Data Sources

federalreserve.gov

The US central bank publishes H.15 Selected Interest Rates (mortgage, auto, and personal loan benchmarks) and G.19 Consumer Credit data (average credit card APRs). These are the primary benchmarks for all US lending and borrowing rates.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment, Car Loan, Personal Loan, Credit Card Payoff, Compound Interest

fdic.gov

The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor per institution. It also publishes National Rates and Rate Caps, which track average savings account, money market, and certificate of deposit (CD) rates across US banks — the benchmark for HYSA and CD comparisons.

Used in: HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, Compound Interest, Emergency Fund

consumerfinance.gov

The CFPB enforces consumer financial protection law and publishes research on credit card rates, minimum payment rules, and Truth in Lending Act disclosures. We reference CFPB research for how US issuers calculate minimum payments and for consumer debt guidance.

Used in: Credit Card Payoff, Debt Snowball, Debt Avalanche

irs.gov

The IRS publishes annual retirement contribution limits: 401(k) elective deferral limits ($23,000 in 2024, $23,500 in 2025), Traditional and Roth IRA limits ($7,000), and catch-up contribution rules for those aged 50 and over. These limits update annually and are used in our retirement calculator.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, 50/30/20 Rule

ssa.gov

The SSA defines full retirement age (currently 67 for those born after 1960), average monthly benefit figures, and Social Security taxation thresholds. These inform our retirement calculator default retirement age and expected income assumptions for US users.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, Cost of Waiting

bls.gov

The BLS publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure of US inflation. CPI data informs real-vs-nominal return discussions in our savings and retirement calculators, and emergency fund guidance that accounts for cost-of-living changes over time.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, Compound Interest, Emergency Fund

bankofengland.co.uk

The Bank of England sets the Base Rate and publishes the Bankstats dataset, which includes Effective Interest Rates (mortgage rates by LTV tier, personal loan rates, savings rates). Series A and Series B tables are the primary source for UK lending and deposit rate benchmarks used across our calculators.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment, Car Loan, Personal Loan, HYSA vs CD, Compound Interest, Savings Goal

fscs.org.uk

The FSCS is the UK deposit protection scheme, covering up to £85,000 per person per authorised institution (£170,000 for joint accounts). This limit is referenced in our savings and HYSA vs CD FAQs to help UK users understand how much of their savings is protected.

Used in: HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, Compound Interest, Emergency Fund

gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs

HMRC sets and administers UK tax rules including ISA annual allowances (£20,000 per tax year), Lifetime ISA rules (£4,000/year with 25% government bonus), pension annual allowance (£60,000), and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rates and thresholds for property purchases in England and Northern Ireland.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, HYSA vs CD, Stamp Duty, Savings Goal, 50/30/20 Rule

fca.org.uk

The FCA regulates UK consumer credit, including rules on how minimum payments must be displayed on credit card statements, mortgage conduct of business rules (MCOB), and consumer duty requirements. FCA research and published data inform UK credit card rate ranges and debt guidance.

Used in: Credit Card Payoff, Mortgage Repayment, Personal Loan, Debt Snowball, Debt Avalanche

ons.gov.uk

The ONS publishes UK CPI inflation, wage growth, and household income data. The new full State Pension rate (£11,502.40 per year as of 2024/25, rising to £11,973 in 2025/26) is published by the Department for Work and Pensions under the triple lock and referenced in our UK retirement FAQ.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, Compound Interest, Emergency Fund

gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax

UK SDLT rates, thresholds, and first-time buyer reliefs (zero rate up to £300,000 for first-time buyers purchasing under £500,000) are set by HM Treasury and administered by HMRC. The 3% surcharge on additional residential properties and the 2% non-resident surcharge are also sourced here.

Used in: Stamp Duty Calculator

rba.gov.au

The RBA sets the Cash Rate Target and publishes lending and deposit rate statistics (F4 Retail Deposit and Investment Rates, F5 Indicator Lending Rates). These are the primary benchmarks for Australian mortgage rates, personal loan rates, car loan rates, and high-interest savings account rates used across our calculators.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment, Car Loan, Personal Loan, HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, Compound Interest

moneysmart.gov.au

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission runs Moneysmart, the government financial guidance website. ASIC research and Moneysmart data inform Australian credit card rate ranges, mortgage comparisons, and consumer debt guidance including the comparison rate framework for car and personal loans.

