Credit scoring is getting a major upgrade.

Federal agencies have started rolling out VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA loans.

Key Highlights:  

  • VantageScore 4.0 now includes rent, utilities, and telecom payments — helping people with limited credit history.

  • FICO 10T uses “trended data” — looking at your payment behavior over the past two years instead of just a snapshot.

  • Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payments are increasingly appearing on credit reports.

  • Paid medical debts and small collections continue to have less negative impact.

These changes aim to make credit scoring fairer and more accurate for millions of Americans.

Quick Tip: Keep paying bills on time, maintain low credit card balances, and check your free credit reports regularly. Always ask lenders which score they use.