How we research and fact-check

Where our facts come from

• Tax brackets, deductions and limits: IRS revenue procedures and publications (for 2026, Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
• Roth and IRA rules: IRS Publications 590-A and 590-B, Form 8606 instructions and the Treasury regulations.
• Medicare premiums and IRMAA: CMS fact sheets, Medicare.gov and the Social Security Administration.
• Social Security taxation: IRS Publication 915 and SSA.gov.
• State taxes: each state's department of revenue.
• Annuities: regulators and neutral sources such as the SEC's investor.gov, FINRA, the NAIC and state insurance departments.

Every guide lists its sources and the date we read them. When sources disagree, we say so and explain which one we followed.

How we write

• The answer comes first, in plain words.
• Examples are clearly labeled as hypothetical and state what they assume.
• We never promise savings or results. Whether a conversion helps depends on your situation.
• We show the costs and downsides next to the benefits.

Annuities and conflicts of interest

Some readers who request an estimate may be offered an annuity by a licensed professional. Because of that, our annuity guides always cover surrender charges, caps, bonus conditions, fees and who annuities don't suit. We don't name or rank insurance companies or products, and we don't publish current rates as offers.

Keeping guides current

Tax and Medicare figures change every year. We update the numbers when the IRS and CMS publish new ones (usually October and November) and change the "updated" date on the page. When the law changes, we rewrite the affected guides.

Corrections

If you spot an error, tell us through the contact details on our About page. We correct factual mistakes quickly and update the page date.

Use of AI tools

We use software, including AI tools, to help research and draft. Every figure is checked against the primary source listed on the page before it's published, and the calculators use the published IRS and CMS tables directly.