FICO applauds Federal Housing Administration’s implementation of FICO Score 10T, the most predictive credit score available for mortgage underwriting

FICO® Score 10T, the most predictive modern credit score available for mortgage lending, will be available for use by Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved lenders beginning January 1, 2027. The availability of FICO® Score 10T will enable lenders to make more accurate lending decisions while helping consumers gain access to more favorable mortgage terms and sustainable homeownership.

FICO® Score 10T leverages trended credit and rental payment data to provide a more comprehensive view of borrower behavior over time. Multiple independent analyses have found FICO Score 10T to be the most predictive credit score available for mortgage lending. On FHA first-time homebuyer mortgages, a critical pathway for borrowers with lower down payments, FICO Score 10T outperforms competing models by more than 10%. The performance gap is even greater during origination periods with higher default rates, underscoring FICO Score 10T's ability to help lenders responsibly expand access to credit while effectively managing risk.

"FHA's announcement provides valuable clarity for the industry and allows stakeholders to continue preparing for implementation in a thoughtful and deliberate manner," said Julie May, vice president and general manager of B2B Scores at FICO. "We support efforts that give lenders access to more predictive risk assessment tools, and we believe FICO Score 10T will help improve underwriting accuracy, expand confidence in lending decisions, and strengthen outcomes across the mortgage ecosystem."

FICO embraces competition as it raises the bar for the entire industry and gives lenders better tools to serve borrowers. As lenders increasingly adopt modern credit scoring models, FICO® Score 10T stands apart as the most predictive credit score available for mortgage lending, helping lenders more accurately assess risk and support sustainable homeownership.

Through the FICO® Score 10T Free Access program, FICO Score 10T is available at no cost alongside Classic FICO.

For more information on how to sign up for the FICO® Score 10T Free Access Program, visit the FICO Score 10T Migration Resource Center.

About FICO

FICO (NYSE:FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 U.S. and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the U.S. and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

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