:root{--ink:#17231f;--muted:#5c6964;--paper:#f7f5ef;--white:#fff;--line:#dcded8;--accent:#1e5d49;--soft:#e7efe9;--gold:#9b7135;--max:1120px}
*{box-sizing:border-box}html{scroll-behavior:smooth}body{margin:0;font-family:Inter,ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:var(--ink);background:var(--paper);line-height:1.65}
a{color:inherit}.wrap{max-width:var(--max);margin:auto;padding:0 24px}.top{background:var(--ink);color:#fff;font-size:.86rem}.top .wrap{padding:8px 24px}.sitehead{background:rgba(247,245,239,.96);border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);position:sticky;top:0;z-index:5}.nav{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:24px;min-height:76px}.brand{text-decoration:none;font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:1.35rem;font-weight:700}.navlinks{display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:center}.navlinks a{text-decoration:none;font-size:.94rem}.navlinks .start{padding:9px 14px;border:1px solid var(--ink);border-radius:999px}
main{min-height:70vh}.hero{padding:58px 0 38px;max-width:960px}.eyebrow{text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.14em;font-size:.76rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--accent);margin-bottom:14px}h1,h2,h3{font-family:Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;line-height:1.12}h1{font-size:clamp(2.65rem,5.2vw,4.35rem);letter-spacing:-.035em;margin:.1em 0 .26em;max-width:900px}article h1{font-size:clamp(2.5rem,6vw,4.4rem)}h2{font-size:clamp(1.7rem,3vw,2.5rem);margin-top:2.1em}h3{font-size:1.3rem;margin:.2em 0}.lede{font-size:1.28rem;color:var(--muted);max-width:760px}.actions{display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:center;margin-top:24px;flex-wrap:wrap}.button{display:inline-block;background:var(--ink);color:#fff;padding:13px 20px;border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700}.button.secondary{background:var(--accent)}.textlink{font-weight:700}
section{padding:20px 0 38px}.grid,.related{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr);gap:16px}.card{background:var(--white);border:1px solid var(--line);padding:24px;text-decoration:none;display:block;min-height:185px}.card p{color:var(--muted);font-size:.94rem}.card span{font-weight:700;color:var(--accent)}.band{margin:24px 0 34px;background:var(--soft);padding:30px 34px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:32px}.band h2{margin:.2em 0}
article{max-width:820px;padding:72px 0 90px}article p,article li{font-size:1.08rem}article .related{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,1fr)}.answer{background:var(--white);border-left:5px solid var(--accent);padding:22px 24px;margin:34px 0;font-size:1.08rem}.decision{background:var(--white);border:1px solid var(--line);padding:26px;margin-top:36px}.decision h2{margin-top:0}.decision-row{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;text-decoration:none;padding:18px 4px;border-top:1px solid var(--line);gap:20px}.decision-row small{display:block;color:var(--muted);margin-top:4px}
.sources{border-top:1px solid var(--line);margin-top:45px;padding-top:22px}.sources h2{font-size:1.3rem;margin-top:0}.sources li{font-size:.9rem}.reviewed{font-size:.86rem;color:var(--muted);margin-top:25px}
footer{background:var(--ink);color:#e7ece9;padding:50px 0}.foot{display:grid;grid-template-columns:2fr 1fr;gap:40px}.foot a{color:#fff}.fine{font-size:.82rem;color:#bbc5c1;max-width:720px}
@media(max-width:800px){.navlinks a:not(.start){display:none}.grid,.related,article .related{grid-template-columns:1fr}.band,.foot{display:block}.band .button{margin-top:16px}h1{font-size:clamp(2.45rem,11vw,3.25rem)}.hero{padding:42px 0 26px}section{padding:16px 0 30px}.card{min-height:auto}}

/* V1.1 homepage rhythm refinements */
.hero + section{padding-top:10px}
.hero + section h2{margin-top:.8em}
.hero .lede{max-width:800px}
@media(min-width:1000px){
  .hero h1{max-width:820px}
}

/* =========================================================
   THE CREDIT FIELD GUIDE - V1.7
   New asset path intentionally bypasses the stale site-v1-2.css URL.
   Layout-only update. V1.4 editorial content and SEO remain unchanged.
   ========================================================= */

