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Financial education for me as I was growing up consisted of two things. The first was learning how to balance a checkbook register in sixth grade. But that had everything to do with addition and subtraction. There was no discussion of what a checking account was or how it should be used. The second was about credit, and it came from my parents. In my mother’s view, credit was a gift from God. My father’s perspective was that credit is evil. In time, I learned that neither view is financially healthy — or true. I wish I had been taught that credit — when used properly — is a financial tool, that debt is a financial problem, and that you can have one without the other. Instead, I graduated from college with $25,000 in student loan debt, which is about average now. But that was 26 years ago, so I guess it made me above average then. “Credit is a financial tool, and debt is a financial problem.” I also got a credit card for each T-shirt I signed up for and every drawing I entered to win a prize. That led to the pay-one-balance-with-another-card strategy, until I couldn’t make it work. I finally had the epiphany: The way to fix the credit problem was to quit spending. I proudly managed to pay all my debts on the salary of a small-town newspaper reporter — a whopping $13,000 a year at the time. But it was a long, slow process with a steep learning curve. Apparently, I was a pioneer in the gig economy, finding odd jobs outside of work to make a bit more money, which helped pay my debts a bit faster. If anyone wants to learn the Texas two-step, let me know! “True financial health is making your money work for you, not you working for your money.” Eventually, I discovered that true financial health is making your money work for you, not you working for your money, no matter how little or much of it you have. Even on a reporter’s salary, I could have a steak dinner once a month — granted, it was at a restaurant where you got the steak, potato, salad bar and drink for $7.50. For many things in life, learning from your mistakes makes sense. Financial health is not one of them. That’s why financial education and financial inclusion are so important to me and my work at Experian. Giving people the knowledge they need to make financially healthy choices before they make mistakes ensures they have a much brighter financial future and a much healthier relationship with money and credit. Financial health matters. That’s why we’re joining the Center for Financial Services Innovation and the nation’s leading banks, financial services providers and nonprofits in supporting #FinHealthMatters Day on June 27, 2017. Tell us, how is your financial health?
In America, 138 million adults are struggling financially.* That’s nearly half the country’s population. Financial health matters. That’s why we’re joining the Center for Financial Services Innovation and the nation’s leading banks, financial services providers and nonprofits in supporting #FinHealthMatters Day on June 27, 2017. We’re at a critical point in our nation’s history. We need to make a stand and address the root causes of financial instability in this country. I believe the lack of financial education and access to cheaper financial products are two of the key contributors impacting people’s financial health today. Financial education drives better financial health Very early in my childhood, I learned the value of a Deutsche mark — or rather a dollar, as we say in the States. I grew up in Germany, where my father was an insurance salesman, a profession where money was sometimes tight. It was my parents’ financial principles that helped them weather the harder days and leverage the better ones. Their golden rule was always to live within their means. To help me grasp this concept, my parents gave me a modest weekly allowance I had to earn by contributing to household chores. Unfortunately, there were no dishwashers when I was growing up so I had the pleasure of hand-washing every dish at the end of each day. What seemed painful in the moment was rewarded with the funds to be able to do what I enjoyed most, like go to the movies or buy tapes to record my favorite tunes on my tape recorder. I had the freedom to spend my money the way I saw fit, but I could only spend what I had earned. It forced me to learn how to manage my money to have enough for the things I wanted or needed. In the United States, 23% of households can’t save because they spend more than their income. -Center for Financial Services Innovation To encourage their savings principle, my parents added an extra incentive to the allowance. If I didn’t spend all my money but rather saved it, I got a pay raise. Depending on the percentage of how much I saved, I saw incremental increases. The more I saved, the more generous the increase. I quickly learned that saving money had a better return than the hour or so spent in a movie theater. 43% of Americans struggle to pay bills and credit obligations. -Center for Financial Services Innovation Thankfully, I was lucky enough to have parents who taught me basic personal finance skills that set me up for success in my adult life. Unfortunately, unless they have parents who are savvy with money, most people will not learn these simple principles because they aren’t taught in most schools. We know education gives people a step up in life. Imagine how financial education would help people increase their financial health by leaps and bounds. This is why we have a dedicated public education team at Experian to provide consumers with proper credit information. This is also why we financially support nonprofits that share our mission of strengthening financial education. Access to credit increases financial health When I moved from Germany to America in 2001, I was part of the underbanked population. I had no credit history. I was invisible to financial institutions. Due to this, I faced many difficulties in accessing mainstream banking services and low-cost loans. 27% of U.S. households are either unbanked or underbanked. -Center for Financial Services Innovation This is a common issue for many people in this country, particularly low-income individuals and immigrants. These consumers are forced to turn to predatory lenders, which means it’s costing them significantly more for basic financial services. In 2015, these consumers spent a combined $141 billion in fees and interest just to manage their day-to-day financial lives.* Fortunately, my bank took into consideration the fact I paid my rent and utilities on time, and that’s how I built my credit. Others aren’t so lucky and will be in the same vicious cycle the rest of their lives, never improving their financial health — unless we do more. At Experian, we want to give the broader population an opportunity to do the same as I did. That’s why we’re working on bridging the gap between underbanked consumers and financial institutions. One way we accomplish this is through alternative data — data that has never been considered in credit decisions by financial institutions. Rental payments weren’t considered until Experian led this industry in incorporating this data into credit files. This data helps the underserved community establish credit histories. The result is greater access to more affordable credit and the overall improvement of their financial health. Our commitment to help improve financial health The struggling majority is the reason I come to work every day. In my role, I have a huge responsibility to consumers. Knowing firsthand that financial education and establishing credit are the pillars of financial stability, it’s my job to make sure we’re finding innovative ways to help people achieve outstanding financial health. *2016 Financially Underserved Market Size Study published by the Center for Financial Services Innovation http://cfsinnovation.org/research/2016-financially-underserved-market-size-study/
