Our editorial standards
Life insurance decisions affect families for years. Here is how Your Insurance Consultants researches, checks and maintains the guides we publish.
How guides are researched
We build our guides on primary sources — the agencies and organizations that write the rules or collect the data — rather than on other websites' summaries. Sources we rely on include:
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
- National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
Where a state rule or an insurance company's own terms matter, we say so rather than generalize.
Cited inline, dated and updated
- Inline citations. Figures, rules and eligibility details link to the source they came from, right where the claim appears.
- Figures carry a year. Costs, limits and benefit amounts change, so we note the year a figure applies to.
- Dated pages. Each guide shows the date it was last updated. We revisit guides when the underlying rules or figures change.
Professional review
When a licensed insurance professional reviews a guide, their name appears on it as a reviewer, linked to their profile. A guide without a reviewer byline has not been through that review, and we don't imply otherwise.
How we use research tools and AI
We use research tools, including AI, to help gather sources and draft copy. Nothing is published on the tool's word: every factual claim is checked against the sources cited on the page, and anything we can't verify is cut.
Corrections
If you spot an error, we want to hear about it. Email support@planconnections.com with the page address and what you believe is wrong. We review every report, fix confirmed errors promptly and update the page's date when we make a substantive change.
Editorial independence
We may be compensated by the licensed agents and agencies we connect readers with — see how we make money. That compensation never determines what we write, which options we explain, or what we tell you about their drawbacks.
Not financial, legal or tax advice
Our guides are general information to help you understand your options. They are not financial, legal or tax advice. For decisions about your own situation, talk with a licensed insurance agent, a tax professional or an attorney as appropriate.