Editorial policy
How we choose, check, correct and update what we publish.
Accuracy
Guides about money, taxes, law and platforms are checked against primary sources: government agencies like the IRS, FTC and U.S. Copyright Office, and the platforms' own help and policy pages. We link to those sources in the article so you can verify them yourself.
We don't invent statistics, quotes or case studies. When we give a number that varies, like a rate or a fee, we say it's a range or a rule of thumb, not a fact.
Advice, not professional advice
Our articles explain how things generally work. They aren't legal, tax or financial advice for your specific situation. Where the stakes are high, we tell you when to bring in a professional.
Updates and corrections
Rules change. When an article needs updating, we revise it and show an "Updated" date under the byline. If we get something wrong, we fix it and note what changed at the end of the article. Spot an error? Email hello@theselfmadeedit.com with the link and what needs fixing.
Contributors
Contributor pieces go through the same editing and fact-checking as staff articles. Contributors must disclose any business interest in what they write about, and we publish that disclosure with the article.
Independence and money
Advertisers and partners don't get to review or change our editorial articles. Paid content is always labeled "Sponsored." Business relationships that touch an article are disclosed on that article. The full details are on our disclosures page.
AI
We may use software tools, including AI, for research, transcription and editing support. A human editor is responsible for every article and checks every factual claim before it's published.