Investing Daily: Investing in America’s Credit Addiction — Breaking Down FICO

Nov 14, 2025

Explore the intriguing world of FICO and its role as your adult report card that impacts everything from housing to employment. Discover how the company profits by licensing its credit scoring algorithms, capitalizing on economic trends. Dive into the explosive rise of FICO's stock price post-2010, driven by its critical role in a cashless society. The discussion even connects credit's cultural significance to music, highlighting how expressions like Wu-Tang's resonate with financial dependency. Get ready to rethink your relationship with credit!

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ANECDOTE

Explaining FICO To His Son

Rashad Bilal recounts explaining FICO to his son and comparing it to a school transcript.
That personal example crystallized how credit decisions shape adult opportunities.

ADVICE

Monitor Your Credit Like A Report Card

Understand and monitor your FICO score because it affects loans, housing, jobs, and auto financing.
Treat credit like a transcript and prioritize building responsible credit behavior early.

INSIGHT

FICO Is Your Adult Transcript

Rashad Bilal frames FICO as an adult transcript that dictates major life outcomes like housing, jobs, and loans.
Your credit score functions as a pervasive report card that institutions use to judge financial responsibility.

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Welcome to Market Mondays! In this thought-provoking clip, Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings, and Ian Dunlap break down the fundamentals of FICO—your adult "transcript"—and explore why understanding your credit score is more important than ever. Whether you’re just starting your financial journey, rebuilding, or leveling up, this segment’s “building block, corner” is packed with essential insights! Rashad Bilal shares how explaining FICO to his son made him realize that your credit score is truly your adult report card, shaping everything from your ability to buy a home, lease an apartment, land a job, or finance a car. Troy Millings calls FICO your “financial trust score,” noting how crucial it’s become even for career opportunities. Ian Dunlap points out that FICO isn’t just a score—it’s a public company (Fair Isaac Corporation), and its stock performance tells a story of monopoly power and skyrocketing growth since its IPO in 1987. Dig into the business side as Ian Dunlap reveals how FICO actually earns its billions by licensing the credit score algorithms, not directly selling scores, and how economic cycles—like low interest rates—can supercharge its profits. You’ll hear about how FICO’s stock price exploded after 2010, paralleling changes in credit reporting’s importance after the Great Recession and new legislation. The trio also ties credit’s cultural impact to music, echoing Wu-Tang’s “Cash Rules Everything Around Me”—but now, as Rashad Bilal says, “Credit rules everything around me.” Learn how the shift to a cashless society has made understanding and managing your credit more vital than ever. They even shout out iconic artists like Clipse and discuss how staying sharp and following trends (even in music!) intersects with financial literacy and generational wealth. Whether you’re curious about why FICO matters, how its monopoly works, what’s changed since the ‘80s, or how credit touches every aspect of modern life, this clip delivers the essentials. Tune in for practical knowledge, cultural connections, and expert takes from Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings, and Ian Dunlap. *Don’t miss:*

The hidden monopoly behind FICO’s business
Why your credit score shapes your future, career, and finances
How shifts in culture and technology made credit king
FICO’s stock market success story
Real-world tips on building credit and wealth

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