Up From Zero HQ is written under the editorial pen name Nolan Briggs. The site is owned and operated by BuiltFromNothing LLC. All content decisions, editorial standards, and factual review processes described on this page are the responsibility of Nolan Briggs, founder and editor of Up From Zero HQ.
Up From Zero HQ is committed to producing personal finance content that is accurate, honest, and genuinely useful for people who are starting from behind. This page explains exactly how we operate.
Our Editorial Mission
Every article on this site is written to answer one question: what does someone with no financial background actually need to know to make a smart decision?
We don’t write for people who already have $200,000 in a brokerage account. We write for people who are carrying credit card debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or just trying to figure out what a Roth IRA even is. Plain language is not a stylistic choice here — it’s the whole point.
How We Research and Fact-Check
Before any article is published, we do the following:
- Primary source verification. Any statistic, rate, or regulatory detail is checked against the original source — the IRS, CFPB, HUD, SEC, or the relevant government agency. We don’t cite articles that cite articles.
- Calculator cross-checks. Any math in our articles (interest calculations, amortization schedules, debt payoff timelines) is verified against at least one independent calculator before publishing.
- Rate and limit updates. Contribution limits, income thresholds, and tax brackets change annually. We review articles in these categories at least once per year and update them when numbers change.
- Product accuracy. For articles discussing financial products (savings accounts, index funds, brokerages), we check current terms directly on the provider’s site before publishing. Rates change — we note when data was last verified.
Who Writes This Content
Nolan Briggs is the editorial pen name of the founder of Up From Zero HQ.
Content on Up From Zero is written and maintained by Nolan Briggs, the site’s founder. Nolan is not a licensed financial advisor. He’s someone who spent years working hourly jobs while carrying tens of thousands in high-interest debt — no finance degree, no safety net, and no roadmap. Over two years of intensive self-education and real-money trial and error, he paid off the debt, built an emergency fund, and rebuilt his finances from scratch. He started Up From Zero to give other working people the plain-English financial education he had to piece together himself.
Because personal finance is a YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topic with real-world consequences, Up From Zero maintains strict sourcing standards and editorial policies, discloses all affiliate relationships, and consistently recommends that readers consult licensed professionals for decisions specific to their situation. Every article includes a fact-check date and is reviewed against primary government sources before publishing.
Because this is personal finance content with real-world consequences, we are transparent about what we are and aren’t: a personal finance education site, not a professional advisory service. For decisions that materially affect your financial life, we consistently recommend consulting a licensed professional who can evaluate your specific situation.
Our Update Policy
- Annual review: Every article on contribution limits, tax rules, or regulatory thresholds is reviewed and updated at the start of each calendar year.
- Rate-sensitive articles: Articles discussing savings rates, mortgage rates, or loan rates include a verified-as-of note and are updated whenever rates shift significantly.
- Reader corrections: If you spot an error or outdated information, email us at hello@upfromzerohq.com. We update promptly.
- “Last updated” dates: Articles show the date they were last substantially reviewed, not just the original publish date.
Our Sourcing Standards
We rely on primary and authoritative sources wherever possible: IRS.gov, CFPB, HUD, SEC.gov, SSA.gov, FTC.gov, FDIC, NCUA, and FINRA. Rates and product terms are sourced directly from provider websites. We do not cite content farms or articles that don’t themselves cite primary sources. If we can’t find a credible primary source for a claim, we don’t make the claim.
Affiliate Relationships and Revenue
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you open an account or purchase a product through one of these links, Up From Zero HQ may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
- We only mention products we’d recommend anyway. Affiliate relationships don’t determine what gets covered.
- We don’t rank products based on commission rates. If a lower-paying option is better for the reader, that’s what we recommend.
- Affiliate links are disclosed. When a link is an affiliate link, the relationship is noted on the page.
- We don’t accept paid placements or sponsored content. Every recommendation is editorially independent.
For a full breakdown of how this site earns revenue, see our How We Make Money page.
Corrections and Feedback
If you find an error — a wrong number, an outdated rate, a broken link, or anything that seems off — please let us know at hello@upfromzerohq.com. We’ll look into it and update the article promptly if a correction is warranted.
Last updated: May 2026
Questions? hello@upfromzerohq.com
Public Correction Log
When we discover a factual error or outdated figure on this site, we fix it and record it here. This log is updated whenever a material correction is made to any published article.
| Date | Article | What Changed |
|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2026 | Roth IRA vs. 401k — Plain English Breakdown | Corrected monthly contribution figure from $583 to $625 (based on $7,500/year IRA limit). Added note that savers 50+ can contribute up to $717/month under the $8,600 catch-up limit. |
| June 11, 2026 | Dividends for Beginners | Updated IRA contribution limit reference from $7,000/year (2024) to $7,500/year (2026). |
If you spot an error or outdated information on any page of this site, email hello@upfromzerohq.com. We aim to respond within 2 business days and update publicly.