Editorial Policy

Our Standards

TorchFI provides financial calculators and educational content about financial independence. Because this content affects people's financial decisions (YMYL — Your Money or Your Life), we maintain strict editorial standards. Every number on this site traces back to a verifiable primary source.

Content Creation Process

1. Topic selection — We prioritize calculators and content that address real questions from the FIRE community. Topics are chosen based on community interest, not commercial relationships.
2. Formula implementation — All financial calculations are hand-coded in JavaScript using formulas from peer-reviewed research (Trinity Study, Bengen, Pfau, Kitces, etc.). Each formula is tested against hand-computed benchmarks.
3. Data sourcing — Every default value (tax rates, contribution limits, pension ages) is verified against its official government source before publication. Sources are documented per calculator.
4. Content writing — Calculator descriptions, FAQs, and explanatory text may be drafted with AI assistance. All AI-generated content is reviewed and edited by a human for accuracy, clarity, and completeness before publication.
5. Review — Each calculator and blog post is reviewed by at least one team member before publication. Our review checks: formula correctness, data accuracy, source citations, and clarity of explanation.
6. Publication — Content is published with a timestamp showing its last review date. Automated tests verify core calculations against known benchmark values.

Data Sourcing Standards

Every financial figure on TorchFI must meet these criteria:

• Primary source required: Each figure must trace to an official government publication (IRS Revenue Procedure, SSA COLA notice, ATO ruling, HMRC guidance, etc.).
• Secondary sources acceptable only when primary sources are inaccessible, and must be clearly labeled as secondary.
• Regular updates: All figures are reviewed annually (October–November) after government bodies release updated rates.
• Correction log: Every data correction is publicly recorded in our Review Policy.

AI Usage Policy

TorchFI uses AI-assisted content generation in a limited and controlled way:

• What AI is used for: Drafting explanatory text, FAQ content, and calculator descriptions. Formatting and phrasing improvements.
• What AI is NOT used for: Financial calculations, numerical data, tax rates, contribution limits, or any figure that could affect a user's financial decisions. All numbers are hand-sourced and hand-verified.
• Human review: Every piece of AI-generated text is reviewed and edited by a human team member before publication. We do not publish AI-generated content without review.
• Transparency: This policy is publicly documented here. If you have questions about specific content, contact us.

Fact-Checking Procedure

Before any data-dependent content is published:

1. The current official source is located (e.g., IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-XX for contribution limits).
2. The figure is extracted and compared against the previous value.
3. A changelog entry is prepared documenting the old value, new value, and source URL.
4. The value is updated in the calculator's default configuration.
5. Automated tests are updated to reflect the new expected value.

Correction Policy

We take errors seriously. If you find a mistake:

• Report it via our Contact page — we investigate within 48 hours.
• Confirmed errors are fixed immediately and logged in our public correction log.
• We do not delete correction log entries — past corrections remain visible for transparency.

Review Schedule

Review Type	Frequency	Scope
Annual data refresh	October–November	All tax rates, contribution limits, pension ages across 19 countries
Ad-hoc corrections	Within 48 hours of report	Individual reported errors
Automated tests	CI on every commit	Core financial calculations

Independence

TorchFI does not accept payment from financial institutions for featuring their products. Our recommended funds and ETFs are selected based on publicly available data (expense ratios, liquidity, tracking error), not sponsorship. This policy is part of our commitment to editorial independence.