Editorial Policy

This editorial policy governs all content published on calfreshcalculator.com, including calculator logic, articles, FAQ answers, and eligibility guides. It is publicly available so that readers can hold us accountable to the standards we set for ourselves.

1. Who Writes Our Content

All content on this site is written by Wasim Akram, the founder and lead researcher. We do not accept guest posts. We do not use freelance writers. We do not publish content from content mills or AI generation pipelines. Every article is the product of direct research against primary government sources, written by a named individual who stands behind every claim.

AI tools (grammar checkers, readability assistants) may be used to polish language after the human-written draft is complete. AI is never used to generate facts, figures, eligibility rules, income limits, deduction amounts, or calculator logic. The distinction matters: when accuracy affects real people's access to food assistance, human verification is not optional.

2. Sourcing and Citations

Every figure published on this site — income limits, deduction amounts, shelter caps, allotment tables, FPL thresholds — is sourced from one of the following primary government publications:

• USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) — SNAP eligibility standards, income limits, and allotment tables
• Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 273) — Legal definitions of income, deductions, and eligibility criteria
• Federal Register — Official rule changes, updated income standards, and policy notices
• State agency publications — State-specific BBCE status, utility allowances, and local policy variations

We do not cite or rely on other third-party websites, news articles, or advocacy group publications for eligibility data. If a figure cannot be traced to a primary government source, it does not appear on this site.

3. Review Process

Every piece of content goes through a three-step process before publication:

1. Research & Draft — The topic is researched directly against primary sources. The draft is written by Wasim Akram.
2. Accuracy Review — Every number is cross-checked against the latest official publication. Calculator logic is verified against official state pre-screening tools (e.g., BenefitsCal for California). If anything does not match, it is corrected before publication.
3. Publish & Maintain — Content goes live with a byline, date, and source citations. Every page is re-reviewed at least quarterly.

4. Update and Recency Policy

SNAP income limits and deduction amounts are updated annually by USDA, typically effective October 1. When USDA publishes new figures in the Federal Register, we update our calculator within 30 days. We do not wait for the new fiscal year to begin if USDA publishes figures early. Every page on this site shows its last-reviewed date, so readers can verify that the information is current.

5. Corrections Policy

If we discover an error in any content — a wrong income limit, an incorrect deduction formula, a factual mistake in an article — we correct it immediately and add a dated correction notice at the bottom of the affected page. The correction notice includes the date, what was wrong, and what was changed. We never silently edit errors and pretend they did not happen.

If you believe you have found an error, please report it via our contact page. We commit to investigating all error reports within 5 business days and responding with our findings.

6. Editorial Independence

Our content and calculator logic are not influenced by any advertiser, sponsor, partner, or government entity. We do not accept sponsored content. We do not publish paid reviews. We do not have affiliate relationships with any benefits enrollment services, legal firms, or government contractors. Our only revenue source is non-intrusive display advertising (Google AdSense), and ad placement never influences our content, calculator results, or editorial decisions.

7. AI and Automation Disclosure

We are transparent about our use of AI tools. Here is exactly what AI does and does not do on this site:

• AI is used for: Grammar checking, readability improvement, spell-checking, and suggesting alternative phrasing after the human draft is complete.
• AI is NEVER used for: Generating facts, figures, income limits, deduction amounts, eligibility rules, calculator formulas, legal interpretations, or any content that represents official SNAP policy.

If a reader cannot tell which parts of an article were polished by AI, that is intentional — the polishing is superficial and does not change the meaning, claims, or accuracy of the content. The substance is always human.

8. Reader Feedback and Disputes

We welcome reader feedback, corrections, and disputes. If you believe any content on this site is inaccurate, outdated, or misleading, please contact us through our contact page. We commit to:

• Acknowledging your message within 2 business days
• Investigating the issue within 5 business days
• Correcting any confirmed errors immediately with a dated correction notice
• Explaining our reasoning if we determine the content is accurate as published

9. Conflict of Interest

No one involved in producing content for this site has a financial relationship with any SNAP vendor, benefits enrollment service, government contractor, or legal firm specializing in benefits cases. No content on this site has been commissioned, influenced, or reviewed by any entity with a financial interest in the outcome. Our editorial decisions are made solely based on accuracy, completeness, and the informational needs of our readers.

10. Contact

You can reach the editorial team at calfreshcalculator@gmail.com. We respond to all substantive inquiries within 24-48 hours. For error reports, we commit to investigation within 5 business days as described in our corrections policy above.