Editorial standards
How the guides on lazysmirk are researched, written, and kept current, and what they are (and are not) for.
Numbers come from our calculators, not from copy
Every worked example, table, and headline figure in a lazysmirk guide is computed at build time by the same calculation engines that power our calculators. When the IRS publishes new brackets or limits, we update the engine once and every affected guide updates with it. Nothing is hand-typed twice, so the article you read can never drift from the tool you use next.
Every statistic is sourced
Claims that depend on external data (IRS rules, Federal Reserve data, industry surveys) are verified against the primary source before publishing and linked in the text, with the data year named. Where sources disagree or a figure is an estimate, we say so instead of picking the most impressive number.
We tell you when the answer is unflattering
If the math says a popular strategy barely matters, or that a worked example loses money at current prices, we publish that result. Guides exist to help you decide, not to sell you a feeling.
Refresh cycle
Guides built on annual figures (tax brackets, contribution limits, deductions) are refreshed when the IRS publishes the next year’s numbers, typically in October or November. Rate-sensitive pages (mortgage payments, credit card APRs, home equity rates) are reviewed quarterly. Each guide shows its published date, and an updated date once it has been materially revised.
What we are not
lazysmirk is educational. Nothing on this site is financial, legal, tax, or investment advice, and our calculators produce estimates from the inputs you provide. For decisions with real stakes, talk to a qualified professional who can see your full situation.
Questions about something we published? See every guide at lazysmirk.com/guides.