Our Editorial Process
Financial decisions have real consequences, so we hold ourselves to a real standard. Here's exactly how a ClearCents article gets researched, written, fact-checked, and kept current — no vague promises, just the actual process.
Our Core Editorial Principles
| Principle | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Accuracy first | We'd rather publish a shorter, correct answer than a longer one padded with unverified claims. |
| Primary sources over secondhand summaries | Wherever possible, we go directly to government agencies, regulators, and official documentation — not other blogs or aggregator sites. |
| Plain English, no hidden agenda | We explain how things work and how to compare your options — never content designed to push you toward a product because it pays us more. |
| Ongoing accuracy, not "publish and forget" | Financial rules, rates, and programs change constantly. We treat our cornerstone guides as living documents. |
How an Article Gets Made
- Research. We start with the primary sources listed below, plus, where relevant, well-established secondary sources — never a single blog post or forum thread.
- Write. Every article is built around one guiding question: what does someone searching for this actually need to know? We answer that clearly near the top, then go deeper into nuances, exceptions, and the follow-up questions readers commonly have, in plain American English with no unexplained jargon.
- Fact-check. Before publishing, we verify every specific figure, rate, threshold, and program detail against the source directly — not against our own memory of it.
- Update. Financial rules don't stay still, so neither do our articles. Cornerstone guides are revisited periodically, and any correction we're notified of is investigated and fixed promptly.
Where Our Information Comes From
Depending on the topic, our research draws from sources such as:
| Topic Area | Primary Sources We Reference |
|---|---|
| Taxes | IRS.gov |
| Consumer debt & credit | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) |
| Retirement & Social Security | Social Security Administration (SSA.gov) |
| Insurance regulation | National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), state Departments of Insurance |
| Consumer protection & scams | Federal Trade Commission (FTC) |
| Banking & deposit insurance | FDIC.gov |
| Interest rates & economic data | Federal Reserve (federalreserve.gov) |
When we reference specific financial products (credit cards, banks, insurance companies, software), we pull details directly from the provider's official terms and pricing pages, and we note when we last verified those details.
Expert Review
ClearCents' content is currently researched and written by its founder, Marc Isach Moriscot, following the sourcing standards above. As the site grows, we are committed to having licensed professionals — including Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) and licensed insurance agents — review our highest-stakes guides (retirement, insurance coverage, tax topics, and debt/credit decisions).
When an article has been reviewed by a credentialed expert, that will be clearly disclosed at the top of the article with the reviewer's name and credential.
Independence: How This Site Is Funded
ClearCents is supported by advertising, which allows us to offer all of our content for free. Advertising does not influence our editorial content or recommendations — we decide what to write about and what to recommend based solely on what's genuinely useful and accurate for readers, never based on which advertiser pays the most. Full details are available on our Advertiser Disclosure page.
Corrections Policy
We take errors seriously. If you spot outdated information, a broken calculation, or anything that seems incorrect, please contact us with details. We investigate every report and, where a correction is warranted, we update the article promptly and note the update date.
Not Personalized Advice
Nothing on ClearCents constitutes individualized financial, legal, tax, or insurance advice. Our content is educational and general in nature. For decisions specific to your situation, we recommend consulting a licensed professional. See our full Disclaimer for more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ClearCents accept payment for positive reviews?
No. We never accept payment in exchange for a positive review or a guaranteed ranking in a "best of" list. If we compare products, our comparisons reflect our own independent research into publicly available terms, pricing, and features. See our Advertiser Disclosure for how the site is funded.
How often is ClearCents content updated?
Cornerstone guides — the kind of article covering a topic that changes over time, like tax rules or credit card rates — are treated as living documents and revisited periodically. Any specific error reported to us is investigated and corrected promptly, with the update reflected in the article's "Last Updated" date.
Who writes ClearCents articles?
ClearCents' articles are researched and written by its founder, Marc Isach Moriscot, using the sourcing standards on this page. As the site grows, we're committed to having licensed professionals review our highest-stakes guides, with that review clearly disclosed on the article itself.
What sources does ClearCents consider reliable?
We prioritize primary sources — government agencies and regulators like the IRS, CFPB, SSA, FDIC, FTC, and NAIC — over secondhand summaries from other websites. For specific financial products, we go directly to the provider's own official terms and pricing pages.