Future West publishes practical guides for people who want to prepare where they are, move somewhere cheaper or live well on less. This page explains how we research, write and update them.
Who writes our content
Articles are published under two bylines. Cal Westermann, the editor, writes about living abroad, taxes, running a business abroad and leaving the rat race, and adds his own experience where he has it. Cal Westermann is a pen name for the site’s owner and editor. Other articles are researched and written by the Future West Editorial Team, then reviewed and edited by Cal.
We don’t invent writers, credentials, reader stories or personal experience. Examples based on typical situations are labelled as examples.
How we research
- Official sources first. Visa rules, tax rules and legal requirements are checked against government agencies such as the IRS, the US State Department, embassies and national immigration and tax offices.
- Real costs. Prices and cost-of-living figures come from named sources or first-hand experience, with the date they were checked.
- Dated facts are labelled. When a figure belongs to a specific year, we say so.
- Links to sources. Important facts link to the source, so you can check them yourself.
What we don’t do
- We don’t give personal financial, tax, legal, immigration or medical advice. For decisions like these, we point you to a qualified professional.
- We don’t publish fear-selling, conspiracy theories or advice on getting around the law.
- We don’t accept payment for positive coverage.
Updates and corrections
Rules and prices change, so we review articles on a rolling schedule. The date at the top of each post shows when it was last published or substantially updated. If you spot an error, tell us and we’ll check and fix it.
Use of AI tools
We may use AI tools to help with research, outlines, editing and images. Every article is checked by a human editor before publication, and facts are verified against the sources we cite. Illustrative images may be AI-generated.
How we earn money
Some articles contain affiliate links, and the site may show advertising in the future. Commissions never decide what we include or how we rank it. See our affiliate disclosure.