Plain-English money guides
Money questions, answered from the source
Short guides on credit cards, loans, insurance, banking, investing, taxes and more. Every figure is read from the agency that publishes it, and every guide lists its sources.
Browse all topicsHow we verify
- 18guides
- 14topics
- 100%sources listed
Every guide is checked against pages from
- CFPB
- FTC
- IRS
- FDIC
- FINRA
- SBA
- NAIC
- U.S. Treasury
Browse by topic
- Credit cardsHow interest, grace periods and fees work1 guide
- InsurancePremiums, deductibles and claims explained1 guide
- MortgagesRead a Loan Estimate and compare lenders1 guide
- Personal loansFees and total cost before you borrow1 guide
- Small businessSBA loans and how to apply1 guide
- BankingDeposit insurance, accounts and fees2 guides
- InvestingWhat funds cost and how fees add up1 guide
- Student loansFederal versus private loans1 guide
- Financial advisorsHow to check who you are hiring1 guide
- TravelUsing cards abroad without surprise fees1 guide
- Credit & debtReports, disputes and debt collectors3 guides
- TaxesOwing the IRS: plans and penalties2 guides
- Saving & budgetingEmergency funds and saving habits1 guide
- Federal benefitsDirect Express and benefit payments1 guide
Latest guides
Each one answers a single question and lists the official pages it comes from.
How to dispute an error on your credit report
Who to dispute with, what to put in the letter, what the CFPB says happens next and how to add a statement if the dispute does not fix the error.
Read guide4 min readCredit & debtHow to get your free credit reports
The one authorized site for free reports, how often you can check, the other situations that earn a free copy and how to spot a scam.
Read guide2 min readCredit & debtWhat debt collectors can and cannot do
Call hours, the seven-calls-in-seven-days presumption, the 30-day dispute window and how to tell a collector in writing to stop, from CFPB pages.
Read guide4 min readTaxesIRS payment plans: eligibility, fees and how to apply
Short-term and long-term IRS payment plan limits, the setup fees by method, how to apply online or by phone, and what keeps accruing while you pay.
Read guide3 min readTaxesIRS late filing and late payment penalties, with examples
The IRS failure-to-file and failure-to-pay rates, the 25% caps, the $525 minimum, the lower rate on a payment plan and a worked dollar example.
Read guide4 min readBankingHow FDIC deposit insurance works: the $250,000 limit explained
What the FDIC covers, what it does not, how ownership categories add up, and how to check whether your bank and balance are protected.
Read guide3 min readHow we work
We read the rule, fee schedule or statute on the agency's own site, write what it says in plain words, and link it. If an official page does not support a claim, the claim is left out.
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We do not sell loans, take applications or recommend products for a fee. See how we make money.