Used in: Credit Card Payoff, Car Loan, Personal Loan, Debt Snowball, Debt Avalanche

ato.gov.au

The ATO administers superannuation rules including the Superannuation Guarantee rate (11.5% of ordinary time earnings in 2024-25, rising to 12% in 2025-26), concessional contribution cap ($30,000 per year), non-concessional cap ($110,000 per year), and First Home Super Saver (FHSS) scheme rules.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, Savings Goal, HYSA vs CD

apra.gov.au

APRA administers the Financial Claims Scheme (FCS), which protects deposits up to A$250,000 per depositor per authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI). APRA also publishes superannuation fund performance data used in retirement planning context.

Used in: HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, Retirement Calculator, Emergency Fund

sro.vic.gov.au

Land Transfer Duty (stamp duty) in Australia is administered at the state and territory level. We use Victoria as the reference state for our stamp duty calculator. LTT rates, first home buyer exemptions (up to A$600,000), and concession thresholds are sourced from the State Revenue Office Victoria.

Used in: Stamp Duty Calculator

bankofcanada.ca

The Bank of Canada sets the Overnight Rate and publishes V122530 (conventional 5-year fixed mortgage rates) and V122487 (prime business loan rate). These are the primary Canadian benchmarks for mortgage, car loan, and personal loan rate defaults. The Bank also publishes the prime rate, which underpins most variable-rate mortgages.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment, Car Loan, Personal Loan, Compound Interest, Savings Goal

cmhc-schl.gc.ca

CMHC provides mandatory mortgage default insurance for Canadian borrowers with less than 20% down payment. Insurance premiums (2.80% to 4.00% of the loan amount depending on LTV) are sourced from CMHC. The minimum down payment thresholds (5% under CA$500,000; sliding scale up to CA$999,999; 20% on CA$1M+) are set by federal regulation and administered by CMHC.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment, Stamp Duty Calculator

osfi-bsif.gc.ca

OSFI Guideline B-20 sets Residential Mortgage Underwriting Practices, including the mortgage stress test. All Canadian mortgage applicants must qualify at the higher of the Bank of Canada minimum qualifying rate (currently 5.25%) or the contract rate plus 2%. This is referenced in our Canadian mortgage FAQ.

Used in: Mortgage Repayment

cdic.ca

CDIC insures eligible deposits up to CA$100,000 per depositor per coverage category at member institutions. This protection limit is referenced in our Canadian savings FAQs to help users understand how much of their savings is covered at CDIC-member banks and trust companies.

Used in: HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, Emergency Fund, Compound Interest

canada.ca/en/revenue-agency.html

The CRA administers RRSP contribution limits (18% of prior-year earned income, up to $31,560 in 2024), TFSA annual contribution room ($7,000 in 2024), and the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) rules ($8,000 per year, $40,000 lifetime). These limits are used as defaults and reference points in our Canadian retirement and savings FAQs.

Used in: Retirement Calculator, HYSA vs CD, Savings Goal, 50/30/20 Rule

canada.ca/fcac

The FCAC regulates consumer financial products and publishes the standard 19.99% credit card purchase rate that applies to most major Canadian bank cards, along with guidance on minimum payment rules and consumer rights. The FCAC budget planner and credit card tools are referenced in Canadian debt FAQs.

Used in: Credit Card Payoff, Debt Snowball, Debt Avalanche, Monthly Budget

ontario.ca/page/land-transfer-tax

Land Transfer Tax (LTT) in Canada is levied at the provincial level. We use Ontario as the reference province for our stamp duty calculator. LTT rates, the first-time home buyer refund (up to CA$4,000), and the Toronto Municipal LTT (which doubles the effective rate for Toronto purchases) are all sourced from the Ontario Ministry of Finance.

Used in: Stamp Duty Calculator