/* Homepage: remove the heading margins that were creating the apparent
   giant gaps between otherwise normally-spaced sections. */
main > .wrap > section:not(.hero) {
  padding-top: 18px;
  padding-bottom: 22px;
}

main > .wrap > section:not(.hero) > h2:first-child {
  margin-top: 0;
  margin-bottom: 18px;
}

main > .wrap > .hero {
  padding-top: 46px;
  padding-bottom: 26px;
}

main > .wrap > .hero + section {
  padding-top: 10px;
}

main > .wrap > .band {
  margin-top: 10px;
  margin-bottom: 10px;
  padding: 24px 30px;
}

main > .wrap > .band h2 {
  margin: .15em 0 .25em;
}

/* Homepage cards should size to their content rather than forcing height. */
main > .wrap > section .card {
  min-height: 0;
  height: auto;
}

/* Laptop/desktop: four-card homepage groups use a single row. */
@media (min-width: 760px) {
  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(2) .grid,
  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(4) .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(4, minmax(0, 1fr));
    gap: 14px;
  }

  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(2) .card,
  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(4) .card {
    padding: 18px;
  }

  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(5) .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
    gap: 14px;
  }
}

/* Mobile */
@media (max-width: 759px) {
  .top {
    font-size: .76rem;
    line-height: 1.35;
  }

  .top .wrap {
    padding-top: 7px;
    padding-bottom: 7px;
  }

  .sitehead .nav {
    min-height: 58px;
    gap: 10px;
    padding-top: 8px;
    padding-bottom: 8px;
  }

  .sitehead .brand {
    font-size: 1.05rem;
    line-height: 1.05;
    white-space: nowrap;
  }

  .navlinks {
    gap: 0;
    flex: 0 0 auto;
  }

  .navlinks .start {
    font-size: .82rem;
    line-height: 1;
    padding: 8px 11px;
    white-space: nowrap;
  }

  main > .wrap > .hero {
    padding-top: 30px;
    padding-bottom: 20px;
  }

  .hero h1 {
    font-size: clamp(2.35rem, 10.2vw, 3rem);
    line-height: 1.01;
    margin-top: .12em;
    margin-bottom: .28em;
  }

  .hero .lede {
    font-size: 1.08rem;
    line-height: 1.5;
  }

  main > .wrap > section:not(.hero) {
    padding-top: 16px;
    padding-bottom: 18px;
  }

  main > .wrap > section:not(.hero) > h2:first-child {
    font-size: clamp(1.75rem, 8vw, 2.25rem);
    line-height: 1.06;
    margin-top: 0;
    margin-bottom: 15px;
  }

  main > .wrap > .band {
    margin-top: 8px;
    margin-bottom: 8px;
    padding: 20px;
  }

  main > .wrap > .band h2 {
    font-size: clamp(1.65rem, 7.5vw, 2.05rem);
    line-height: 1.08;
    margin: .1em 0 .3em;
  }

  main > .wrap .grid {
    gap: 12px;
  }

  main > .wrap .card {
    min-height: 0;
    padding: 18px;
  }

  main > .wrap .card h3 {
    margin-top: 0;
    margin-bottom: 8px;
  }

  /* Research block is a trust note, not a new oversized chapter. */
  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(6) {
    padding-top: 18px;
    padding-bottom: 22px;
  }

  main > .wrap > section:nth-of-type(6) p {
    margin-top: 8px;
    margin-bottom: 12px;
  }
}



/* =========================================================
   V1.7.1 PRESENTATION PATCH
   Footer alignment + opaque sticky header only.
   ========================================================= */

/* Keep the sticky navigation visually solid while content scrolls behind it. */
.sitehead {
  background: #f7f5ef !important;
  opacity: 1 !important;
}

.sitehead .nav {
  background: #f7f5ef !important;
}

/* Editorial Standards was added outside the original footer link container.
   Normalize any direct footer link so it follows the same centered content
   alignment on desktop and mobile. */
footer.sitefoot > a,
.sitefoot > a {
  display: block;
  width: min(1120px, calc(100% - 40px));
  margin-left: auto !important;
  margin-right: auto !important;
}

/* On phones, match the footer's existing horizontal inset. */
@media (max-width: 759px) {
  footer.sitefoot > a,
  .sitefoot > a {
    width: calc(100% - 40px);
  }
}

/* V1.7.2 - footer structure correction.
   Editorial Standards is now inside the same footer link column as the
   other footer navigation links. */