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Experian is a proud member of the Better Identity Coalition, which is committed to working alongside policymakers to improve digital security, identity verification, privacy and convenience for everyone. Together, we’re seeking innovative ways to empower Americans to take control of their identities and conduct online business securely.   On September 11, 2020, a bipartisan group of House members led by Congressman Bill Foster, introduced the “Improving Digital Identity Act of 2020” to modernize and digitize our essential government identity infrastructure.  Through the Better Identity Coalition, Experian supports this bill and the steps it’s taking to help improve digital identity, security and privacy for Americans.    As a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers and businesses have quickly adapted to doing nearly everything digitally, but most government-issued identity credentials, such as drivers’ licenses and passports, were not created to be verified online. The “Improving Digital Identity Act” creates a comprehensive approach across federal, state and local government to address critical shortcomings in identity tools that today make it easy for fraudsters to prey on Americans.  The bill creates a framework of standards that new identity solutions should follow to ensure privacy. The bill also allows for federal grants to be given to states to jumpstart modernization of the systems that provide driver’s licenses or other types of credentials to enable digital identity verification, in accordance with the NIST framework. It’s important that the bill gets passed to bring the United States up to speed on digital identity and help fix government-issued identity problems.  In addition to supporting bills like the “Improving Digital Identity Act of 2020,” Experian is working hard to develop new innovations to make digital commerce safer for consumers and businesses. Our most recent innovation, Sure Profile makes us the first company with an offering to fight synthetic identity fraud that’s integrated into the credit profile with market-leading assurance. In fact, we are so confident in our solution that we’ll share in loan losses on assured profiles if we get it wrong. Experian is also proud to be the only credit bureau in the initial rollout of the Social Security Administration’s new electronic Consent Based Social Security Verification service. Our inclusion ensures our clients have the tools to more easily detect online fraud while also better recognizing legitimate consumers.       

This blog is written by Rachel Duncan, HR Director, at Experian. At Experian, we encourage our employees to bring their whole selves to work and have created a culture of inclusion that helps to fuel our continued product innovation. We understand the incredible value in having a truly diverse workforce and this means removing barriers and working through challenges we all may face in and outside the workplace.   That’s why we are proud to be supporting Stonewall’s ‘Trans Rights Are Human Rights’ campaign today to help reform the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004. We believe that all trans people should be protected and supported with legal and policy framework that enables them to live with dignity, privacy and respect, free from fear, isolation and discrimination.  The GRA was introduced in 2004 to allow trans people to apply for legal recognition of gender in which they live. However, the process in doing so is expensive, intrusive and takes a very long time. To apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), which allows someone to legally change their gender, the individual will have to overcome many psychological challenges and it can be very emotionally taxing.  It’s estimated that just 12% of trans people have a GRC, despite 92% of trans people stating in the National LGBT Survey (2018) that they would be interested in getting one. GRA reform is therefore a key step in allowing legal gender recognition to become accessible to this marginalised community.   The reform requests the removal of having to disclose a psychiatric report or proof of diagnosis in order to obtain legal recognition. It moves to allow trans people the human right to decide their gender for themselves and protect all trans and non-binary people’s rights to privacy and to family life.  As well as this, non-binary people should be able to legally change their gender to reflect who they are including amending their birth certificate to reflect this.  The reform should also include the removal of the spousal veto. This veto allows for the spouse of a trans person the decision as to whether they can change their gender and gives control over to someone who may not have their best interests at heart.  We are fully committed in ensuring LGBTQ inclusion which means, as well as evolving our own internal policies and practices, we must also contribute to external debates that campaign for equality.  Our Experian Pride network has been instrumental in helping us drive change throughout the business, whilst also educating and raising awareness amongst our colleagues about the LGBTQ community. This includes supporting a collaboration with Stonewall and our HR teams to create our new ‘Transitioning at Work’ policy, along with raising money for transgender charity, Mermaids.   Experian is part of a growing group of leading businesses who have joined forces to support trans equality, so we hope that together we can make a real difference to the lives of trans people across the UK. See our interview with Lewis Hayden, Service Desk Specialist and Experian Pride Network Member.

