Affiliate Disclosure
Last Updated: January 18, 2026
Transparency First
At Off the Books, we believe in complete transparency about how we make money. This page explains our affiliate relationships and how they work.
What Are Affiliate Links?
Affiliate links are special links that track when you click through to a partner’s website and sign up for their service. When you use these links, we may earn a commission from our partners.
How We Use Affiliate Links
Our website contains affiliate links to financial services and products, including:
- Credit monitoring services (e.g., Credit Karma, Credit Sesame)
- Mortgage lenders (e.g., LendingTree, Rocket Mortgage, Credible)
- Banks and financial institutions
- Other financial products and services
These affiliate relationships help us keep our calculators and tools completely free for everyone.
Our Promise to You
1. Commissions Don’t Affect Your Rates
When you use our affiliate links, you receive the same rates, terms, and offers as you would if you went directly to the partner’s website.
Affiliate commissions are paid by our partners, not by you. You don’t pay anything extra for using our links.
2. We Only Recommend What We Trust
We only partner with companies we trust and believe provide genuine value to our users.
We don’t recommend products or services just because they pay high commissions. Our recommendations are based on:
- Quality and reputation of the service
- Value to our users
- Alignment with our mission of financial transparency
3. Our Calculators Remain Unbiased
Affiliate relationships do not affect the accuracy or objectivity of our calculators.
Our calculator results are based on:
- Data from trusted sources (e.g., Freddie Mac)
- Mathematical formulas and algorithms
- Your inputs and financial situation
We don’t manipulate results to favor any particular partner or product.
4. We Always Disclose
We clearly disclose when a link is an affiliate link. You’ll see disclosures like:
- “Partner link”
- “Sponsored”
- “We may earn a commission”
- Or similar language near affiliate links
How Affiliate Commissions Work
Typical Commission Structure
Different partners pay different types of commissions:
1. Per Sign-Up (CPA - Cost Per Action)
We earn a fixed amount when you sign up for a service
2. Per Qualified Lead (CPL - Cost Per Lead)
We earn when you submit a form or request a quote
3. Per Funded Loan
We earn when you complete a loan or refinance
4. Percentage of Sale
We earn a percentage of what you spend
What Qualifies as a Commission
We earn a commission when:
- You click on an affiliate link
- You sign up for a service or product
- You complete a transaction
We do NOT earn a commission when:
- You simply visit our website
- You use our calculators
- You read our content
- You click on non-affiliate links
Specific Partner Disclosures
Credit Karma
We participate in the Credit Karma affiliate program through AWIN. When you click our Credit Karma links and sign up for their free credit monitoring service, we may earn a commission. Credit Karma’s service is free to you. They make money by recommending financial products based on your credit profile.
LendingTree
We participate in the LendingTree affiliate program. When you request mortgage quotes through our LendingTree links, we may earn a commission. LendingTree is a marketplace that connects you with multiple lenders. You’re not obligated to accept any offers.
Other Partners
We work with various affiliate networks and partners, including:
- CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction)
- Impact Radius
- Rakuten Advertising
- Direct partnerships with financial institutions
Specific partnerships may change over time. We’ll update this page to reflect current relationships.
What We Don’t Do
We Don’t Sell Your Data
We never sell your personal information to third parties. When you click an affiliate link, the partner may collect information about your visit, but we don’t share your personal data or calculator inputs with partners.
We Don’t Manipulate Results
We don’t change calculator results to favor affiliate partners. Our calculators provide objective estimates based on market data and your inputs. Affiliate relationships don’t influence the math.
We Don’t Hide Relationships
We always disclose affiliate relationships clearly. You’ll never be surprised to learn that a link is an affiliate link. We believe in transparency.
We Don’t Recommend Bad Products
We don’t recommend products or services we wouldn’t use ourselves. Even if a company offers high commissions, we won’t partner with them if we don’t trust them or believe they provide value.
Your Choices
You’re Never Required to Use Affiliate Links
You’re always free to:
- Go directly to a partner’s website (without using our links)
- Search for alternatives on your own
- Choose not to sign up for any services
- Use our calculators without clicking any affiliate links
Our tools and calculators work the same whether or not you use affiliate links.
You Can Opt Out of Tracking
If you don’t want affiliate networks to track your clicks:
- Use browser privacy settings or extensions (e.g., ad blockers)
- Clear cookies after visiting our site
- Use private/incognito browsing mode
Note that opting out of tracking may limit some functionality on partner websites.
How Affiliate Revenue Helps Us
Affiliate commissions help us:
- Keep our calculators and tools completely free
- Maintain and improve our website
- Create new tools and features
- Produce educational content
- Cover hosting, development, and operational costs
Without affiliate revenue, we would need to:
- Charge subscription fees
- Display intrusive ads
- Limit access to our tools
- Or shut down entirely
By using our affiliate links, you’re supporting our mission to make financial tools accessible to everyone, at no cost to you.
Questions About Affiliate Relationships
“Do you get paid more if I choose a certain lender?”
Different partners pay different commissions, but we don't favor higher-paying partners in our recommendations. Our goal is to connect you with services that genuinely help you, not to maximize our commissions.
“Does using your affiliate link cost me more?”
No. You receive the same rates, terms, and offers whether you use our link or go directly to the partner's website. Affiliate commissions are paid by our partners, not by you.
“Can I trust your recommendations?”
Yes. We only partner with companies we trust and believe provide value. We don't recommend products or services just because they pay commissions. That said, you should always do your own research and consult with qualified professionals before making financial decisions.
“What if I have a problem with a partner?”
If you have issues with a product or service you signed up for through our affiliate links, please contact the partner directly. We're not responsible for partner services, but we want to know if you have a bad experience so we can reconsider the partnership.
FTC Compliance
This disclosure complies with the Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines on affiliate marketing and endorsements. We are required by law to disclose material connections between us and our partners.
Key FTC Requirements:
- We clearly disclose affiliate relationships
- We don’t make false or misleading claims
- We only endorse products we genuinely believe in
- We’re transparent about how we make money
For more information about FTC guidelines, visit: FTC Endorsement Guides
Changes to This Disclosure
We may update this disclosure from time to time to reflect:
- New affiliate partnerships
- Changes to existing partnerships
- Updates to commission structures
- Changes in applicable laws or regulations
We’ll update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page when we make changes.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our affiliate relationships or this disclosure, please contact us:
We’re happy to answer any questions about how we make money and how our affiliate partnerships work.
Summary (Plain English)
What this means:
- We use affiliate links — We may earn commissions when you sign up for partner services
- You don’t pay extra — Commissions are paid by partners, not by you
- We’re transparent — We always disclose affiliate relationships
- We only recommend what we trust — We don’t partner with companies we don’t believe in
- Our calculators stay objective — Affiliate relationships don’t affect calculator accuracy
- You’re never required to use our links — You’re free to go directly to partners or choose alternatives
- This helps us stay free — Affiliate revenue keeps our tools free for everyone
Bottom line: We make money through affiliate commissions, and we’re completely transparent about it. This helps us keep our tools free while maintaining objectivity and trust.
Thank you for supporting Off the Books by using our affiliate links. Your support helps us make financial tools accessible to everyone.