SAN DIEGO, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Financial Health Network today unveiled at this year’s EMERGE conference the first-ever product design standards for the financial industry, an essential step toward integrating financial health into financial solutions. During her keynote, Financial Health Network CEO Jennifer Tescher announced the FinHealth Standards for Spending Management Products, an operational playbook for checking accounts and credit cards, designed to help financial services providers advance customer financial health amid rising economic pressure, a shifting consumer protection landscape, and eroding public trust. Future installments will introduce standards for a broader range of financial products.

Inspired by quality benchmarks in other sectors such as healthcare and digital privacy, the new standards provide banks, credit unions, and fintechs with clear, actionable guidance across three critical areas: account features, account policies, and customer onboarding and access. They provide a roadmap for excellence that helps institutions assess their impact, strengthen performance, and demonstrate leadership—delivering value to both businesses and the consumers they serve.

“With more than half of Americans spending as much or more than their income, and nearly a third falling behind on at least one bill payment, the stakes could not be higher,” said Tescher, citing data from the 2024 Financial Health Pulse^® Trends Report. “In today’s relaxed regulatory environment, these standards give providers the clarity and confidence to act, turning good intentions into measurable outcomes that build consumer trust and strengthen institutional credibility. By deepening customer relationships and enhancing brand reputation, they drive growth, retention, and long-term profitability.”

Designed to be flexible and scalable across institutions of all sizes and technical capacities, the standards support a range of applications, including advanced balance forecasting tools and fee waivers tied to customer behaviors rather than minimum balances. The standards also include evaluation scorecards to help institutions assess current offerings and prioritize improvements.

“Consumer expectations are shifting, and leading institutions recognize that meeting financial health needs is no longer optional,” said Financial Health Network’s Vice President, Financial Services Solutions, Marisa Walster. “This initiative reflects where the industry is headed—toward greater accountability and deeper impact. These standards are intentionally designed to be adaptable, offering pathways for both steady progress and transformative change. This isn’t about compliance, it’s about building a system where financial health is the norm, rather than the exception.”

Developed through extensive research, behavioral science insights, and collaboration with financial institutions and policy advisors, the standards align with the Financial Health Network’s broader strategy to embed financial health across the financial ecosystem. They complement the Financial Health Pulse data, which continues to track financial health across the U.S., and highlight the urgent need for systemic innovation.

Today’s announcement marks the first in a series of FinHealth Standards that will be released, expanding across all pillars of financial health: saving, borrowing, and planning products. Future installments will cover a wide range of financial products, such as savings accounts, loans, and other money management tools. Later this year, the Financial Health Network will also publish an initial assessment evaluating how the industry aligns with the standards to help inspire action, foster innovation, and accelerate adoption. The Financial Health Network invites financial services providers to engage with the standards, assess their current practices, and help shape a future where financial health is a core measure of institutional performance.

About the Financial Health Network
The Financial Health Network is the leading authority on financial health. We are a trusted resource for business leaders, policymakers, and innovators united in a mission to improve the financial health of their customers, employees, and communities. Through research, advisory services, measurement tools, and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, we advance awareness, understanding, and proven best practices in support of improved financial health for all. For more on the Financial Health Network, go to www.finhealthnetwork.org and follow us on Twitter at @FinHealthNet.

Contact:
Catherine New
Financial Health Network 
cnew@finhealthnetwork.org