Sources & editorial standards

Every guide on The Penny Plan is general educational information, written in plain language from the rules as published by the agencies and regulators that actually set them. When a guide describes how a tax rule, credit report, insurance policy, or government benefit works, the claim is checked against the relevant body’s published guidance before it’s written up. These are the primary sources we work from:

Government & regulators

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — credit, debt collection, mortgages, banking rights
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — federal taxes, retirement account rules, withholding
• Social Security Administration (SSA) — Social Security benefits, disability, retirement claiming
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — Investor.gov — investing basics, brokerage accounts, fraud warnings
• FINRA — broker regulation, investor protection tools
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — scams, identity theft, consumer rights
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — deposit insurance, bank account safety
• National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) — credit union insurance and rules
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — housing, FHA loans, renting rights
• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) — workplace benefits, 401(k) rules, unemployment
• Healthcare.gov — health insurance marketplace, qualifying events
• Studentaid.gov — federal student loans and FAFSA
• USA.gov — cross-agency consumer money topics

How we use them

• Articles describe rules in general terms — thresholds, deadlines, and program details change, so guides link concepts rather than quoting numbers that go stale.
• Nothing on this site is personalized financial, legal, or tax advice. For decisions that carry real weight, consult a qualified professional who knows your full situation — see our Disclaimer.
• Spotted something outdated or wrong? Tell us via the Contact page and we’ll verify and correct it.