As Serasa Experian’s Corporate Sustainability Manager in Brazil, I’m dedicated to my job promoting diversity and inclusion efforts at work. But it also happens to be my passion. I believe that companies have a responsibility to reflect the diversity found in society, giving everyone equal opportunity to excel regardless of color, gender or disability. And yet, while a lot of companies over the years have made great strides toward hiring a diverse array of people, sometimes the harder — yet more impactful — work is making sure that diverse group of employees can continue to develop professionally after they’re hired. To this end, Serasa Experian’s Business Network for Social Inclusion (Rede Empresarial de Inclusão Social) launched a program called the Top Talent Project, which encourages and accelerates professional development once someone with physical disabilities is hired. I don’t want to simply hire people with disabilities; I want to ensure they can be productive and grow in their roles. While people with disabilities can bring great experience and skill to their positions, they may need some help integrating into teams. That’s why we work closely with each new hire, their managers and their mentors to guide them on a daily basis. If someone is hearing-impaired, for example, they may know only sign language and not Portuguese, making it difficult for them to communicate with their team. Through the Top Talent Project, we train new hires to communicate at work with their Portuguese-speaking coworkers. And then we give sign language training to their team members! We work hard to create a working environment that ensures success for everyone. In 2016, Serasa Experian received the United Nations Good Practices for Workers with Disabilities Award for our inclusion work in Brazil. That same month, I also was honored to receive the Empregueafro Award from the City Council of São Paulo for promoting ethnic diversity. All these accolades make me so proud because they’re a reflection of the way we at Experian take care of our people. Ten years ago, I changed careers so I could focus more on making the world a better place. Serasa Experian has given me the opportunity to do just that.
Today, we stand at the forefront of a digital revolution that is reshaping the financial services industry. And, against this backdrop, financial institutions are at vastly different levels of maturity; the world’s biggest banks are managing large-scale infrastructure migrations and making significant investments in AI while regional banks and credit unions are putting plans in place for modernization strategies, and fintechs are purpose-built and cloud native. To explore this more, I recently had the privilege of attending the annual Reuters NEXT live event in New York City. The event gathers globally recognized leaders across business, finance, technology, and government to tackle some of today’s most pressing issues. On the World Stage, I joined Del Irani, a talented anchor and broadcast journalist, to discuss the future of lending and the pivotal role of data and AI in building a more inclusive financial system. Improving financial access Our discussion highlighted the lack of access to traditional financial systems, and the impact it has on nearly 100 million people in North America alone. Globally, the problem affects over one billion people. These people, who are credit invisible, unscoreable, or have subprime credit scores, are unable to secure everyday financial products that many of us take for granted. What many don’t realize is, this is not a fringe subset of the population. Most of us, myself included, know someone who has faced the challenges of financial exclusion. Everyday Americans, including young people who are just starting out, new immigrants and people from diverse communities, often lack access to mainstream financial products. We discussed how traditional lending has a limited view of a consumer. Like looking through a keyhole, the lender’s understanding of the person in view is often incomplete and obstructed. However, with expanded data, technology, and advanced analytics, there is an opportunity to better understand the whole person, and as a result have a more inclusive financial system. At Experian, we have a unique ability to connect the power of traditional credit with alternative data, bringing a more holistic understanding of consumers and their behaviors. We are dedicated to leveraging our rich history in data and our expertise in technology to create the future of credit and ultimately bring financial power to everyone. The future of lending After spending two days with over 700 industry leaders from around the world, one thing is abundantly clear: much like the early days of the internet, today, we are at the cutting-edge of a technical revolution. Reflecting on my time at Reuters NEXT, I am particularly excited by the collective commitment to drive innovative, and smarter ways of working. We are only beginning to scratch the surface of how data and technology can transform financial services, and Experian is positioned to play a significant role. As we look to the future, I am excited about the ways we will create new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.
We believe that financial literacy leads to empowerment. That is why Experian supports initiatives and partners with community organizations to deliver financial education. We also develop products and services that give more control to consumers over their credit profile and financial health. As part of advancing our mission of Financial Power to All®, we are proud to announce we are helping more than 5,000 Hispanic individuals nationwide by relieving $10 million dollars of consumer debt. To provide families with this boost, we joined forces with ForgiveCo, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), to administer the acquisition and cancellation of qualifying consumer debt for the selected recipients. Beneficiaries will also receive a one-year premium Experian membership for free that offers access to their Experian credit report in English and Spanish[i], FICO® Score[ii], bilingual educational content, and other financial resources. We hope this effort helps raise awareness of the importance of financial literacy for everyone, and that Experian has resources to help individuals reach their financial dreams. To amplify the message, we collaborated with multi-platinum, award-winning singer and songwriter Prince Royce and you can see his video here. In fact, we have been making a concerted effort the last several years to evolve our educational resources and products to better support all underserved communities. Some of our other activities include the creation of the B.A.L.L. for Life initiative that connects African American and Hispanic youth with financial education, supporting scholarships for Asian Americans through the Ascend organization, providing custom resources for Out & Equal and Born This Way Foundation for the LGBTQ+ community, supporting the NextGen Innovation Lab for Disability:IN, and sponsoring credit counseling for the military community with Operation HOPE. For resources in Spanish, Experian offers a credit e-book and consumers can access a full suite of articles at the Ask Experian blog here. [i] Only Experian credit reports are available in Spanish. All other services associated with an Experian membership are available in English only. English fluency is required for full access to Experian’s products. [ii] Credit score calculated based on FICO® Score 8 model. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Learn more.
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.