A good credit score is no longer a shield against financial stress

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Even top credit scorers are falling behind: Late-stage delinquencies jumped 109% for Superprime borrowers and 47% for Prime borrowers.

• Average U.S. credit score dips: The typical VantageScore 4.0 fell to 701 in July, signaling more financial stress for households.

• Car and mortgage debt grows: Balances keep rising for auto loans and mortgages, even as fewer people are taking out new loans.

If youve always thought that people with top credit scores are nearly immune to financial trouble, new data suggest that may no longer be the case.

According to the latest CreditGauge report from VantageScore, borrowers in the highest credit tiers are now falling behind on their payments at a much faster rate than before. Superprime consumers, those with the very best credit, saw 90+ day delinquencies more than double in the past year.

Even Prime borrowers, who typically have reliable repayment histories, posted a nearly 50% increase in serious delinquencies.

The report highlights a troubling trend: credit stress is spreading up the credit ladder, catching even borrowers who usually have a strong financial footing.

The average credit score slips

Nationwide, the average VantageScore 4.0 credit score in July dipped by one point to 701. That may not sound like much, but it reflects a gradual decline in the overall health of U.S. consumers credit profiles.

More people are moving into Subprime territory, where repayment risks are higher. Subprime consumers now make up 18.7% of the population, compared to 18.1% two years ago. At the same time, the Prime tier has shrunk, signaling fewer people are able to maintain that middle-ground status.

For everyday consumers, this shift matters: falling into a lower credit tier can mean higher interest rates, tougher approval standards, and fewer options when it comes to borrowing.

Bigger loans, rising delinquencies

The report also sheds light on whats happening with two of the biggest expenses for most households: cars and homes.

• Auto loans and mortgages are seeing higher rates of borrowers missing payments in the early stages (3059 days late).

• Loan balances are climbing in both categories, as the sustained high cost of cars and housing keeps pushing debt loads higher.

• At the same time, new lending is slowing. Auto loan originations fell to 1.42% in July, down from a spring peak of 1.76%. Mortgage originations were essentially flat compared to June, but only slightly higher than a year ago.

Susan Fahy, EVP and Chief Digital Officer at VantageScore, put it bluntly: Sustained inflation for car and house prices is driving higher balances in these credit categories.

That means even if fewer people are buying new cars or homes, those who do are often borrowing moreand then finding it harder to keep up with payments.

If youre already carrying higher balances, its a good time to check your budget, revisit your repayment strategy, and avoid stretching too far on big purchases.

Even consumers with excellent credit may want to brace for tougher lending standards and higher borrowing costs. Banks and lenders tend to tighten requirements when they see delinquency trends risingmeaning it could be harder to qualify for loans or to refinance existing debt in the months ahead.

Why stronger cannabis might be raising risk of psychosis

• THC potency in cannabis has increased about fivefold over the past two decades, contributing to greater mental health risks for young, frequent users.

• Emergency visits for cannabis use or cannabis-induced psychosis in Ontario were linked to dramatically heightened odds of developing schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

• Stopping cannabis and receiving treatment including medication and behavioral support can reduce the risk of ongoing symptoms and relapse.

Cannabis has changed a lot over the past 20 years especially in how strong it is.

In the early 2000s, dried cannabis in Canada usually had around 4% THC; now, most legal dried cannabis measures closer to 20%. Thats a fivefold increase in potency.

A new study is highlighting that todays cannabis isnt the same as what people used years ago and that change may explain why were seeing stronger links to serious mental health issues such as psychosis and schizophrenia.

Cannabis from the 2000s is not the same as in 2025, coauthor Nicholas Fabiano, M.D., said in a news release. THC content has increased by 5 times. This is likely a significant driver in the increasing link between cannabis use and schizophrenia.

The study

The researchers combed through records from Ontario, looking at nearly 9.8 million people who visited emergency departments.

They specifically compared the risk of later developing a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder for those who came in for cannabis use versus those who had cannabis-induced psychosis.

The results

The team found that those who visited the emergency department even just for cannabis use had a 14.3-times higher chance of being diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder later on.

Even more striking, those whose visit was due to cannabis-induced psychosis had a staggering 241.6-times higher risk.

The study also highlights that continuing to use cannabis after a first episode of cannabis-induced psychosis can make it more likely that symptoms will return.

