How Credit Scores Shaped Personal Finance in America
Credit scores. We all have one, but why and how did they get started? CUSO Magazine’s Esteban Camargo wraps up Financial Literacy Month by looking at the history of credit scores.
Financial Inclusion in Credit Unions: From Mission to Measurable Results
Traditional credit scoring methods often leave out critical context and historical information, keeping members from the loans they need. Yoel Gavloski examines the idea of going beyond the numbers to create an inclusive lending program.
You’ve Got a PAL in Me
Payday lenders have a storied history of taking advantage of the most financially vulnerable in our communities. CUSO Magazine’s Esteban Camargo looks into what credit unions can offer to provide a better option: Payday Alternative Loans.
Small Business Lending: Why Now?
Credit union veteran Walter Merkle discusses the benefits that small business lending can bring to credit unions willing to engage with these accounts and how they can get started doing so.
America’s Credit Unions Calls Housing Picture for 2026 “Not Good”
In America’s Credit Unions’ most recent “Economic Update”, Chief Economist Curt Long states the housing market is in recession, diving into the data, and prognosticating on the market in 2026. CUSO Magazine’s Esteban Camargo reports.
The Phantom Debt of Buy Now, Pay Later
As the total amount of buy now, pay later debt continues to climb, as does the risk to credit unions and the housing market. Emily Claus discusses the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later services, the phantom debt they create, and what it all means for credit unions.
Driving Trust and Efficiency: The Untapped Potential of Private Party Auto Loans for Credit Unions
In the face of high lending fraud rates, Brad Parker urges credit unions to take advantage of the opportunities that lie in private party lending through solutions that offer enhanced cybersecurity and a better member experience.
Beyond the Rearview: Strategies to Ensure Auto Portfolio Resilience
Auto loans are one of the most needed services, and yet, thanks to the current economic climate, they can also be some of the hardest for members to manage. Nima Seirafipour shares how credit unions can proactively mitigate risk and spot delinquency trends before they go too far.
Credit Unions: Trusted for Members in an Era of Tariffs, Uncertainty, and Rising Auto Costs
As the current economic environment continues to take its toll on members, Tim Blochowiak shares how credit unions can step up to support their members’ needs during this period of uncertainty.
Student Loans in the Wake of Department of Education Elimination: An Opportunity for Credit Unions
With the Department of Education on the brink of closing and the student loan system inside of it in a state of confusion and chaos, borrowers are in desperate need of solutions and support. Emily Claus urges credit unions to not only recognize the opportunity in front of them, but to answer borrowers’ call for help and serve as a trusted financial institution during this time.
