Editorial Policy
GeekPenny's mission is to help readers make confident financial decisions. This policy explains who writes our content, how it is reviewed, and the standards every page is held to before publication.
Last updated April 24, 2026 · Maintained by the GeekPenny Editorial Team
Who we are
GeekPenny is an independent personal-finance and small-business comparison site. Articles, reviews, and best-of guides are produced by the GeekPenny Editorial Team — a group of writers and editors with backgrounds in lending, payments, insurance, and consumer journalism. We publish under a single editorial byline rather than fabricating named experts; when an outside specialist (CFP, broker, CPA) reviews a page, their real name and credentials appear in the byline.
Editorial independence
Our editorial team operates independently from our business and partnerships team. No advertiser, partner, or affiliate has the ability to commission, edit, approve, or veto an article, score, or ranking. Our scoring rubrics and best-of methodologies are defined before any provider is evaluated and are documented on our Review Methodology page.
Sources & evidence
We prefer primary sources: provider rate sheets, regulatory filings, federal data (CFPB, FRED, BLS, Census, NAIC), and our own original testing. When secondary sources are used, they are linked inline and listed on each page's Data Sources citation block. Statistics older than 18 months are flagged for refresh.
Fact-checking
- Every YMYL (your-money-your-life) page is fact-checked before publication.
- Numerical claims (rates, fees, score thresholds) must cite a primary source dated within the last 12 months.
- Provider-specific facts are verified against the provider's current public disclosures or NMLS / state-licensing record.
- Reviews and best-of pages are re-checked at least quarterly; rate-sensitive pages, more often.
Corrections
If we publish something incorrect, we fix it quickly and visibly. Material corrections are noted with a dated correction line at the bottom of the affected page. To request a correction, email corrections@geekpenny.com.
Conflicts of interest
Writers and editors disclose any personal financial relationship with a company they cover and recuse themselves from rating or ranking that company. Gifts, paid trips, and free services from providers are prohibited. See How We Make Money and Advertising Disclosure for the business model that funds our work.
AI use
We use AI tools to assist with research, drafting, and quality checks, but every published page is reviewed and edited by a human on the editorial team before going live. AI does not make scoring or ranking decisions.
Reader feedback
We treat reader feedback as a primary signal. Suggestions and complaints go to editorial@geekpenny.comand are reviewed weekly.