Where our facts come from
We start with primary sources: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Reserve, FICO and VantageScore, the three credit bureaus, and the card issuers' and lenders' own terms. We use news coverage only to find out that something changed, then confirm it at the source.
How we keep guides current
- Every guide shows the month its facts were last checked.
- Product comparisons (fees, deposits, rates) are rechecked at least every three months, and sooner when an issuer announces a change.
- Rate figures are updated after each Federal Reserve decision.
- When we can't confirm a detail, we leave it out or give a range rather than guess.
What we won't do
- Promise a score increase or a result.
- Recommend anything that relies on misleading a lender, including "credit privacy numbers".
- Let a commission decide what a page recommends. Products that pay us nothing appear in our comparisons too.
- Give investment advice or take sides in politics. When we cover the economy, we stick to what it means for borrowing and saving costs.
Corrections
If you find an error, email [email protected] with the page and what's wrong. We correct confirmed errors and update the checked date.