Editorial Standards How the guides and tools on this site are made.
Money advice goes wrong when numbers are loose, sources are vague or the author has a hidden interest. This page says how we try to avoid all three.
What we publish
Debt Free Empire publishes guides, calculators and printable templates for people who want to budget, pay off debt and organize their money. The guides and tools are written and built by Robert, the founder (read his story). Everything here is educational. We are not licensed financial advisors, and nothing on this site is personal financial, tax or legal advice.
How we check what we publish
- Numbers are worked out, not guessed. The examples in our guides are calculated month by month, and we state the assumptions behind them (rates, payments, fees). When an example is simplified, such as charging interest monthly at one-twelfth of the annual rate, we say so.
- Claims link to their source. We cite primary sources where they exist: government agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Reserve, official pricing and policy pages, and published research. If we cannot find a source for a claim, we leave the claim out.
- Tools are tested against hand calculations. The debt calculator, the paycheck bill planner, the monthly budget calculator and our downloadable spreadsheets are checked against worked examples before they go live.
- Prices and features are checked on the company's own page and dated. App prices change, so our comparisons tell you to confirm before you buy.
How we keep guides current
Each guide shows its date. We revisit guides when a number, a price or a rule changes, and we update the page rather than leave an old figure standing. Tools and templates are re-checked when we change them.
How this site makes money
Debt Free Empire earns money from the apps it sells. Empire Life Dashboard is a one-time purchase, and Paper & Prosperity is free. Our guides mention our own apps where they are relevant, and we label them as ours. We do not accept payment for reviews or placement, and the site does not use affiliate links today. When we compare our apps with others, we say where ours fall short.
We may show advertising on the blog in the future. If that happens, we will update this page and our website privacy policy before any ad appears, and ads will never be mixed into our tools or printables.
Corrections
If you find a mistake, tell us through the support page. We will check it, fix the page and, when the change matters, say what changed. We reply within 48 hours.