Editorial policy

Our readers come first

We write for adults aged 55 and older who want a straight answer: what is the date, what is the amount, and what do I need to do. Articles are written in plain English at a large, readable type size. We avoid jargon and we define any term we cannot avoid.

Primary sources only

Every date and dollar figure must come from an official government document: an SSA publication or press release, a CMS fact sheet, an IRS revenue procedure or news release, a USDA memo, or the Federal Register. We link that document in the Sources section of each article. We do not cite other news sites as the source of a figure.

Dates on everything

Each article shows a published date and, when changed, an updated date. Data tables show the date we last checked the figures against the source. If a figure has not yet been announced (for example, next year's COLA), we say so and explain when it is expected.

No clickbait

Headlines describe what the article contains. We do not use words like "shocking", "secret" or "you won't believe", and we do not promise payments, bonuses or checks that do not exist.

Independence

Benefit Calendar is independent and is not affiliated with any government agency, insurer or financial company. We do not accept payment for coverage. If we ever run advertising or affiliate links, they will be labelled clearly and will not influence what we write.

Updates and corrections

Government figures change every year. We review each data page when the responsible agency publishes new numbers, and we record every substantive change on the corrections page. See also our fact-check policy.

Use of software tools

We use software, including AI writing assistants, to help draft and check articles. Every article is reviewed by a named human editor before publication, and every figure is verified against the source by a person. The named author is responsible for the article's accuracy.