Sources & Methodology

How we select sources

We prioritize authority, relevance, and recency. A source should support the specific claim, apply to the relevant location and audience, and be current enough for the subject. Not every article uses every source category.

Sources we may use

• Government agencies and primary data, including the IRS for tax information and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for employment data.
• Federal regulators and consumer-protection agencies such as the CFPB, FDIC, and FTC.
• Official financial-institution documentation, account terms, and published platform fee schedules.
• Academic and research organizations, original studies, and recognized industry research, with attention to their methods and limitations.

Checking claims and dates

We aim to consult the original report or policy rather than rely only on a summary. Publication dates, geographic scope, sample limitations, and changing rules matter. Forecasts describe possible outcomes; they do not guarantee what will happen.

Numbers and examples

Illustrative scenarios are not documented reader results. Calculations should explain assumptions such as interest, fees, expenses, taxes, and time periods. Calculator outputs are estimates, not personalized recommendations.

Article references

Sources are linked within articles or listed in a reference section when relevant. A general methodology page does not mean a source supports every article. We do not add citations solely to create the appearance of research.

Corrections and limitations

If a source is outdated, a link is broken, or a claim is unsupported, tell us. Read our Editorial Standards for our approach to corrections and AI assistance.