Editorial Policy
Last updated: May 13, 2026
Our commitment: Every guide on CentByStep is written to help the reader — not to generate clicks, sell products, or satisfy search engines. Our editorial decisions are independent from our business relationships.
Who Writes Our Content
CentByStep guides are written and reviewed by our editorial team, led by Sarah Mitchell, a personal finance writer with six years of experience as a nonprofit credit counselor. Sarah worked directly with low- and moderate-income Americans on debt management, budget planning, and credit repair through NFCC-affiliated organizations before transitioning to financial writing.
Additional research and fact-checking is performed by our editorial team before any guide is published. We do not publish content from anonymous contributors or without internal review.
Our Research Process
Primary source research
We start with official data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Reserve, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), FDIC, FICO, and other federal institutions. We do not cite statistics from press releases or without verifying the original source.
Draft and internal review
Every guide is drafted, then reviewed for factual accuracy, practical usefulness, and alignment with our editorial standards before publication. We ask: does this actually help someone in a real financial situation?
Conflict of interest check
Before recommending any financial product or service, we check whether an affiliate relationship exists. If it does, we disclose this clearly and ensure the recommendation is based on product merit — not commission potential. Affiliate relationships never determine our editorial positions.
Publication with full disclosure
Every guide is published with the author name, publication date, and last review date visible. Financial disclaimers are included on all articles. Affiliate links are disclosed in accordance with FTC guidelines.
Ongoing review and updates
Guides containing rate-sensitive information (savings account APYs, interest rates, credit statistics) are reviewed quarterly. All other guides are reviewed at minimum annually or when significant regulatory or market changes occur.
What We Will Not Do
- Recommend a financial product because of an affiliate commission rather than genuine product quality
- Accept payment in exchange for favorable editorial coverage
- Publish statistics without verifying the primary source
- Make specific investment recommendations or provide personalized financial advice
- Use manipulative language to create urgency or fear around financial decisions
How We Handle Errors
If we publish incorrect information, we correct it as quickly as possible with a visible correction notice. We do not quietly edit errors — corrections are noted with the date they were made.
If you find an error in one of our guides, please contact us. We take accuracy seriously and treat correction requests as a priority.
Affiliate Relationships
CentByStep may earn commissions when readers click affiliate links and open accounts or make purchases. These relationships help support our operation and keep our content free. For full details, see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content. Products we recommend are evaluated on their merits for the reader — not on commission rates.
Not Financial Advice
CentByStep is an educational resource. Our guides help you understand personal finance topics — they are not a substitute for personalized advice from a qualified financial professional. For decisions specific to your situation, please consult a certified financial planner (CFP) or other licensed professional. See our full Disclaimer.
Contact Our Editorial Team
Questions about our editorial standards, a specific guide, or a correction? Visit our contact page.