Equifax Senior Advisor Tom O’Neill sits down with Ian Wright, Chief Strategy Officer at IXI, to unpack the shifting landscape of consumer wealth in a post-COVID economy. Drawing on exclusive IXI data, they explore how total U.S. household assets have grown to over $66 trillion—while the median household has actually lost ground. The conversation dives into the shrinking mass affluent segment, the rising influence of retirees, regional trends in affluence, and how financial institutions can bette...
Jul 31, 2025•26 min•Ep. 56
Host Emmaline Aliff is joined by economist Amy Crews Cutts, President at AC Cutts and Associates, and a panel of Equifax experts—Maria Urtubey, Tom O'Neill, and Dave Sojka—to unpack the latest signals from both hard and soft economic data. From shifting consumer sentiment to rising tariffs and the ripple effects on credit, lending, and affordability, the team explores the impact on consumers as we head into the second half of the year.
Jul 24, 2025•38 min•Ep. 55
Host Olivia Voltaggio is joined by Shandor Whitcher, Economist at Moody’s Analytics, for a timely check-in on the U.S. economy. They discuss the recent shift from early-year optimism to growing uncertainty driven by shifting trade policy, rising jobless claims, and inflation concerns. Shandor breaks down the latest GDP and consumer credit data, explores warning signs from small businesses, and shares the top economic indicators he’s watching for the rest of the year. Resources: CreditForecast.co...
Jun 12, 2025•12 min•Ep. 54
In this Small Business Month edition, experts from Fiserv and Equifax unpack how small businesses and consumers are responding to ongoing economic uncertainty. Darryl Tyndorf, Director of Economic and Analytical Insights at Fiserv; Mike Spriggs, Head of Consumer Insights at Fiserv; and David Adams, Head of Commercial Product Marketing at Equifax dig into a range of topics, from shifting spending patterns and tariff impacts to the rise of side hustles and cautious optimism. Resources: CreditForec...
May 22, 2025•35 min•Ep. 53
Equifax advisors Jesse Hardin, Dave Sojka, Tom O'Neill, and Maria Urtubey explore the disconnect between positive hard data and declining consumer sentiment, rising concerns over tariffs, and their disproportionate impact on households and businesses. They dig into leading indicators to watch—like delinquency rates, employment trends, and consumer spending—and offer practical recommendations to help lenders and businesses navigate uncertainty. Resources: CreditForecast.com is a joint venture bet...
Apr 24, 2025•33 min•Ep. 52
With President Trump’s administration in full swing, we’re joined by Shandor Whitcher, economist at Moody’s Analytics, to break down key economic trends shaping the year ahead. Get the latest on inflation, labor market dynamics, and the Federal Reserve’s approach to interest rates, along with the impact of global trade policies, emerging technologies and more. Resources: CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demo...
Feb 13, 2025•23 min•Ep. 51
The Equifax Advisory Team dives into predictions for 2025, exploring key economic themes such as tariffs, immigration reform, and the ongoing housing affordability crisis. The discussion also touches on potential policy impacts from the new administration and how unexpected events could shape economic outcomes. Resources: CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts, and analysis. Register fo...
Jan 23, 2025•33 min•Ep. 50
The Equifax advisory team reviews the U.S. economy in 2024, discussing key developments and their implications for lenders and consumers. Jesse Hardin, Em Aliff, Tom O'Neill, Dave Sojka, and Maria Urtubey explore interest rates, inflation, housing, labor trends, and consumer credit. The Federal Reserve's rate cuts aimed to cool inflation and support affordability, yet high borrowing costs persisted, impacting home purchases and refinances. The labor market showed resilience, with steady job crea...
Dec 12, 2024•33 min•Ep. 49
Host Tom O'Neill sits down with Equifax’s Chief Strategy Officer, Ian Wright, to discuss strategies for growing and protecting deposits in today’s competitive financial landscape. With traditional banks, fintechs, and neobanks all vying for deposit share, how can institutions gain a competitive edge? Ian shares insights on leveraging financial data to identify valuable customer segments, including young affluents and high earners, and how banks can nurture loyalty with targeted strategies....
Nov 14, 2024•26 min•Ep. 48
The Risk Advisor team at Equifax discusses the recent 50 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve and its wide-reaching impact on the U.S. economy. Topics including consumer sentiment, the housing and auto markets, and the lending landscape offer valuable insights into how these changes will affect both households and financial institutions. The panel also explores potential challenges ahead, including the federal deficit and global economic factors. In this episode: Overview of recent Fed ra...
