Our complete editorial policy covering content creation standards, fact-checking process, source verification, corrections process, AI usage disclosure, and editorial independence. How we ensure every article and calculator on TaxGainsCalc meets the highest standards of accuracy and trust.
Every article published on TaxGainsCalc begins with primary government sources. Our founder and editorial team research the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Treasury Regulations (26 CFR), IRS Revenue Rulings, IRS Publications (such as Publication 550 on capital gains, Publication 523 on home sales, and Publication 544 on sales of business property), and official IRS press releases and announcements. We do not rely on secondary sources for dollar figures, tax rates, or income thresholds.
Every tax rate, threshold, and calculation displayed on this site is traced back to a specific IRS source. These citations are listed at the bottom of each relevant article and consolidated on our Sources page. When we state a rate, we reference the specific IRC section or IRS publication that establishes it.
Content is written by credentialed tax professionals with specific expertise in the topic. Our writers hold CPA (Certified Public Accountant), EA (Enrolled Agent), CFP (Certified Financial Planner), or JD/LLM (Juris Doctor / Master of Laws in Taxation) credentials and have years of hands-on experience with the IRS tax code. Each writer is identified by name, credential, and professional background on every article they author, and on their individual author profile page.
Before any article is published, it goes through a three-step review process designed to catch errors, verify claims, and ensure the content meets the standards our readers expect.
A credentialed tax professional with specific expertise in the topic researches IRS publications, revenue rulings, and tax court cases. They write the article around primary sources, citing the specific IRC sections, Treasury regulations, and IRS publications that establish each rate, threshold, or rule referenced.
A second credentialed professional independently reviews all content for factual accuracy, completeness, and compliance with current tax law. This reviewer checks every rate, threshold, and calculation against the most recent IRS publications and tax code sections. Any discrepancies are resolved before publication. The reviewer's name and credentials are displayed on every article.
A third team member confirms that any calculator or interactive element referenced in the article produces the results the article claims. They test edge cases, verify that the calculator implements the correct IRS formula, and ensure that the output matches the rates and thresholds stated in the article. The calculator methodology is documented on our Methodology page.
We log the date each article was last reviewed at the bottom of the page, along with the specific IRS guidance used as the source. When a federal rule or IRS announcement changes, we update the affected article within 30 days and note the change at the top of the article with a dated "Last updated" notice.
Our sourcing hierarchy is strict. Primary government sources always take precedence over secondary ones. The hierarchy we follow, from most authoritative to least:
Before publication, each factual claim is verified against a second source whenever one is available. For example, a Treasury regulation section that mirrors the IRC provision. We never cite a blog post, news article, or third-party website as the primary source for a tax rate or threshold. The complete list of every primary government source we cite is on our Sources page.
If you find a rate, threshold, or calculation on this site that does not match an official IRS source, please email us at (email) with the URL and the source document. We treat accuracy errors as urgent and will investigate within 5 business days.
If you are right, we will update the page the same day and add a dated correction notice at the top of the article explaining what was changed and when. The correction notice remains visible for at least 30 days so that readers who previously relied on the incorrect information are aware of the change.
If we believe our published figure is correct, we will reply with the specific source citation we relied on so you can verify our reasoning. We maintain a log of all corrections on this page.
Corrections Log: No corrections have been issued to date. This section will be updated whenever a factual error is identified and corrected on any article or calculator page.
Tax laws change frequently — sometimes mid-year through IRS announcements, revenue rulings, or new legislation. We monitor these changes continuously and follow a strict update schedule:
We use AI tools in limited, specific ways during the content creation process. Here is exactly how:
We believe that tax content — where an incorrect rate or rule can cost a reader real money — must be written, reviewed, and verified by qualified human professionals. AI is a tool that assists our process, but it never replaces the professional judgment, credential-backed expertise, or source verification that our readers rely on.
TaxGainsCalc is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the United States Department of the Treasury, or any other government agency. This independence allows us to provide objective, unbiased information without government influence or institutional constraints.
We do not accept payment from any company, financial institution, or tax preparation service to recommend their products or influence our content. Our content is funded entirely by display advertising served through Google AdSense on pages that do not contain reviews or recommendations — for example, our state tax rate pages and educational blog posts. We never accept payment to recommend a specific tax software, financial product, or service, and we never have.
If a reader spots a conflict of interest we missed, we want to hear about it. Email us at (email) and we will investigate promptly.
We welcome your feedback, questions, corrections, and suggestions. If you find information on our site that is inaccurate, outdated, or confusing, please do not hesitate to reach out.