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped Americans’ personal and financial lives. If you find yourself in a situation that could make fulfilling your credit card, loan, or mortgage payments challenging, you may be wondering what relief options are available to help navigate these changes.  The good news is there are options if you need financial support during this time. However, it can be difficult to know where to start. The two primary relief avenues are deferment and forbearance. While different in practice, these terms are often used synonymously, even by those within the credit industry.   While similar at first glance, there are significant differences between forbearance and deferment agreements. While both are intended to pause or reduce payments for a certain period, there are variances when it comes to how you must repay the delayed payments.   It’s important to understand how these two options work when speaking with your lender, so you can choose the best path for your personal financial situation. Whichever avenue you take, remember that deferment and forbearance are both temporary measures and shouldn’t be used as permanent solutions.  Pausing Payments with Deferments    You may have seen the term deferment in the news more recently with mortgage relief and student loan deferral options. So, what exactly is deferment? Through this option payments are put on pause and deferred until a later date. This is a longer-term strategy that enables you to pay back your loan over time, when your financial situation puts you in a position to do so responsibly. Interest can sometimes accrue during a deferment period, depending on the type of loan and the lender you’re working with, so it is important to talk with your lender to fully understand your agreement terms.    Periods of deferment vary in length – in some cases lasting as long as your financial situation requires. You should opt for deferment if your financial situation or an unexpected event, such as being let go from your job, creates an undue burden that makes it impractical or impossible to keep up with regular payments.  Temporary Relief with Forbearance    The other option to discuss with your lender is forbearance. Whereas deferment allows you to pay back a loan over time, forbearance is a relief strategy that typically requires the borrower to pay a lump sum and accrued interest at the end of the forbearance period. For example, if you paused payments for five months, at the end of those five months, you would pay your lender the total of paused payments and the accrued interest.   If you’re seeking forbearance for federal student loans, there are two different types of forbearance: mandatory and discretionary. With mandatory forbearance, lenders are required to pause payments if a borrower meets a set of financial criteria that could prevent them from making payments on time. Eligibility for mandatory forbearance includes: enrolment in a medical or dental residency program, payments on your federal student loans being greater than 20% of your total monthly gross income, and other circumstances that could hinder your ability to make payments. Confirm whether you’re eligible with your lender.  Discretionary forbearance means the lender makes the decision at their discretion to put payments in forbearance based on your unique financial situation.   Forbearance is generally a shorter-term option and the avenue to take if you don’t qualify for deferment. Consider forbearance in times of true financial crises, such as an unexpected medical bill, that would temporarily inhibit you from making a monthly payment.  How to Work with Your Lender on Relief Options  While discussing these options with your lender, it is critical to have a full understanding of what the agreement will entail – from interest rates to your timeline for payment – to ensure you’re in the best position to fulfill the agreement with your lenders once your payments resume.

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Patients use self-service tools to easily connect with providers online and manage administrative tasks 24/7. Common patient self-service tools include patient portals, online scheduling and mobile registration. Self-service solutions also include robust financial tools that help patients update insurance information, get accurate estimates, apply for charity care, set up payment plans, combine payments to multiple providers or set up a fundraising page.   Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section 1.10.32. Heading 2 Related Posts

Amid some of the financial challenges that underserved communities experience, members across the financial services community remain committed to championing initiatives and programs that drive greater financial inclusion. In fact, collaboration has led to the inclusion of non-debt related payment information on consumers’ credit profiles, as well as digital services that make it easier to manage money. These efforts have helped to broaden access to fair and affordable financial resources for more individuals. While significant progress has been made, there is still more work to do. However, some of the misconceptions and myths about the financial services community are hindering further advancement. Debunking these myths will accelerate progress by building trust between the financial services community and consumers. Person withdrawing money from ATM contactless Myth #1: “Financial institutions have no interest in underserved consumers or credit invisibles.” The truth is, banks and credit unions want to say “yes” to more prospective borrowers, including individuals and families from underserved communities. Beyond being the right thing to do, it’s an opportunity to potentially build lifelong relationships with a relatively untapped market. A show of good faith to communities who have largely been ignored by the financial system could lead to customer loyalty that may extend to their family and friends. That’s why participants across the financial ecosystem have been proponents of including expanded data sources—such as on-time telecom, utility and video streaming service payments—on to consumer credit reports, as well as exploring other Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)-regulated data sources, including payment data on short-term small dollar loans and expanded public records data. Making this data more accessible to lenders provides a more comprehensive view of a consumer’s ability and willingness to repay outstanding debt—an actionable solution to extending credit to consumers without lenders taking on additional risk. Myth #2: “There is a lack of trustworthy financial education resources.” The financial services community and affiliated organizations recognize that empowering people with financial knowledge and skillset are critical to consumers’ financial success. In fact, banks and credit unions are partnering with nonprofits and non-governmental organizations to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities within specific communities and provide relevant tools and resources. For example, Experian’s B.A.L.L. for Life (Be A Legacy Leader) program, launched in partnership with the National Urban League, serves as a catalyst for engaging with Black communities and low-income youth through live events and digital financial education. Subject matter experts, professional athletes, celebrities, and other influencers share their experiences and expertise, covering topics such as banking, credit, financial management and investing. In addition, to help people improve their financial management, Experian partners with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). The NFCC connects consumers with certified financial counselors to help them address various pain points, including debt management, homeownership, student loans or small business cash flow issues. Myth #3: “Underserved communities have few opportunities to build credit and enter the mainstream financial system.” People from underserved communities, as well as younger consumers and recent immigrants are often excluded from the mainstream financial system because they lack an extensive credit history. Historically, it’s created a vicious cycle; in order to get credit, you have to have credit. Fortunately, there has been a sea change in innovative solutions to address the specific needs of these populations. These include new credit scoring models and microfinancing which provide financial services to individuals who may have been excluded from traditional banking systems. In addition, by incorporating expanded data sources, such as telecom, utility and residential rental payments onto credit reports, lenders have more visibility into consumers who may have been excluded by traditional credit scoring methods.These programs help individuals and families from underserved communities establish and build a credit history that could enable loans, or the ability to rent an apartment or open their dream business. An example is Experian Boost®, a free feature that allows Experian members to contribute their history of making utility, cellphone, insurance, residential rent and video streaming service payments directly into their Experian credit profile. By incorporating nontraditional credit data like paying utility bills on time, online banking transactions, rental payments and verified income data, more people can establish a credit profile that can potentially qualify them for a loan. More Inclusion, Fewer Myths It’s encouraging that community organizations and banks are beginning to see the economic and social benefits of aligning on financial literacy and inclusion. As more initiatives come online, underserved populations will be able to establish a better financial foundation. Then, we can declare the myths to be history.