Credit scoring is undergoing its most significant transformation in two decades as new models begin reshaping how lenders evaluate borrowers. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac published historical credit score data on July 1, 2026, for two modernized scoring systems—FICO Score 10T and VantageScore 4.0—marking a major milestone in the shift away from decades-old evaluation methods.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced in April 2026 that Fannie Mae would allow VantageScore 4.0 immediately, with FICO 10T support to follow. The changes represent a move toward what lenders call “trended data,” which examines the last 24 months of a borrower’s credit behavior to identify patterns rather than relying solely on a single snapshot of debt and payment history.
Fannie Mae stated that newer models “incorporate additional data that can provide a more complete view of borrower creditworthiness, such as on-time rent payment history and trended credit data, with the potential to accurately score more consumers,” according to the company’s April 22, 2026 announcement. This broader data approach is designed to help lenders evaluate borrowers who lack traditional credit histories.
Rent Reporting Reshapes Scoring for Millions
Rent data integration is reshaping credit access for a substantial portion of the renting population. New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, released July 1, 2026, found that adding rent payment information could affect the credit scores of roughly 60% of U.S. renters. About 43% could experience meaningful improvements in their scores, while another 17% would see smaller changes or, in some cases, declines.
The shift reflects a practical reality: millions of Americans demonstrate financial discipline through on-time rent payments but lack sufficient traditional credit accounts to build strong scores. As PYMNTS reported on July 6, 2026, lenders are increasingly evaluating recurring financial activity—payroll deposits, utility bills, subscription payments, and transaction account activity—that reflects day-to-day money management rather than periodic borrowing.
Rental data has been available in newer FICO models since FICO Score 9, according to FICO’s March 5, 2026 statement. Both FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 now incorporate this information as standard, expanding opportunities for renters and others with limited credit histories to demonstrate creditworthiness.
Medical Debt: Federal Effort Stalls, States Take Action
Medical debt’s role in credit scoring remains in flux. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule in January 2025 designed to remove medical bills from credit reports, but a federal court blocked the rule in July 2025. The court’s decision reversed the CFPB’s efforts to protect consumers from having medical debt damage their credit scores.
The Commonwealth Fund reported in January 2026 that federal protections against medical debt have stalled just as financial pressures on patients are intensifying. However, states are filling the gap. Six states—Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington—enacted laws in 2025 restricting the inclusion of medical debt in credit reports. Two additional states, Nevada and Texas, allow medical debt reporting only if hospitals meet certain conditions.
In total, 16 states now prohibit or restrict medical debt reporting, according to Commonwealth Fund research. Beyond credit protections, states are also expanding hospital financial assistance requirements, capping interest rates on unpaid medical bills, and banning certain debt collection practices like wage garnishment and home liens for medical debts under specified amounts.
The broader credit scoring shift underscores a fundamental change in how lenders assess risk. Rather than relying on borrowing history alone, modern models ask whether a borrower’s pattern of recurring financial obligations—rent, utilities, payroll deposits—demonstrates the ability to repay. For renters, utility payers, and others previously invisible to traditional credit systems, 2026 marks the beginning of a more inclusive, though still evolving, credit landscape.
Sources
- Fannie Mae — April 22, 2026 announcement of VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T adoption; July 1, 2026 publication of historical credit score data
- Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — April 22, 2026 news release on validation and implementation of new credit scoring models
- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City — July 1, 2026 research on impact of rent reporting on credit scores of U.S. renters
- FICO — March 5, 2026 statement on rental data inclusion in FICO Score versions since FICO Score 9
- PYMNTS.com — July 6, 2026 article on rent reporting and alternative data in credit underwriting
- Commonwealth Fund — January 22, 2026 analysis of state-level medical debt protections and federal policy reversal
