Editorial Policy

DebtConsolidationHelp.com publishes financial education content on a YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topic. We take this responsibility seriously. This page describes how we research, source, update, and correct our content.

Research Methodology

Every article on this site follows a 5-step research process:

1. Primary source identification — We start with federal statutes, regulatory guidance, and government agency publications (CFPB, FTC, Federal Reserve, IRS).
2. Data gathering — We collect current rates, statistics, and outcome data from authoritative sources. All data points include their source and date.
3. Cross-referencing — Claims are verified against at least two independent sources before publication.
4. Worked examples — Financial scenarios use specific dollar amounts and realistic assumptions so readers can verify the math themselves.
5. Plain language rewrite — Technical content is rewritten for a general audience without losing accuracy.

Sourcing Hierarchy

We prioritize sources in this order:

1. Federal statute and regulation (e.g., Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Truth in Lending Act)
2. Government agency data (CFPB, FTC, Federal Reserve, IRS publications)
3. Peer-reviewed research (academic studies on debt repayment, behavioral economics)
4. Authoritative nonprofit organizations (NFCC, FCAA, credit bureaus)
5. Industry data from transparent sources (LendingTree, Bankrate — with methodology disclosed)

We never cite anonymous sources, press releases without underlying data, or content marketing disguised as research.

Update Policy

Financial information changes frequently. Our update commitments:

• Rate data: Updated when the Federal Reserve or major aggregators publish new averages (at least quarterly)
• Regulatory content: Reviewed within 7 days of relevant CFPB, FTC, or legislative changes
• Calculator assumptions: Verified and updated quarterly with source attribution
• All content: Reviewed on a rolling 6-month cycle

Every page displays its last-verified date.

Correction Policy

Errors in financial content can cause real harm. Our correction tiers:

Minor Corrections

Typos, broken links, formatting issues. Fixed immediately, no disclosure needed.

Substantive Corrections

Incorrect statistics, outdated rates, or misleading comparisons. Fixed immediately with a visible correction note at the top of the affected page explaining what changed and when.

Critical Corrections

Errors that could lead to financial harm (wrong tax information, incorrect qualification thresholds, misleading calculator results). Fixed immediately, correction note added, and the page is flagged for full re-review.

Content Governance Triggers

The following events trigger immediate content review:

• Federal Reserve interest rate changes
• FTC enforcement actions against debt relief companies
• CFPB rule changes or advisory opinions
• Major legislative changes affecting consumer debt
• Significant shifts in average consolidation rates (>1 percentage point)

Editorial Independence

DebtConsolidationHelp.com does not currently generate revenue. Our content recommendations are based solely on the financial math and consumer research — not affiliate relationships, advertising pressure, or business partnerships.

If and when we introduce monetization, we will maintain a strict separation between editorial content and revenue-generating relationships. Any potential conflicts will be disclosed on our How We Make Money page.

Contact

Found an error or have a correction? Please contact us. We take corrections seriously and will respond within 48 hours.