On the record—Every fact sourced to a primary record·The standard—Advisors never pay for placement·Independent—A publication of AdvisorWorld.com Inc·Verification—Credentials checked with the issuing body·Sourcing—The IRS, state departments of revenue, and the courts·Corrections—When we're wrong, we fix the record and say so·On the record—Every fact sourced to a primary record·The standard—Advisors never pay for placement·Independent—A publication of AdvisorWorld.com Inc·Verification—Credentials checked with the issuing body·Sourcing—The IRS, state departments of revenue, and the courts·Corrections—When we're wrong, we fix the record and say so·
Est. MMXXVI · Advertiser-freeAdvisors never pay for placement
T
The Trusted Advisor
Retirement & estate planning, on the record❦Every fact sourced · Every advisor verified
Editorial standards

Editorial Standards

The rules we hold ourselves to, written down so you can hold us to them.

In short: primary sources only, every figure cited and dated, guidance kept free of lead-generation, and mistakes corrected in the open. If we cannot source a claim, we do not publish it.

Sourcing policy

We cite primary sources, not paraphrase. For tax and legal facts that means the original authority: the Internal Revenue Service, a state department of revenue or taxation, a statute or regulation as enacted, or a court’s own opinion. Where a secondary source is genuinely useful — a well-run explainer or a dataset — we say so and still link the underlying primary record.

We do not publish a number we cannot attribute. When a figure depends on a filing year, an inflation adjustment, or a specific statute, the page names it.

Verification & dating

Sourced tables and data pages carry a “last verified” date. A dated stamp is a promise about a specific moment: it tells you when a human last checked the figure against its source, not merely when the page was published. Estate and inheritance tax rules change by legislative session, so we re-verify on that cadence and whenever a change is reported.

Advisor verification

Advisors in our directory are listed on merit. Credentials are checked with the body that issues them, and public disciplinary and registration records are reviewed. No advisor pays to appear, to rank, or to be recommended — there is nothing to buy. A listing is an editorial decision, and we can remove one.

Independence & the wall between guidance and directory

Our guides carry no lead-generation: no “get matched” forms, no advisor advertisements, no affiliate placements inside the editorial material. The directory is a separate surface. We keep the two apart on purpose, so that what we teach is never shaped by who is paying — because no one is.

Review policy

Guidance that touches law or tax is reviewed by a qualified professional before it carries a reviewer’s name, and the byline says who reviewed it and when. Until a piece has been through that review, it is not presented as reviewed. We would rather publish less and stand behind all of it.

Update cadence

Evergreen guidance is reviewed at least annually and whenever the underlying law changes. Data pages are re-verified each legislative session. When we materially change a page’s substance, the change is dated on the page.

Corrections policy

When we get something wrong, we fix it and say so. Material corrections are noted on the page itself, with the date and what changed — we do not quietly edit the record. Minor fixes (typos, broken links) are made without a note. If you think something here is inaccurate, tell us through the press room and we will check it against the source.

A note on scope

The Trusted Advisor publishes education, not advice. Nothing here is legal, tax, or investment advice, and we are not a law firm, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser. For your own situation, consult a licensed professional. See our about page for who publishes this and how it is funded.