Privacy Policy

Effective Date: [Insert Date]

1. Introduction Foundation Tax Group ("Foundation Tax Group," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information that we collect, use, and share. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle your information when you use our accounting and tax-related services, visit our website, or otherwise interact with us.

By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect We may collect the following categories of information:

2.1 Personal Identifying Information

• Full name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Date of birth
• Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number
• Driver’s license or other government-issued identification details (where applicable)

2.2 Financial and Tax Information

• Income and employment information
• Bank account details (for refunds, payments, or billing where applicable)
• Tax returns and related documents
• Business financial records, including invoices, receipts, and ledgers
• Investment and retirement account information (as needed for tax preparation or accounting)

2.3 Technical and Usage Information When you visit our website or use our online services, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device identifiers
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring URL and clickstream data
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)

2.4 Other Information You Provide

• Information you choose to provide by email, phone, forms, or other communication channels
• Information provided during consultations, onboarding, or when you request support

3. How We Use Your Information We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide and manage accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, tax planning, and advisory services
• To prepare, file, and maintain tax returns and related filings
• To verify your identity and prevent fraud or unauthorized access
• To communicate with you about your account, our services, deadlines, and important notices
• To send administrative information such as updates to our terms, policies, and practices
• To process payments, invoices, and refunds
• To maintain our business records and comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• To improve our services, website, and client experience
• To conduct internal analytics, audits, and quality control

4. Legal Bases for Processing (For Reference) To the extent applicable under data protection laws, we process your information based on:

   • Performance of a contract: providing the services you request
   • Legal obligations: complying with U.S. federal, state, and local tax and regulatory requirements
   • Legitimate interests: improving our services, ensuring security, preventing fraud
   • Your consent: where required for specific uses (for example, certain marketing communications)

5. How We Share Your Information We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers and Professional Partners We may share information with third parties that perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Cloud and data hosting providers
• IT, security, and software service providers
• Payment processors
• Professional consultants (e.g., legal, compliance, or audit professionals)

These parties are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide services to us and are expected to protect your information appropriately.

5.2 Government Agencies and Regulatory Bodies We may disclose your information:

• To the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and applicable state tax authorities when filing returns or responding to inquiries
• To other governmental or regulatory authorities as required by law

5.3 Legal and Compliance Purposes We may disclose information when we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal process
• Respond to subpoenas, court orders, or government requests
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Foundation Tax Group, our clients, or others
• Enforce our agreements and policies

5.4 Business Transfers If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.

6. Data Security We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures may include:
   • Encryption of data in transit and/or at rest where appropriate
   • Access controls and authentication mechanisms
   • Regular monitoring of systems for vulnerabilities
   • Staff training and confidentiality agreements

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:
   • Remember your preferences
   • Analyze site usage and performance
   • Improve our services and user experience

You may set your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you disable cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly.

8. Data Retention We retain personal information for as long as necessary to:
   • Provide our services
   • Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy
   • Comply with applicable laws and professional obligations
   • Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Tax and accounting records are generally retained for the periods required under U.S. federal and state law, as well as applicable professional standards.

9. Your Choices and Rights Depending on your situation and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as:
   • Access: You may request information about the personal data we hold about you.
   • Correction: You may request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
   • Deletion: You may request deletion of your information, subject to legal and contractual obligations.
   • Restriction or Objection: You may request limitations on how we use your information in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 12. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

10. Children’s Privacy Our services are intended for adults and business entities. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

11. Third-Party Websites Our website or communications may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by Foundation Tax Group. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

12. Contact Information If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Foundation Tax Group Email: [Insert Contact Email] Phone: [Insert Contact Phone] Mailing Address: [Insert Mailing Address]

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we do, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.