Oct 10, 2024•36 min•Ep. 47
In this illuminating panel discussion, Tom Aliff, Risk Advisors Leader at Equifax, delves into key economic concerns and forecasts with economists Amy Crews Cutts, President at AC Cutts and Associates LLC; Robert Wescott, Founder and President of Keybridge; and Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody's Analytics. They explore the implications of budget deficits on interest rates, with varying views on how these factors might influence economic growth and policy decisions. The conversation covers po...
Aug 29, 2024•49 min•Ep. 46
Bob Homer, General Manager and VP of Insurance and Alliances at Equifax, and Stephen Crewdson, Senior Director of Global Business Intelligence at JD Power, discuss the sharp rise in home and auto insurance premiums, driven by both economic and social inflation, and the impact on consumer affordability and behavior. Bob and Stephen explore how insurers are responding to these challenges, including staffing reductions, ad spend cuts, and proactive communication with customers. In this episode: · R...
Aug 08, 2024•37 min•Ep. 45
The Equifax Risk Advisors team explores the complexities of the current economic landscape, discussing key topics such as the K-shaped recovery, inflation's impact on consumer sentiment, and rising delinquency rates. They also respond to recent comments by economists on trends in consumer spending, credit risk, and the nuanced effects of economic policies.
Jul 23, 2024•27 min•Ep. 44
With 93% of small business owners anticipating growth, the timing of potential Fed interest rate cuts remains a critical factor. Sarah Briscoe, lead commercial statistical analyst at Equifax, sheds light on the latest trends in small business lending, delinquency, and default rates, highlighting the unique insights from the Equifax small business indices. In this episode: What small business indices data shows about lending activity and defaults Factors small and commercial businesses should be ...
Jun 21, 2024•13 min•Ep. 43
Our all-female panel of financial experts answer your burning questions about consumer credit, loan performance, and economic trends shaping affordability. Our panelists including Amy Crews Cutts, president and chief economist at AC Cutts & Associates, and Equifax’s own Maria Urtubey, Anna Fisher, and Mariette de Meillon address questions submitted during the March Market Pulse webinar. In this episode: Deep dive into credit trends Credit scores and loan performance Utilization and delinquen...
May 16, 2024•24 min•Ep. 42
Join the Risk Advisors Group at Equifax as they discuss the current state and future trends of interest rates and their profound impact on the U.S. economy. The conversation delves into the Federal Reserve's strategies in response to inflation and economic shifts, exploring how these changes affect various sectors including banking, mortgages, and auto financing.
Apr 30, 2024•26 min•Ep. 41
Scott McMahon, alliance manager for Automotive Partnerships at Equifax, leads a panel discussion on current trends, the rising challenge of fraud in the automotive space, and the industry's outlook, with a special focus on consumer affordability and the evolving electric vehicle (EV) market. His esteemed panel includes Steve Greenfield, general partner at Automotive Ventures; Marguerite Watanabe, president of Connections Insights; and Jeremy Robb, senior director of Economics and Insights at Cox...
Apr 11, 2024•48 min•Ep. 40
We’re joined by Jeff Richardson from VantageScore to discuss how inflation is impacting households. We dig into factors contributing to rising delinquencies, the expected continuation of this trend, and the impact on different consumer segments. Additionally, we address the role of stimulus on credit scores and the strategies that organizations should have in place for confident decision-making. In this episode: · Overview of VantageScore · Factors contributing to rising delinquencies · Two diff...
Mar 28, 2024•18 min•Ep. 39
The Equifax Risk Advisory practice explores various aspects of risk management, from evaluating and mitigating risks to implementing strategies that align with institutional goals and risk tolerance. This episode is a must-listen for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of risk management in today's complex economic landscape. In this episode: · Role of the Equifax chief risk officer · The focus on delinquencies · Role of risk manager for cards · Implementing policies to manage cr...
Feb 29, 2024•31 min•Ep. 38
Host Dave Sojka and the Equifax Risk Advisors team delve into the intricacies of affordability in the current economic landscape. The discussion covers a range of topics, including the impact of rising debt, inflation, and changing consumer behaviors on consumers' ability to afford housing, automobiles, and insurance. In this episode: · Consumer holiday spending · Consumer spending spikes · Consumer Price Index and inflation · Auto market · New home and rent affordability · Insurance affordabili...
