Editorial Policy

Our editorial mission

We publish content that helps people understand the math of their own debt. Every article is held to one standard: it must show the calculation behind the claim. We do not publish motivational filler, recycled "5 tips to crush debt" listicles, or content written purely to rank for affiliate keywords.

How we research

• Primary sources first. APR, fee, and regulation references are sourced from issuer terms, the Truth in Lending Act, and CFPB consumer guidance.
• Math is shown, not asserted. When we say "this saves $X," we either show the formula in-line or link to a calculator that produces the result.
• External data is cited. Statistics about household debt, credit-card APRs, or default rates link to the original source (Federal Reserve, NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel, CFPB, Experian, etc.).
• No AI-only articles. Drafts may use AI tools for outlining or copy editing, but a human editor rewrites, fact-checks, and approves every article before publication.

Review and update cycle

Each article carries a "Last reviewed" date below the body. Posts are reviewed at least once every 12 months, and sooner when:

• A federal interest-rate decision affects the math we cited.
• A regulatory change (e.g., CFPB rules, state usury caps) makes prior guidance stale.
• A reader points out an error — corrections are dated and noted in the article.

Conflict-of-interest disclosure

ClearDebt earns revenue from paid subscription tiers, display advertising via Google AdSense on long-form blog posts, and affiliate commissions on a small number of financial-product links. We disclose every affiliate relationship in our affiliate disclosure.

We do not accept payment for product reviews, sponsored posts disguised as editorial, or guest posts from third parties. We never receive a fee from any creditor whose debt the user is paying off.

No-advice disclaimer

ClearDebt content is educational. We are not certified financial planners, accountants, attorneys, or credit counselors, and our articles are not personalized advice for your situation. The tool shows projections; the user decides. Talk to a licensed professional before making major financial decisions.

Reporting an error

Found a math error, broken citation, or outdated rule? Email [email protected] with the article URL and what's wrong. Verified corrections are published within 7 business days and noted at the top of the affected article.