Methodology & Editorial Standards

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1. Our editorial principle

RealEstateCalc exists to help Australians make better-informed property and finance decisions. Every calculator and article on this site is built on the assumption that you would rather have accurate, transparent information than persuasive marketing copy. Where we are uncertain about a number or a rule, we say so. Where the rules differ by state, we note it.

2. Primary sources we rely on

Our calculator formulas, rates, and thresholds are sourced from official primary sources, not third-party summaries. The most frequently used sources are:

  • Australian Taxation Office (ATO) — for income tax brackets, capital gains tax, depreciation rules, FHSS, and superannuation thresholds.
  • Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) — for cash rate decisions, lender rate data, and household finance statistics.
  • ASIC Moneysmart — for general consumer guidance, calculator benchmarks, and licensing rules for credit and financial services providers.
  • State and territory revenue offices — Revenue NSW, State Revenue Office Victoria, Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueSA, Western Australia Department of Finance, State Revenue Office Tasmania, NT Department of Treasury and Finance, and ACT Revenue Office — for stamp duty rates, land tax thresholds, first-home concessions, and foreign-buyer surcharges.
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) — for housing finance, residential property prices, lending indicators, and population data.
  • Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) — for serviceability buffers, lender capital rules, and authorised deposit-taking institution data.
  • Lender product disclosure statements, target market determinations, and published rate cards — for comparing specific products.

Where a calculator references rates or thresholds set by one of these bodies, we link to the source on the calculator page itself.

3. How we build calculators

Each calculator on this site goes through the same workflow:

  1. Source the formula or schedule from a primary source. For tax and duty calculators this is typically a published rate table from the ATO or a state revenue office. For finance calculators (mortgage repayments, borrowing power, LMI) we use the standard formulas published in lender or regulator guidance.
  2. Implement the formula in TypeScript with unit tests. Each calculator is tested against worked examples published by the issuing authority — for example, a stamp duty calculator is tested against the worked examples in the relevant state revenue office's online calculator.
  3. Cross-check the output against an independent reference. Where an official online calculator exists (e.g. Revenue NSW Stamp Duty Calculator, ASIC Moneysmart Mortgage Calculator), we spot-check our outputs against it for representative inputs.
  4. Document inputs and assumptions on the page. Calculators state their input ranges, key assumptions (e.g. principal-and-interest vs interest-only), and any rounding or smoothing applied.

4. How we update rates and thresholds

Australian tax brackets, stamp duty thresholds, land tax rates, FHSS caps, RBA cash rate, and APRA serviceability buffers all change at predictable times — usually after a Federal Budget, a state Budget, an RBA Board meeting, or an APRA prudential update. We monitor those events and refresh the affected calculators and articles within a reasonable time, typically within a few business days of the change taking effect.

Where a page references a specific rate or threshold, we include the date the figure applied as at, so that readers can see how recent the data is.

5. How we write articles

Articles on this site follow a few simple rules:

  • Cite the primary source. If we say "the FHSS lifetime cap is $50,000," we link to the ATO page or guidance that says so. We try not to rely on third-party summaries.
  • Date the data. Where an article uses figures that change — clearance rates, median prices, advertised home loan rates — we state the period the data covers.
  • Distinguish opinion from fact. Where we suggest what a reader might want to consider, we frame it as a consideration rather than as financial advice.
  • Avoid superlatives without evidence. We try not to use "best", "cheapest", or "lowest" unless we can show the data and methodology behind that claim.

6. Corrections policy

If we publish an error of fact, we correct it as soon as it is brought to our attention. Where the correction is material — for example, a calculator output that was wrong, or a rate that was misstated — we add a brief note to the page explaining what changed. If you spot an error, please tell us via the contact page.

7. Use of artificial intelligence

We use AI tools to support drafting, research, and code generation, but every article and calculator is reviewed and edited before publication. We do not publish unedited AI output, and we do not present AI-generated material as primary research.

8. What we do not do

To be clear about our scope:

  • We do not give personal financial advice. We are not licensed to do so. See our Disclaimer for the full statement.
  • We do not arrange or recommend specific credit or insurance products on a personalised basis.
  • We do not accept payment in exchange for favourable coverage. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

9. Feedback

If you have feedback on a calculator, an article, our sources, or this methodology, we want to hear it. Use the contact page to get in touch.

Methodology & Editorial Standards - RealEstateCalc