Jan 25, 2024•24 min•Ep. 37
Did economic predictions for this year pan out? And what themes will dominate 2024? Join our Risk Advisory team as they assess how the economic outlook has really impacted consumers and industries. In this episode: Revisiting economic trends Transitory inflation Consumer spending Labor Market Auto Industry Banking and Lending BNPL and regulation Credit Unions Themes for 2024 Resources: CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, ec...
Dec 14, 2023•28 min•Ep. 36
In part three of the Consumer Stress series from the Equifax Risk Advisory team, our experts discuss the impact of the economic and credit environment on consumer holiday spending. They cover various angles, including economic uncertainties, the transition from physical to online stores, the U.S. economic outlook, highlights of the holiday spending outlook, consumer financial options, and the international economic outlook. In this episode: Connections between consumer stress and sales Economic ...
Dec 07, 2023•24 min•Ep. 35
David Fieldhouse, Director of Consumer Credit Analytics at Moody's Analytics, provides his economic outlook for 2024. Discussing critical factors shaping the U.S. economy, we cover the end of the student loan payment moratorium to the surge in long-term interest rates, the delicate balance of treasury yields, as well as business and consumer recommendations for navigating uncertainties in the coming months. In this episode: · Deep dive into economic challenges · Student loan payment moratorium e...
Nov 16, 2023•11 min•Ep. 34
Lenders can use targeted consumer data to drive daily decision making. The Equifax Risk Advisory panel of experts discuss how to dig beyond the macroeconomic indicators to determine exactly where consumer stresses lie. Our panel includes David Sojka, Jesse Hardin, Maria Urtubey, Thomas Aliff and host, Tom O’Neill. In this episode: · Economists and consumers have diverging views on the economy · Specific consumer stresses · Statistics on consumer stresses · What data can reveal about consumer str...
Oct 26, 2023•32 min•Ep. 33
Consumers are increasingly facing credit and financial stress. Our panel of Equifax experts including Tom O’Neill, Tom Aliff, Dave Sojka and Jesse Hardin, discuss the factors contributing to consumer stress and the nuances that lenders should consider when evaluating consumers. This is the first part in a series on the topic of consumer stress. In this episode: · Economic factors contributing to consumer stress · Why consumer stress is nuanced · Do news headlines add stress to consumers? · What ...
Sep 28, 2023•35 min•Ep. 32
Colleges and universities are facing declining enrollment rates, mounting regulatory pressure, the resumption of student loan payments, the reversal of affirmative action in admissions – and having to prove the ROI of a college degree. Lori Lindenberg, District Director of Enterprise Analytics and Strategy at Maricopa Community Colleges, joins us to discuss how Maricopa is addressing these challenges, while delivering on their student-first mission. In today’s episode: · How Maricopa is trying t...
Aug 24, 2023•20 min•Ep. 31
In this time of economic uncertainty, it’s important that lenders focus on account management strategies to detect hidden risk in their portfolios. In this episode, our Risk Advisory panel discusses the most important thing lenders need to be doing right now when it comes to account management. In this episode: · Understanding the value of a customer · Ensuring your account management strategy compliments your adjudication strategy · Frequency of account monitoring to minimize risk · Is the cost...
Aug 10, 2023•26 min•Ep. 30
After a three-year pause, borrowers must resume their federal student loan payments in October. In this episode, the Equifax Risk Advisory group discusses how the financial industry can navigate the road ahead by assessing their risk and finding opportunity. In this episode: · How the repayments will impact the financial industry · Will the additional monthly payment cause delinquencies to rise in other loan products · How clients can assess risk in their loan book · Strategies for addressing ri...
Jul 27, 2023•33 min•Ep. 29
How are fintechs managing economic headwinds and credit tightening? We talk with Ratinder Bedi, Chief Credit Officer at SoFi, about how his company is managing these challenges and how fintechs and traditional banks often differ in their approach. In this episode: · The biggest challenges facing SoFi this year · How the restart of student loan refinancing may impact the fintech industry · What’s in SoFi’s playbook for economic downturns · Where SoFi wants to leverage generative AI in its busines...
Jun 29, 2023•26 min•Ep. 28
The mortgage industry is facing high mortgage rates, low housing supply, and a tightening of mortgage credit availability. What does this all mean for the future of the mortgage industry and where does this leave consumers? Join us as Joel Kan, Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, provides insight. Resources: CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, foreca...
Jun 08, 2023•22 min•Ep. 27
