Editorial standards

In short

• Every figure should trace to a cited source, and we prefer primary sources.
• Guides are researched and drafted with help from software tools, including AI, then fact-checked separately against primary sources.
• Each guide shows the date it was last checked.
• Partners do not influence what we write, and there is no advertising on the site.
• If we get something wrong, email corrections@endoflifetools.com and we will fix it.

Where our facts come from

We work down this list, and use a lower tier only when a higher one does not cover the question.

1. Federal agencies and official sources. The Federal Trade Commission (including the Funeral Rule), the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the IRS and other .gov sites.
2. State law and state agencies. Statutes, court and probate office pages, and state vital records offices, because many of the rules that matter most differ by state.
3. Industry and research surveys. Published data such as the National Funeral Directors Association's cost surveys. We name the survey and its year.
4. Reputable publications. Only when no primary source exists, and never as the only support for a legal rule or a benefit amount.

We do not cite content farms or funeral-home marketing pages as evidence. Each guide lists its sources so you can check the details yourself.

How guides are made

Guides are researched and drafted with the help of software tools, including AI. We tell you this because you should know. AI is a drafting aid, not a source: nothing it produces is published on its own say-so.

Before a guide goes live, it goes through a separate fact-check. Numbers, dates, deadlines, eligibility rules and legal statements are checked against the primary sources above. Anything we cannot verify is removed or written in general terms, for example “fees vary by state; check with your county”.

We do not invent experts, case studies, quotes, reviews or credentials. The editor, Matt Morgan, is not a licensed funeral director, attorney or financial adviser, and guides never say otherwise. You can read his background on the author page.

Dates and updates

Each guide shows the date it was last checked. Benefit amounts, fees and rules change, so we state the year a figure comes from and link to the official page where you can see the current number. When we re-check a guide and change it, we update the date.

Extra care for money, legal and health topics

Guides on costs, benefits, insurance, wills, probate and taxes can affect your finances. Guides that touch on grief or health questions can affect how you cope. For these we:

• explain how things usually work, without telling you what you personally must do;
• say clearly when the answer depends on your state or your circumstances;
• point to a professional (an estate attorney, tax preparer, doctor or counselor) where the stakes are high, such as contested wills, tax questions or capacity concerns;
• mention the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988 in the US) where a topic calls for it.

The content on this site is general information. It is not legal, financial or medical advice, and reading it does not create a professional relationship.

Independence and how we earn money

There is no advertising on the site. We earn money from printable planning kits and from labeled partner links that may pay us a commission. Partners do not pay for coverage and do not influence our recommendations. A partner link is always marked “Partner”. Read the affiliate disclosure for the full explanation.

Corrections

We will get some things wrong. If you spot an error, an out-of-date figure or a broken source link, please email corrections@endoflifetools.com. Tell us the page, what you think is wrong and, if you can, the source that shows it. We fix confirmed errors promptly and update the checked date on the guide.

Questions about these standards

For anything else, see the contact page or read about us.