The good news? Stopping cannabis use and, when needed, using antipsychotic medications, can help especially for those experiencing prolonged symptoms. On top of that, behavioral therapies like motivational interviewing or cognitive behavioral therapy can support people in quitting and sticking with treatment.

State declares public health emergency to save babies before their first birthday

• Mississippis infant mortality rate climbed to 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 the highest in over ten years.

• A public health emergency has been declared to mobilize resources, care, and attention for at-risk infants and families.

• Since 2014, 3,527 babies have died before age one, highlighting the urgent need to address infant mortality in every community.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has declared a public health emergency over its increasing infant mortality rate.

Heres the heart-wrenching reality: more Mississippi parents are losing babies before they even celebrate their first birthday.

In 2024, the states infant mortality rate soared to 9.7 per 1,000 live births a decade-high figure thats more than just a statistic. Its about families and futures cut far too short.

Too many Mississippi families are losing their babies before their first birthday, State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said in a news release. This is deeply personal to me not just as a physician, but as a father and grandfather. Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted and a future cut short.

We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality. Declaring this a public health emergency is more than a policy decision; it is an urgent commitment to save lives. Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources and the resilience to change this story. It will take all of us policymakers, health care providers, communities and families working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive, and celebrate their first birthday.

What the state is doing

The decision to enforce a public health emergency isnt just a symbolic gesture its a call to action.

When an emergency is declared, funds, staff, and attention are redirected swiftly to where theyre needed most.

As part of this push, MSDH is rolling out several targeted strategies aimed at protecting both mothers and babies:

• Building an OB System of Care: This approach helps standardize maternity services across the state, improves transfer systems for high-risk cases, and ensures moms and newborns get to the right facility faster.

• Tackling OB deserts: By expanding prenatal care in targeted county health departments, the state aims to reach areas where expectant mothers currently have limited options.

• Boosting community health workers: Local workers will connect families directly to resources and care close to home, making support more accessible.

• Strengthening Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies: This program focuses on high-risk mothers and infants, offering home visits, care management, and tools for safer pregnancies and healthier infant development.

• Partnering with hospitals and providers: By closing gaps in maternal care and promoting earlier prenatal visits, MSDH hopes to catch complications sooner.

• Educating on safe sleep: Families will receive guidance on sleep practices that can prevent tragic, avoidable infant deaths.

What you should know: The facts and what they mean

• Rate at a glance: At 9.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the 2024 figure marks a troubling high not seen in over ten years.

• Broader picture: Since 2014, 3,527 infants in Mississippi did not make it to their first birthday a heartbreakingly large number.

• Why it matters: Parents, caregivers, and communities need to stay informed. This emergency opens the door to stronger support systems, such as better access to prenatal and postnatal care, education, and community outreach.
  

Improving maternal health is the best way to reduce infant mortality, Dr. Edney added. That means better access to prenatal and postpartum care, stronger community support and more resources for moms and babies. Healthy women of childbearing age are more likely to have healthy pregnancies, which in turn lead to healthier babies.

The companies failed to stay current on data used to process Caller ID info

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• FCC removes more than 1,200 voice service providers from the Robocall Mitigation Database

• Enforcement Bureau says companies failed to meet certification and mitigation requirements

• Chairman Carr vows continued action against illegal robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission has cut more than 1,200 voice service providers off from the U.S. phone network after finding they failed to comply with federal robocall rules.

The agencys Enforcement Bureau said the companies violated FCC requirements by failing to maintain accurate certifications in the Robocall Mitigation Database. Without those certifications, the providers were unable to show they were taking steps to protect consumers from illegal robocalls.

The FCC had previously warned the firms in December 2024 to cure their failings or risk removal. Earlier this month, regulators took an initial step by suspending 185 companies that failed to comply.

Robocalls are an all-too-common frustration and threat to Americans households, Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement. Providers that fail to do their duty when it comes to stopping these calls have no place in our networks. Were taking action and we will continue to do so.

CallerID authentication

The Robocall Mitigation Database is the FCCs central tool for tracking whether providers have implemented caller ID authentication through the STIR/SHAKEN framework and developed mitigation plans to curb illegal traffic. Carriers that dont meet those standards can be blocked entirely from carrying calls on U.S. networks.

The FCC said the removed companies will only be permitted to refile in the database if expressly approved by the Enforcement and Wireline Competition Bureaus.

Todays move builds on Operation Robocall Roundup, a joint initiative by 51 state attorneys general that earlier this month sent warning letters to 37 providers, including seven that had already been suspended by the FCC.