Calculator Methodology: How We Source and Verify Numbers
Where the numbers come from
Every figure in our calculators is traced to a specific official document: USDA Food and Nutrition Service memos for SNAP, IRS publications and revenue procedures for tax parameters, and HHS poverty guidelines for FPL-based programs. We never source numbers from news articles, other calculators, or AI-generated summaries — only primary agency documents.
How numbers are verified
Each data file in our calculators carries two fields: the URL of the official source document and the date a human editor last checked every value against it. That verification date is shown on each tool page ("verified 2026-10-14") and in the changelog. When an agency publishes new figures, we update the data file, re-verify, and record the change.
How the math is tested
Every calculator has automated tests that pin its output to hand-worked examples — for instance, that a one-person household with $1,200 earned income and $900 shelter costs yields a specific SNAP benefit under the FY2027 tables. The test suite runs before every release; if a formula change breaks a known-correct example, the release does not ship. Each result also shows a "How this was calculated" breakdown so you can audit every step yourself.
Privacy by design
All calculations run entirely in your browser. Income figures, household details, and results are never transmitted to our servers, logged, or stored. There is no account, and closing the page erases everything.
What our tools can't do
Calculators model the federal formulas. They cannot capture every state option (standard utility allowances, broad-based categorical eligibility, state-funded supplements), asset tests, or case-specific rulings. Results are estimates for planning and screening; the administering agency alone decides actual eligibility and amounts. When you are close to a limit, we say so — and we always link to where you can apply.
Corrections
Found a figure that disagrees with an official source? Tell us through the feedback form. Verified corrections are shipped promptly and recorded in the changelog. See also our editorial policy.