Editorial standards
How PayCalc decides what deserves a page
Primary sources, original implementation evidence, transparent automation, consolidation over duplication, and correction through tests.
People-first purpose
PayCalc creates content to help a visitor understand and verify the calculators, not to manufacture pages around search phrases. A topic earns a standalone page only when it adds a distinct explanation, dataset, reference, or decision framework. Closely overlapping material should be consolidated rather than expanded into multiple near-duplicate pages.
Primary-source preference
For payroll rules, PayCalc prefers the agency or publication that administers the rule. Federal sources include IRS publications; state sources are typically revenue/tax departments, workforce agencies, or official employer withholding guides. Mortgage consumer-protection explanations prefer CFPB material, and general investing education references Investor.gov when appropriate.
Who, how, and why
Content is published under PayCalc.org Editorial & Engineering because the current project does not claim individual professional credentials. Automation and AI may assist with drafting, research organization, code, and testing. Source-dependent facts are expected to be checked against the cited primary source or structured rule data before they are presented as calculator behavior.
Originality standard
Summarizing an official publication is not enough by itself. PayCalc aims to add value through implementation detail, reproducible scenarios, source comparison, edge-case explanations, model boundaries, or datasets generated from the calculator's own rule metadata. We avoid copied articles, lightly paraphrased competitor pages, and mass-produced pages that exist mainly to increase indexable page count.
Calculation testing
Calculation engines are covered by unit and integration tests. Browser tests enter known scenarios and assert displayed values. A daily production run checks the live site. Tests are evidence of consistency, not third-party certification; when a rule changes, implementation and expected result must be reviewed together.
Dates and updates
Published/updated dates reflect substantive work. PayCalc does not rotate dates simply to look current. Material changes are recorded in the Update History.
Corrections
If an explanation conflicts with an official source or verified rule, the official source and corrected implementation take priority. A numerical correction should normally be accompanied by a regression test so the same defect is less likely to return.
Advertising independence
Advertising does not determine formulas, source selection, or editorial conclusions. Google advertising code is intentionally limited to substantive calculator and guide pages rather than legal notices, thin transition pages, or the maintenance log. Ads must not be styled as calculator controls or results.