Sources
Every real number and every step on the main page comes from one of these sources. We list the date we checked each one.
We name funds and companies only to show where real numbers come from. This is not a recommendation. We link only to official government pages. Other sources are listed as plain text.
Investor.gov (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission): "Introduction to Investing"
https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing
Checked October 23, 2026
Used for: Where do I start? (emergency fund, high-interest debt, employer match, IRAs, index funds) and the quiz note about short-term goals
Investor.gov (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission): "Investor Bulletin: Index Funds"
Checked October 23, 2026
Used for: Where do I start? (what an index fund is, its costs and risks)
IRS.gov: "Roth IRAs"
https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras
Checked October 23, 2026 (page last reviewed or updated August 9, 2026)
Used for: Where do I start? (how a Roth IRA works)
IRS.gov: "Retirement topics – IRA contribution limits"
Checked October 23, 2026
Used for: The 2026 IRA limits: $7,500, or $8,600 at 50 or older
Yahoo Finance chart data for the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
https://query1.finance.yahoo.com/v8/finance/chart/SPY
Retrieved October 23, 2026; used up to September 30, 2026
Used for: Try your own start, the drops, low, middle and high, and the quiz fact
Yahoo Finance chart data for The Coca-Cola Company (KO)
https://query1.finance.yahoo.com/v8/finance/chart/KO
Retrieved October 23, 2026
Used for: The 2025 dividend payments
The Coca-Cola Company dividend news releases of February 20, May 1, July 17 and October 16, 2025
https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/news-events/press-releases
Retrieved October 23, 2026
Used for: A check of the 2025 dividend amounts and dates