Editorial Policy & Fact-Checking Standards
Last updated
This policy governs every guide published on this site. Its purpose is simple: when a page states an amount, a deadline, an eligibility rule, or a phone number, you should be able to trust it — and verify it yourself.
Sourcing standards
- Primary sources first. Program facts come from the NJ Division of Taxation, the Department of the Treasury, and enacted state law. Our master list is on the sources page, and each guide cites the specific sources it relies on.
- News reports are corroboration, not foundation. We may use reputable reporting to learn something changed, but we confirm against official material before publishing it.
- Uncertainty is labeled. Where the state hasn’t confirmed a date or amount, guides say “expected” or “based on prior seasons” rather than presenting projections as fact.
Fact-checking process
- Every factual claim in a draft is checked against a cited primary source.
- Numbers, dates, and phone numbers are re-verified separately before publication — these cause the most reader harm when wrong.
- Each page displays a last reviewed date. Guides are re-reviewed on a scheduled cycle, and immediately when the state announces program changes.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we fix the page promptly, update its last-reviewed date, and — for errors that could have led a reader to act incorrectly (a wrong deadline, a wrong amount) — note the correction on the page. Report errors via the contact page; verified corrections take priority over all other work.
Independence and monetization
Content decisions are never dictated by advertisers or third parties. If the site ever carries advertising or affiliate links, they will be clearly labeled, will never influence what a guide recommends, and will never appear as disguised editorial content. We accept no payment for coverage.
What we don’t publish
- Individual tax, legal, or financial advice.
- Speculation presented as fact.
- Anything that collects personal data — no application forms, no “check your eligibility by entering your SSN” widgets, nothing of the kind.
AI assistance disclosure
Drafting and research may use software tools, including AI assistance. Every published fact goes through the same human-owned verification against primary sources described above, and responsibility for accuracy rests with the editorial team, not the tools.