How we publish
Our editorial policy and how we keep pages accurate
This editorial policy sets out how CalculateInterestPay pages are researched, written, checked, updated and corrected. It covers which sources we accept, how numbers are verified, how we use AI tools, how advertising and partner links are kept apart from content, and where we are with recruiting credentialed reviewers. Every page on the site is written and maintained by the CalculateInterestPay Editorial Team under these rules.
Who writes and checks the content on this site?
The CalculateInterestPay Editorial Team writes and maintains every page. We do not publish named authors yet. Each page is fact-checked against primary sources from regulators and government agencies, and every number is verified by computation. We are recruiting credentialed reviewers and will name them only once they are actually reviewing pages.
If we cannot point to a primary source or show the computation, it does not go on the page.
What standards does every page meet?
These are the checks a page must pass before it is published, and again at every review.
Independence
No advertiser, partner or business customer can review, edit or approve our content or calculators. Commercial relationships never decide what a page says or which option looks cheaper.
Primary sources only
Rules and definitions come from the CFPB, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the NCUA, the IRS, Federal Student Aid, the SEC's Investor.gov, the BLS and the Treasury. We do not cite blogs, forums or lender marketing as authority.
Computed numbers
Every figure in a worked example or table is produced by a script and shown with its steps and assumptions. We do not quote current market rates as facts; examples use clearly illustrative rates.
Plain, neutral language
We explain trade-offs and say what usually costs less, but we do not tell readers what to buy. We avoid hype, fear and guarantees.
Step by step
How is a page written, reviewed and updated?
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Research
We identify the question readers are asking and collect the relevant rules from primary sources, noting the exact page and date we checked.
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Draft and compute
The page is drafted in plain English, and every number is generated by a script with the assumptions written down beside it.
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Fact-check
A separate pass checks each claim against its source and recomputes each example independently. Unsupported claims are cut, not softened.
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Publish with dates
The page goes live with its published date, updated date and sources list visible to readers.
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Review on a schedule
Every page is reviewed at least every 12 months, and sooner when a rule or regulator page it relies on changes.
How do we handle corrections?
We fix confirmed errors quickly and say so. If you think a page or calculator is wrong, email the corrections address listed on our contact page with the page, the inputs you used and what you expected. We reply within 2 business days.
Once an error is confirmed, we fix it within 5 business days. The page's updated date changes, and for a substantive error, such as a wrong figure, formula or rule, we add a short correction note on the page describing what changed. Typos and formatting fixes are made without a note. Calculation fixes are also listed in the site changelog.
Do we use AI tools?
Yes, and we want to be plain about how. We use AI tools to help draft and check text and to help check math. They do not decide what we publish.
Before any page is published, the editorial team fact-checks it against primary sources, and every number is verified by computation in a separate script. If an AI-assisted draft makes a claim we cannot source, the claim is removed. Responsibility for every page rests with the editorial team.
How are conflicts of interest and commercial links kept separate?
The site is meant to be funded by ads and optional partner links, and businesses can license the calculators. These rules keep that money away from the content:
- Ads are off today; if enabled, they load only after consent
- Ads sit in fixed, labelled boxes and never inside a calculator
- Partner links are always labelled and routed through /go/ pages
- No partners are live yet, and none will review content
- Calculator results never change based on who pays us
- Business customers get no say over consumer pages
- Team members disclose financial interests that relate to a topic they edit
Are pages reviewed by credentialed experts?
Not yet, and we will not imply otherwise. We are recruiting reviewers with relevant credentials, such as experience in consumer lending, credit counseling or financial planning. Until they are in place, pages are written and checked by the editorial team, without expert sign-off.
When a reviewer joins, we will publish their name, credentials and the pages they have reviewed, and add a "reviewed by" line only to pages they have actually checked.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report an error on a page?
Email the corrections address on our contact page with the page link, the inputs you used and the result you expected. Screenshots help. We reply within 2 business days and, if the error is confirmed, fix it within 5 business days and update the page date.
Which sources do you accept as evidence?
Primary sources only: regulators and government agencies such as the CFPB, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the NCUA, the IRS, Federal Student Aid, the SEC's Investor.gov, the BLS and the Treasury. We read the rule or official explainer itself rather than a summary of it.
Why don't pages list a named author?
We have no named individuals to credit yet, so every page is credited to the CalculateInterestPay Editorial Team. We would rather show a team byline than invent a person or a credential. Named reviewers will be added once they are actually reviewing pages.
Can a partner or advertiser pay to change what a page says?
No. Partners, advertisers and business customers cannot review, edit or approve content, and payment never changes a calculator's formula or results. Ads are currently off, and no partners are live yet. If a commercial relationship ever touched a page, our editorial policy requires us to disclose it on that page.
How do you use AI when creating content?
AI tools help draft and check text and math. Every page is then fact-checked against primary sources by the editorial team, and every number is verified by computation before publishing. Any claim we cannot source is removed. AI tools never publish anything on their own, and responsibility for every page stays with the editorial team.
How often are pages reviewed?
At least once every 12 months. A page is reviewed sooner if a rule, regulator page or calculator it depends on changes. The updated date at the top of each page shows when it last changed. If you notice that a rule on a page looks out of date, tell us and we will review it right away.
Do you show correction notes on pages?
Yes, for substantive errors such as a wrong figure, formula or rule. The note says what changed and when. Minor fixes, such as typos or formatting, are made without a note, but the updated date still changes. Calculation fixes are also listed in the site changelog, so you can see when a result changed.
Will you quote current interest rates on pages?
No. Rates change too often to state as facts, so examples use clearly illustrative rates. To see published rate data, use primary sources such as the Federal Reserve's H.15 and G.19 releases or the FDIC's national rates, which our resources page points to.
Spotted something wrong? Tell us
Send the page and your inputs to the corrections address on our contact page.