Editorial Methodology
Retirement Eagle exists to give people clear, accurate, U.S.-focused retirement information they can actually act on. Money decisions are high-stakes, so we hold our guides to a standard closer to reference material than to opinion writing. This page explains how our content is researched, written, reviewed, and kept current — and which sources we trust.
Who writes and reviews our guides
Our guides are written and edited by Tim Miller, who researches each topic against primary sources before publishing. Every guide carries a byline and a publication date so you always know who stands behind it and when it was last confirmed accurate.
How we research
- Primary sources first. Contribution limits, Social Security rules, Medicare enrollment windows, RMD ages, and tax figures come directly from the government agencies that set them — never from second-hand summaries.
- Numbers are dated and sourced. Any dollar figure, age threshold, or percentage that changes year to year is tied to the year it applies to, so you can tell current rules from outdated ones.
- No sales pitch. We favor official agencies, regulators, non-profits, and low-cost providers over anyone trying to sell a product. Where we link to a commercial service, it is disclosed.
- Plain English. We translate the rules into language a non-specialist can follow, without dumbing down the details that matter.
How we keep guides current
Retirement rules change every year — contribution limits, Social Security's full retirement age, Medicare premiums, and IRMAA brackets among them. We review time-sensitive guides at least annually and after major legislative or IRS/SSA announcements, and we update the figures rather than leaving stale numbers in place.
Corrections
If you spot something that looks wrong or out of date, tell us and we will verify it against the primary source and correct it promptly. Accuracy matters more to us than being first. You can reach us through our contact page.
Sources we rely on
These are the authoritative sites we cite and check our figures against. When our guides state a rule or a number, it traces back to one of these:
- Social Security Administration — ssa.gov — benefits, full retirement age, claiming rules, COLA.
- Internal Revenue Service — irs.gov — 401(k)/IRA contribution limits, RMDs, tax treatment.
- U.S. Department of Labor — dol.gov — employer retirement plans and ERISA protections.
- Medicare — medicare.gov — enrollment windows, coverage, premiums.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — cms.gov — IRMAA brackets and program rules.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — bls.gov — occupation, wage, and cost-of-living data.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission / Investor.gov — investor.gov — investing basics and compound-growth math.
- FINRA — finra.org — checking advisors and understanding investment fees.
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation — pbgc.gov — pension insurance and defined-benefit plans.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — consumerfinance.gov — debt, budgeting, and consumer protections.
Retirement Eagle publishes educational information only. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice — always confirm details with the official source or a qualified professional before acting.