First Real Salary
2026 figures 401(k) limit $24,500IRA limit $7,500HSA self / family $4,400 / $8,750Standard deduction (single) $16,10012% bracket from $12,400FDIC coverage $250,000
First Real Salary

Editorial Policy

First Real Salary exists to give young professionals accurate, useful and unbiased personal finance information. This policy explains how we choose topics, research and review articles, keep content current and stay independent from advertisers.

Our mission

We publish guides that help readers understand their money and take a clear next step. Every article should leave a reader better informed than any other page on the same topic — and never pressure them into a decision.

How we choose topics

Topics come from real reader questions, common financial milestones in your 20s and 30s, and search data showing what people are trying to learn. Advertisers never assign, approve or veto topics.

Research and sources

We rely first on primary and official sources, including:

  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration (SSA)
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
  • Federal Reserve, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Investor.gov and FINRA
  • The three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and FICO
  • Official product terms published by banks, card issuers and brokerages

Where we cite studies or surveys, we link to the original source. We do not copy content from other publications.

Our editorial process

  1. Research. The writer gathers information from the sources above.
  2. Drafting. Articles are written in plain English with worked examples, tables where useful and clear explanations of risks and trade-offs.
  3. Fact-checking. Every figure, limit, date and rule is checked against its primary source for the correct year. Investment examples are labeled hypothetical and state their assumptions.
  4. Editorial review. An editor reviews each article for accuracy, clarity, balance and compliance with this policy. The reviewer’s name appears on the article.
  5. Publication. Each article shows when it was last updated.
  6. Ongoing review. Articles are revisited on the schedule below.

Use of technology

We may use software tools, including AI-assisted tools, to help with research, outlining or editing. Every article is reviewed, fact-checked and approved by a person before publication, and that person is responsible for its accuracy.

Keeping content up to date

  • Annually (November–January): articles that depend on IRS figures such as contribution limits, tax brackets and deductions.
  • Every six months: our most-read guides.
  • Within 7 days: any article affected by a change in law or regulation.

The “Last updated” date on each article reflects the most recent substantive review.

Corrections

If we make a mistake, we fix it. Readers can report errors to firstsalary@gmail.com. We review every report and, when an error is confirmed, correct the article within 3 business days and add a short correction note at the end describing what changed.

Independence and advertising

We earn revenue from display advertising. Advertising is clearly separated from editorial content and labeled. Advertisers do not influence our coverage, conclusions or rankings, and we do not accept payment for favorable reviews. If we ever include affiliate links, we will disclose them clearly on the page and in our Advertising Disclosure.

What we won’t publish

  • Promises of guaranteed returns or “get rich quick” schemes
  • Advice that encourages risky or illegal behavior
  • Recommendations for high-cost products such as payday loans
  • Personalized investment, tax or legal advice

Questions

Questions about this policy can be sent to firstsalary@gmail.com.