Pocket Plain is a personal-finance site by Thiago Costa. These are our editorial commitments: explain money clearly, show the evidence behind factual claims, and correct mistakes. Thiago is responsible for applying these standards and for the decision to publish.
Start with a reader's question
An article should answer a concrete question about money. It should say who the information is for, identify the country it covers, and explain its limitations. We aim to give readers enough context to understand a choice, including relevant costs, risks, and alternatives.
The English edition focuses on the United States. The Brazilian Portuguese edition needs research suited to Brazil. Translating a sentence does not establish that the same product, tax treatment, or rule applies in another country.
Research and sources
Our standard is to begin with primary sources where they are available: official public information, a provider's published terms and fee schedules, original research, and the documents governing a product. Other reporting can add context, but it should not replace a source that directly supports an important claim.
Articles should link to the sources behind material facts. Rates, prices, eligibility requirements, and other details that can change should be checked close to publication and given a relevant check date. When reliable evidence is incomplete, the text should say what remains uncertain.
Human review before publication
Every article must receive a human review before it is published. Thiago is accountable for ensuring that review checks:
- The important factual claims against their sources.
- Calculations, units, currencies, and the assumptions behind examples.
- Whether the information applies to the stated country and reader.
- Whether the wording distinguishes fact, opinion, and firsthand experience.
- Whether limitations and relevant commercial relationships are disclosed.
Software, including AI tools, may assist research or drafting. It does not replace source verification or transfer responsibility for the published text. Quotations, facts, and calculations still need human checks.
Updates and corrections
Content should be reviewed when a material change or a credible error report comes to our attention. A displayed update date should reflect a substantive review or change. It should not create the impression that an article was rechecked when it was not.
To report an error, email contact@pocketplain.com with the page link, the statement in question, and any supporting source. Thiago is responsible for assessing the report. Confirmed errors should be corrected; changes affecting a conclusion, calculation, or important factual claim should carry a correction note explaining what changed. Minor spelling and formatting fixes do not need a separate note. See corrections.
Editorial independence and commercial disclosures
Pocket Plain may earn money through ads, affiliate links, or sponsorships. Our policy is to identify a relevant commercial relationship where readers can see it before relying on the recommendation or following the link.
Editorial conclusions must be based on the evidence and the reader's needs. Advertisers and affiliate partners must not buy a favorable verdict or suppress relevant drawbacks. Sponsored material must be clearly labeled. If a product is compared with others, the article should explain the criteria and any meaningful limits to the comparison.
See the affiliate disclosure and editorial policy for the site's applicable policies.
Educational information
Articles and examples are general educational information, not personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. They do not guarantee outcomes. Check current terms with the relevant provider or authority, and seek qualified advice when your circumstances require it. Read the financial disclaimer.
Learn more about Pocket Plain or use the contact page.
AI disclosure and scheduling
The publication disclosure for content that has completed this process is: “Produced with AI assistance and reviewed by the editor.” This wording must not be used as proof that an unreviewed sample or draft has already been approved.
Approved work may be scheduled. Scheduling distributes approved material; it does not replace the review. A sample briefing is not today's reporting, and a placeholder rate is not a quote.
After publication, we evaluate reported errors and meaningful changes. We add a dated correction for a material mistake and may withdraw an article while checking it. General education may still be unsuitable for a reader's circumstances; professional advice can be needed.
For a factual concern, send the article link and the relevant source to contact@pocketplain.com.