring to the kind of credit score jumps that affect one's credit card offers, interest rates on loans, and the like. Still, Rust said that increased transparency around the loans could create a more accurate picture of a consumer's debts, which could improve accurate underwriting and keep consumers from over-extending themselves. 'This addresses the problem of 'phantom debt,' and that's a good thing,' he said. 'Because it could be something that keeps people from getting too deeply into debt they can't afford.' The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
