Resources
Where to check the facts yourself
Nothing on this site should be taken on trust. These are the official, free sources the guides are written against — go straight to them whenever a figure matters.
Official sources
Primary sources, not summaries
Rules and figures change. These sites always carry the current version; an article — including one here — carries the version that was true when it was written.
IRS
Federal tax rules, forms, filing requirements and the current year's figures.
Use it for: Anything about tax brackets, deductions, credits or retirement account limits.
Investor.gov (SEC)
The SEC's investor education site, including a licence and background check tool.
Use it for: Understanding investment basics and verifying whether someone is registered.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Plain-language explainers on credit, mortgages, loans, debt collection, and a complaint system.
Use it for: Consumer rights, and what to do when a financial company gets something wrong.
FINRA
Broker regulation, investor alerts and BrokerCheck.
Use it for: Checking a broker's record and reading scam warnings.
FDIC
Deposit insurance rules and bank information.
Use it for: Confirming what is insured, at which bank, and up to what limits.
Federal Reserve
US monetary policy, interest rate decisions and economic data.
Use it for: Understanding why interest rates move and what that means for borrowing.
AnnualCreditReport.com
The official site for the free credit reports US consumers are entitled to by federal law.
Use it for: Checking your own credit reports for errors — no payment required.
Social Security Administration
Your earnings record, benefit estimates and claiming rules.
Use it for: Seeing your own projected benefits rather than a rule of thumb.
MyMoney.gov
The US government's central financial education hub.
Use it for: A starting point that links out to other federal resources.
Printable checklists
Short lists worth keeping
Nothing to download and no email required — copy them anywhere useful.
The month-one checklist
- Write down every fixed monthly cost, then every variable one
- Check your take-home pay against that total
- Open a separate savings account for the emergency fund
- Set one automatic transfer on payday, however small
- Pull your free credit reports and read them for errors
Before you borrow
- Compare APR, not just the monthly payment
- Work out the total interest over the full term
- Check whether extra payments are allowed without a penalty
- Ask what happens if you miss a payment
- Run the numbers in the loan calculator before signing
Scam warning signs
- A guaranteed return, especially a high one
- Pressure to act immediately, before you can check
- Payment by gift card, wire transfer or crypto to a stranger
- Someone contacting you first, then asking to move to another app
- A person or firm you cannot find on Investor.gov or BrokerCheck
Keep learning, one clear idea at a time
Every guide, video and calculator on this site is free. Start with the fundamentals, then use the tools on your own numbers.