X1 Research and Standards

If a number is not sourced, we treat it as a draft. X1 is a planning and coordination layer. We do not provide legal, tax, or investment advice.

Priority consideration: use guidance that is sourced, dated, and designed for decision-making, not for selling a product.

Why it matters: unclear sources lead to avoidable mistakes, especially in tax, estate, and legal workflows.

Key takeaways

• We use primary sources whenever possible.
• Time-sensitive guidance is dated and reviewed on a schedule.
• We avoid prescriptive language and focus on evaluation.

What we mean by planning guidance

Planning guidance is a decision framework tied to sources and deadlines. It helps you evaluate what matters and coordinate with a professional. It does not tell you what to file, buy, or execute.

How we build guides

1. Start with a real decision moment. Deadlines, renewals, and review cycles are the spine of every guide.

2. Anchor claims to sources. Primary sources first. If none exist, we use reputable secondary references and note the limitations.

3. Convert to a checklist. Every guide ends with a decision checklist and advisor questions so it can be used in a real meeting.

4. Date and revisit. Time-sensitive guidance is dated and reviewed on a fixed cadence.

Source policy

• We cite public sources and official guidance when available.
• We use as-of dates for time-sensitive information.
• We do not publish private or client data.

Update cadence

• Tax and deadline guides are reviewed quarterly.
• Core planning guides are reviewed twice per year.
• When a major law or rule changes, we update within 14 days.

What we avoid

• Advice phrasing such as "you should" or "do this now"
• Predictions about markets or tax outcomes
• Unverified claims about savings or outcomes

Decision checklist

• Is the guidance tied to a real source and an as-of date?
• Are the limits and assumptions spelled out?
• Does the guide provide a checklist you can use with your advisor?

Questions to ask your advisor

• Which primary source should we use for this decision?
• Are any deadlines or thresholds changing this year?
• What would materially change the recommendation?

Next step

If you want a clean handoff, start with the Advisor Packet or Document-Backed Planning.

Compliance note

X1 provides planning and coordination guidance only. Confirm final decisions with your CPA, attorney, or advisor.