Editorial Policy

PlainMoneyTalk exists to help everyday readers make better decisions with their money. This editorial policy explains how we plan, research, write, edit, publish, and update the articles you read here.

Who writes our content

Every article on PlainMoneyTalk is written by Sarah Mitchell, the site's founder and lead editor. Sarah spent a decade in operations at a community credit union before launching the site in 2022. Her experience covers consumer lending, deposits, household budgeting, and first-time investing. She is not a licensed financial advisor, and articles are always framed as education — never personalized advice.

How we choose topics

We prioritize topics based on reader questions, common financial situations U.S. households face, and gaps where existing online coverage is either too technical or actively misleading. We do not publish topics simply because they perform well in search if we don't have something genuinely useful to add.

Research standards

Every article is researched against primary and reputable secondary sources, including:

• Official government and regulator sources (IRS, SEC, CFPB, Federal Reserve, FDIC).
• Published research from organizations such as S&P Dow Jones Indices and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
• Documentation from major brokerages, banks, and credit bureaus.
• Reputable financial publications with established editorial standards.

When we cite figures, rates, or statistics, we link to the source where reasonable so you can verify it yourself.

Writing principles

• Plain language first. No unexplained jargon. If a technical term is necessary, we define it.
• Specific over vague. "Save more" isn't useful. "Move your emergency fund to a high-yield savings account" is.
• Honest about uncertainty. Where the right answer depends on individual circumstances, we say so.
• No fear-based or hype writing. We won't manufacture urgency to drive clicks.

Editing and review

Every draft is reviewed against this policy before publishing: claims are checked against sources, math is verified, and any product references are evaluated for current accuracy. See our separate fact-checking policy for the full review checklist.

Updates and corrections

Personal finance changes — contribution limits, tax rules, interest rates, and product terms can shift year to year. We review evergreen articles at least once a year and update them when rules change. Substantive updates are noted at the top of the article with a revised "Last updated" date.

If you spot an error, please tell us through the contact page. We correct genuine errors quickly and transparently.

Independence and advertising

PlainMoneyTalk may display advertising (including ads served through Google AdSense) and may include affiliate links in some articles. Advertising and affiliate relationships never determine which products or services we recommend, and we do not accept paid placements inside the body of articles. Sponsored content, where it exists, is clearly labeled.

What we will not publish

• Get-rich-quick schemes, speculative trading "systems," or hype-driven crypto pitches.
• Content generated by AI without human authorship, research, and review.
• Anything that promises guaranteed returns or risk-free investments.

Questions

If you have a question about our editorial standards, reach out via the contact page.