Our standards
Calcvera publishes calculators and explanations about money decisions that can have real consequences. We hold our work to four standards: it must be accurate, sourced, transparent and independent.
Sources we rely on
We build from primary sources wherever they exist:
- Taxes: the Internal Revenue Code, IRS revenue procedures, publications and form instructions, and enacted legislation on Congress.gov.
- Health and benefits: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HealthCare.gov, the Department of Health and Human Services (poverty guidelines) and the Social Security Administration.
- Lending and credit: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (including Regulation Z), the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD/FHA.
- Small business: the U.S. Small Business Administration and IRS guidance on depreciation.
Where rules come from industry practice rather than law — such as typical HELOC loan-to-value limits or factoring fees — we describe them as typical ranges and say so.
How a calculator is built
- Research the rules, thresholds and formulas from primary sources.
- Implement the math in a separate, testable module.
- Test the module against known values: textbook amortization results, published tables (for example, checking that Medicare premiums match the statutory percentages) and hand-worked examples.
- Explain the result on the page: how to use it, the formula, the assumptions and a worked example.
- Review the page before publication and record the review date on the page.
Keeping figures current
Many figures change every year — tax brackets and standard deductions, Medicare premiums and IRMAA brackets, poverty guidelines and ACA contribution percentages, Social Security amounts. We track these release schedules and update affected calculators when agencies publish new numbers, usually in the fall for the following year. Each page shows its “Updated” date.
Use of software and AI tools
We use software tools — including automated testing and AI-assisted drafting — to help build and maintain the site. Every formula, figure and claim is checked against the sources listed on the page before it’s published, and responsibility for the content rests with our editorial team.
Independence from advertisers
The site is funded by advertising. Advertisers can’t see or influence our content before publication, and we don’t accept payment to feature, rank or recommend any lender, product or service.
Corrections
If you believe something is wrong, email hello@calcvera.net with the page and the issue. We review every report, correct confirmed errors promptly, and update the page’s review date.