Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure
Last updated 2026-10-24.
The short version: Keys & Cents is free to use. We may earn money when you buy our own products, click certain links, or see sponsored content. That never changes our math, and we always tell you.
How we make money
- Our own products, like the True Cost Home-Buying Planner.
- Affiliate links. Some links to products or services (for example budgeting apps, savings accounts or moving services) are affiliate links. If you click one and sign up or buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We label these links (for example “affiliate link” or “we may earn a commission”) next to the link itself, not just on this page.
- Sponsorships and advertising. Newsletter, video and site sponsors are clearly labeled “Sponsored” or “Ad.” We may also show display ads from ad networks.
Our FTC disclosure commitment
In line with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255), we disclose any material connection (payment, commission, free product or other benefit) between Keys & Cents and a company we mention. Disclosures are placed clearly and close to the recommendation, in plain words, across the site, newsletter, social posts and videos.
Our editorial rules
- Partners and sponsors never change our calculators, data or methodology, and they don’t review our content before it’s published unless it’s labeled as sponsored.
- We only feature products we’d be comfortable recommending to a friend, and an affiliate relationship doesn’t guarantee a positive mention.
- We do not accept payment for referring you to a specific mortgage lender, title company, real estate agent or other settlement service provider.
- For crypto topics, we don’t accept payment to promote any coin, token or project.
Not advice
Keys & Cents provides general educational information and estimates, not financial, investment, tax, legal or real estate advice, and using the site creates no fiduciary, advisor, broker, lender or agent relationship. Figures are estimates based on public data and stated assumptions (see our methodology); your actual costs will vary, and we don’t guarantee accuracy or results. Any crypto content is education only, not investment advice; crypto is volatile and can lose value. Any business or money-making content carries no earnings claims or guarantees. See our Terms of Use for the full details.
AI-assisted content and Sterling
Some content, images, video and voice are made with the help of AI tools and reviewed before publishing. Sterling the owl is a fictional mascot, not a real person or licensed professional.
Questions about a partnership or a disclosure? Email [email protected].