How We Research

Javi Pérez · Editor, SmartMoneyBasics · LinkedIn

Last reviewed: May 2026 — checked against FDIC, Federal Reserve, and CFPB public data.

Last reviewed: May 2026

SmartMoneyBasics is built around one simple editorial rule: financial content should help readers make a safer, clearer next decision. To do that, we use a repeatable research process that emphasizes primary sources, current product terms, and practical examples instead of generic summaries. This page documents that process so readers can audit it.

Sourcing hierarchy

Every guide is sourced from public, primary-or-near-primary materials in this order of preference:

1. FDIC — for bank rate data (Weekly National Rates), deposit insurance rules and ChexSystems context. fdic.gov.
2. Federal Reserve — for credit card APRs (G.19 Consumer Credit), household balance-sheet data (Survey of Consumer Finances), and macro context (Beige Book, FOMC statements). federalreserve.gov.
3. CFPB — for consumer-protection rules, complaint data, dispute procedures, prepaid card and credit-reporting rules. consumerfinance.gov.
4. BLS — for inflation series (CPI), employment cost index, and cost-of-living context. bls.gov.
5. IRS — for tax-advantaged account mechanics (Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, 401(k), HSA), contribution limits, RMD rules. irs.gov.
6. FICO and the credit bureaus — for scoring guidance: myFICO, Experian, Equifax, TransUnion public materials.
7. Bank and lender disclosure pages — only as direct primary sources for product-specific terms, never as marketing-led narrative.
8. Industry research — Bankrate, NerdWallet, and similar publishers are referenced only when they themselves cite a primary source we can verify.

Numbers that don't trace back to one of those sources are flagged as estimates or rough industry ranges in the article itself. We never present a number as authoritative when we can't reach the underlying public data.

How we choose topics and comparisons

We start with questions beginners actually ask: how to open a first bank account, how credit utilization works, how much emergency savings is enough, or whether a balance transfer is worth the fee. When a topic involves comparing products, we select examples that represent the choices readers are most likely to face in the U.S. market. That may include large national banks, popular online banks, common starter cards, or standard debt strategies.

What we verify before publishing

For banking articles, we check official product pages, fee disclosures, ATM network claims, account minimums, and FDIC or NCUA status where relevant. For credit and debt content, we review issuer terms, consumer-protection guidance, dispute rules, and scoring explanations from recognized primary sources. For budgeting and investing topics, we verify broad consumer rules, account mechanics, and stable reference data before building examples.

We pay especially close attention to numbers that affect a reader's outcome: maintenance fees, balance-transfer fees, APYs, reported score factors, contribution mechanics, and standard consumer thresholds. When a number changes frequently, we explain that it is variable and state the time frame used in the article.

How we build examples

Our examples are not random filler. We use realistic household and account scenarios so readers can adapt the math to their own life. That includes sample balances, monthly payments, savings rates, and take-home pay levels that resemble ordinary beginner situations. We prefer examples that reveal tradeoffs clearly, such as how a fee compounds over a year or how a higher payment changes payoff time.

How often we update content

Core pages are reviewed on a recurring basis and updated whenever a material fact changes or the framing no longer reflects the current market. Product pages and rate-sensitive pages need the most attention, so those are prioritized when we detect changes in fees, APYs, or eligibility rules. Every content page shows a visible "Last updated" date so readers can see whether the article has been reviewed recently.

Update frequency and review cycle

Core guides are reviewed on a quarterly cycle (every three months) and after every Federal Reserve interest-rate decision. Rate-sensitive pages — savings APYs, credit-card APRs, mortgage and student-loan tables — are re-checked any time the underlying primary source publishes a new release. Static guides (how scoring works, how a Roth IRA works, what a sinking fund is) are reviewed annually. Every page displays a visible Last reviewed date so the reader knows whether the article reflects current rules.

How calculators are built

SmartMoneyBasics calculators (Monthly Budget, Emergency Fund, Credit Card Interest, Debt Payoff, Savings Goal, Debt-to-Income) use formulas drawn from publicly documented sources, not proprietary models. Examples:

• Credit Card Interest — daily compounding APR using the standard formula balance × (APR/365) × days in cycle, matching CFPB and major issuer disclosures.
• Debt Payoff — amortization schedule from the standard loan formula, identical to the math used in any spreadsheet PMT() function.
• Emergency Fund — recommended floor of 3–6 months of essential bills, range derived from CFPB and FDIC consumer-education guidance.
• Debt-to-Income — gross-monthly-debt-payments divided by gross monthly income, the same formula lenders use under Regulation Z.

The calculators are educational tools, not advice. They produce a starting estimate; readers should still confirm specific numbers with their lender or advisor for an actual application.

Affiliate and advertising policy

SmartMoneyBasics is independently funded by Google AdSense advertising. We do not currently accept sponsored content, paid product placements, or affiliate commission deals from banks, lenders, or credit-card issuers. Editorial rankings — when we say one option is better than another for a beginner — are based on the public-source comparisons in this methodology, not on advertiser relationships. If a free, low-friction option serves beginners better than a heavily marketed one, we say so. If our funding model changes in the future, we will disclose any commercial relationship clearly within the affected guides.

Correction policy

If you spot an outdated number, a broken source link, or a factual error, email javiperezguides@gmail.com with the page URL and the source you believe contradicts the article. Corrections are reviewed personally by editor Javi Pérez. When a correction is applied, the change appears in the article and the Last reviewed date is updated. Material corrections (an incorrect rate, formula, or rule) include a brief note describing the change. Trivial corrections (typos, link fixes) are applied silently. We treat correction requests as part of editorial work, not an interruption — finance content needs reader trust, and trust requires the editorial process to be visible.

Independence disclosure

SmartMoneyBasics is independently owned and operated by Javi Pérez. There are no investors, parent companies, or third-party publishers involved in editorial decisions. Javi Pérez is not a licensed financial advisor, CPA, CFP, or attorney. SmartMoneyBasics provides educational content only and does not constitute individualized financial, tax, or legal advice. Readers facing a specific decision should consult a licensed professional in their jurisdiction.