Why some of our pages show a notice at the top
Quick summary
Some money questions have no official answer. When that happens, we say so at the top of the page, show what we found and tell you how sure we are. We never guess a number. See how we check the numbers we do state on How we check numbers.
Checked November 10, 2026. Main source: Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content (updated October 5, 2026, read November 10, 2026). See all 1 source.
Why we answer questions that have no official answer
People ask about money in every way you can think of. Some of those questions have a clear answer on a government page. Many do not. For example, phone companies do not publish the credit score you need for a plan.
Some questions can also feel awkward to ask out loud. You may feel embarrassed about a low score, an unpaid bill or a denial. That is normal, and you are not the only one asking. We would rather give you a straight, honest answer than leave you to guess or to read a forum thread.
So we answer the specific question people really have. When we can find proof, we show it. When we cannot, we say that plainly, and we give you the most useful facts we can find, with each source named and dated.
The three labels you may see
| Label | What it means | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed by official sources | A government or the company itself states it on a page we read. | We name the page and the date we read it. |
| Partly confirmed | Some of the answer is official. Some of it comes from other named sources or reports from customers. | We show which part is which. |
| No official answer exists | The people who set the rule do not publish it. | We say so, show what is known, and tell you how we reached our view. |
How we reach an answer when we cannot prove it
We look for evidence in this order, and we always say which kind we are using:
- Government and regulator pages.
- The company's own published terms and help pages.
- Named, dated articles from other publishers. We say what they claim and whether they show a source.
- Reports from customers. We label these as reports, never as fact, and we do not use their numbers.
If we cannot find a number, we write that it is not stated. We do not fill the gap with a guess. If a figure is old, we say how old it is.
What these pages will not do
- Tell you that you will or will not be approved.
- Promise a result.
- Change an answer because of a link or a partner. See how we handle that on How we make money.
Know something we do not?
If you can point us to an official page that answers one of these questions, send it to us. We will check it, change the page and say when we did.
Questions people ask
Does a notice mean the page is wrong?
No. It means we could not prove every part of the answer, and we want you to know which parts are proven.
Why not skip questions that have no clear answer?
People still ask them. A page that says what is known, what is not and how we reached our view is more useful than silence or a made-up number.
Will my score decide if I get approved?
A score is one thing a company may look at. Companies choose their own rules, and most do not publish them. We cannot tell you the result of your own application.
Do partners change what a notice says?
No. A notice describes how sure we are. See How we make money for how partner links work.
How do I check my own credit before I apply?
You can get a free report from Equifax and TransUnion. Our free credit report guide shows each step.