Editorial standards
Editorial Policy & Content Standards
This page explains how SalaryPilot researches, writes, reviews, and maintains every calculator and guide on the site. Our goal is financial education you can verify, not opinion dressed up as fact.
Last updated: August 30, 2026
Our editorial principles
Six principles govern everything we publish. They exist so you can trust a number without having to take our word for it.
Documented methodology
Every calculator states the formula and assumptions it uses, in plain language, on the same page as the result. No figure is produced by a hidden black box.
Transparent methods, no invented experts
We do not attribute our content to invented individuals or claim professional review by compensation analysts, payroll specialists, or economics reviewers. Instead, our calculators use publicly documented arithmetic and our articles cite primary sources, so you can verify any figure yourself.
Regular review cycle
We re-review published content whenever the underlying data, tax rules, or market benchmarks materially change, and updates carry a revised date so you can see how current a page is.
Sourced claims
Any external statistic, such as an average raise percentage or an inflation rate, is attributed to a named source and tied to a specific time period so you can verify it.
No sponsored content disguised as guidance
Editorial content is never paid for or influenced by an advertiser. Advertising, where present, is clearly labeled and kept separate from articles and tools.
Corrections policy
When we get something wrong, we fix it promptly and note the correction on the page. Readers can report errors through our contact page and we investigate every report.
How a calculator is built
Each calculator starts from a publicly documented formula. The logic and the on-page explanation are drafted together, then each formula is manually verified by re-computing every worked example by hand and confirming the result matches the calculator output, including edge cases such as hourly pay at non-standard hours or biweekly versus semi-monthly pay. The calculator ships only after the formula, the assumptions, and the plain-language explanation all agree, and every formula and assumption appears on the calculator page itself.
The standard assumptions we use across the site are 2,080 paid hours per year (40 hours times 52 weeks), 26 biweekly pay periods, 24 semi-monthly pay periods, and 12 monthly periods. Whenever a calculation depends on an assumption, that assumption is stated on the page so you can adjust it for your own situation.
How a guide is researched
Guides begin with a question real employees ask, such as how much a 5% raise is worth or whether a raise beats inflation. The relevant formulas are assembled and, where market data is cited, figures are pulled from primary sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the IRS. Every external figure is tied to a named source and a specific time period so you can verify it.
When an article makes a claim about changing legal, tax, inflation, or employment matters, it cites a primary source rather than restating secondhand figures. A draft is then checked for accuracy, clarity, and completeness before publication, and the page carries a genuine review date so you can see how current it is.
Who is responsible for publishing and corrections
All content is published and corrected by the SalaryPilot Editorial Team. The same team reviews every error report readers send, confirms whether a problem exists, and publishes the correction with a note on the affected page describing what changed and when. No external party reviews or approves our content before publication, and our content is not reviewed by a CPA, attorney, payroll professional, or compensation specialist unless we explicitly state so on a page — which we currently do not.
Educational content, not professional advice
Everything on this site is educational. It is not financial, tax, employment, or legal advice, and it is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified professional who knows your situation. Our calculators use publicly documented arithmetic and our articles cite primary sources, but your real-world numbers may depend on rules and details we cannot see.
Review and update cycle
Published content is re-reviewed when the underlying rules change, such as a shift in the Social Security wage cap or a meaningful move in inflation. When we update an article, we revise the date so you can see how current it is. We do not silently rewrite older content.
Corrections
If we publish an error, we correct it as soon as we confirm it and add a short note at the bottom of the affected page describing what changed and when. If you spot a mistake, please tell us and we will investigate.
Advertising and monetization
This site may display advertising from third-party networks such as Google AdSense. Advertising is always clearly labeled, never blended into articles or calculator results, and never influences the calculations or guidance we publish. We do not accept paid placements inside our editorial content. Read our full advertising and affiliate disclosure and our privacy policy.
Read about our editorial process and contributors, or learn why we built this site.