Editorial policy

1. Sourcing

Factual claims are sourced in this order of preference:

1. Statute and regulation (e.g. the Homeowners Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act)
2. Government and regulator publications (CFPB, Federal Reserve, FTC)
3. Primary data publishers (Freddie Mac PMMS, Federal Reserve G.19, FICO/myFICO)
4. Peer-reviewed research, cited with author, journal and year

Secondary sources — competitor blogs, SEO content, aggregators — are not used as evidence for factual claims. Every content page ends with a Sources list carrying publisher, publication date where available, and the date we accessed it.

2. Calculations

Every calculator publishes its formula on the page and prints the arithmetic behind its result. The shared math library is verified against known values before release. Where a precise closed-form answer is not possible, we run a real simulation rather than an approximation, and we say which we did.

Where a model is our own estimate rather than a published standard — the credit score factor estimator is the only such case — it is labeled as an estimate, reports a range instead of a point value, and explains what part is published and what part is ours.

3. Reality Checks

Every calculator carries a Reality Check listing what its number excludes: omitted costs, assumptions that may not hold, and the ways the result can mislead. This is a required element, not an optional one. A calculator that only tells you the good news is a sales tool.

4. Authorship and expertise

All content is written by Trever Barney and carries a visible byline and a last-reviewed date. We state plainly what we are not: independent researcher and builder. not a licensed mortgage broker, loan officer, credit counselor, or financial advisor.

We do not fabricate credentials, invent expert reviewers, or imply professional licensure we do not hold. Where a decision genuinely requires a licensed professional, we say so and point toward the right kind of professional.

5. Commercial independence

• Calculator results are never influenced by any commercial relationship. The formulas are published; the output is verifiable.
• We do not accept payment for favorable coverage, rankings, or placement in content.
• We do not publish sponsored posts disguised as editorial.
• Any affiliate link is disclosed above the content containing it, per FTC guidance.
• We do not sell, broker, or originate loans, and we do not sell your data. We collect no personal data from calculators.

Current status: as of this version, the site carries no affiliate links and no sponsored content.

6. Review and updates

Every page shows a last-reviewed date. Pages containing rate or market data are re-checked against their primary sources on review, and the reference figures used across the site are stored in one place so an update propagates everywhere at once rather than leaving stale numbers scattered through the content.

7. Corrections

Errors get corrected promptly. Substantive corrections — anything that changes a number, a recommendation, or a factual claim — are noted on the page rather than quietly edited. Report an error via the contact page.

8. AI use

AI tools are used in research and drafting. Every factual claim, citation and formula is verified by a human against a primary source before publication — a cited URL on this site has been checked to exist and to say what we claim it says. Content is not published unreviewed, and responsibility for everything here rests with the named author.

9. What we will not do

• Promise specific rates, approvals, or score increases.
• Present estimates as guarantees.
• Recommend debt settlement or credit repair companies.
• Use urgency, fear, or manufactured scarcity to drive action.
• Publish a number we cannot show the derivation of.