Student loan delinquencies haven't appeared on credit files for nearly five years, and starting in early 2025, they're back. With over $1.5 trillion in outstanding student loan debt, lenders face a significant blind spot as consumer credit stress begins to build.
In this debut episode, Dr. Rikard Bandebo, Chief Economist and Chief Strategy Officer at VantageScore, breaks down what the return of student loan reporting means for lenders, borrowers, and credit scores.
In the full episode, Rikard covers:
➡️ Why student loan delinquency reporting resumption is a critical moment for lenders
➡️ How borrowers with strong credit histories could see scores drop by over 100 points from a single missed payment
➡️ How open banking and consumer-permissioned data can improve credit model predictiveness
Plus, VantageScore's Susan Fahy and Atif Mirza break down the latest CreditGauge™ data for December 2024, including credit card delinquencies improving year-over-year despite rising overall delinquencies, balances tracking in line with inflation, and consumers showing signs of credit caution heading into 2025.
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.
Download the full CreditGauge analysis for free at vantagescore.com/lenders/credit-gauge.
