Source the agency that can approve the action

Primary-source priority

For credential questions we prioritize state departments of education, licensing commissions and NASDTEC. For pensions we prioritize the applicable public retirement system. For federal Social Security issues we prioritize SSA; for 403(b) and 457(b) tax rules we use IRS material.

No unsupported state numbers

If a state-specific number for CE, vesting, a multiplier or retirement age is not supported by the source used for the guide, we do not insert a number just to make the article look precise. We tell the reader where the requirement varies and what to verify.

Current-law flagging

Fast-changing issues receive a dated update note. WEP and GPO coverage reflects the Social Security Fairness Act signed January 5, 2025 and SSA implementation guidance for benefits payable from January 2024 onward.

Corrections

If an official source changes or an article is ambiguous, the guide should be updated rather than defended. Each guide displays its update date and source list.