How we check facts
Updated Nov 4, 2026
We only state facts we can link to a trusted source.
In short
- Every rule and rate links to its source, with the date we checked it.
- We use the government agency or official program first.
- We never use anonymous blogs or forums as sources.
Where facts come from
We use, in order: laws and the agencies that run them (like the IRS and GSA), official program sites (like the licensure compacts), professional groups, and then trusted news and research.
Posts in online groups help us learn what travelers struggle with. We never state them as facts.
Where Ask looks
Ask, our question tool, can only search a fixed list of official sites. The list includes the IRS, the Department of Labor, HealthCare.gov, the CDC, the FTC, every state's government site, the licensure compacts, national certification boards and the main professional groups for each profession. Each answer lists the pages it used.
How often we check
- Federal tax tables: each November.
- GSA per diem rates: each October 1.
- Compact member states: each month.
- Everything else: at least once a year.
Estimates, not advice
Pay numbers are estimates. We show what we assumed and a low-to-high range. They are not tax, legal or medical advice.
Reviews
Guides show "Clinician review pending" until a licensed clinician has checked them.
Found a mistake?
Tell us and we'll fix it. A "Report a mistake" button is coming soon.