Our principles
- Accuracy first. Facts come from primary sources, and every number can be reproduced.
- Plain language. We define terms the first time we use them and avoid jargon.
- Independence. Business partners do not write, review, or approve our educational content.
- Transparency. We say how we make money and date every page.
Where our information comes from
We rely on primary sources wherever possible:
- Federal regulators: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and Federal Reserve
- Laws and regulations, including the Truth in Lending Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act
- Credit-scoring companies, such as FICO, for score ranges and factor weights
- The U.S. Small Business Administration for business lending programs
We do not treat forums, press releases or lender marketing as sources of fact.
How we calculate numbers
Payment estimates use the standard amortization formula for fixed-rate installment loans:
Payment = P × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−n)
APR examples that include fees are solved for the rate that equates the amount actually received with the stream of payments, which is how APR is defined for disclosure purposes. Figures are rounded to the cent. Illustrative rate tiers are labeled as illustrative.
Review and updates
Each page is reviewed at least [every 6 months] and whenever a relevant law, regulation or scoring model changes. The date at the top of a page shows its most recent review.
Independence from partners
Lendli may be compensated when people submit our loan request form. Partners have no say in our explanations, calculators or rate examples, and we do not rank or recommend a lender because it pays us. See our advertiser disclosure.
Corrections
If you find an error, email [[email protected]]. We review every report, correct confirmed errors promptly and update the page date.