Privacy policy

Thank you for choosing Coastal Tax Specialist. At Coastal Tax Specialist, we understand the importance of protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our tax preparation services. Our services utilize CCH Axcess Software as our tax preparation and e-filing platform, and Encyro, Inc as our secure file sharing software; both of which are GDPR compliant and incorporates robust security measures to protect your data. Please read this privacy notice carefully, as it will help you understand what we do with the information that we collect.

What information do we collect?

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including but not limited to:

• Full name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Social Security Number and other government-issued identification numbers
• Date of birth
• Financial information (income details, investments, expenses, banking information)
• Employment information
• Dependents' information
• Tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, etc.)

How do we use your information?

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To prepare and file your tax returns
• To communicate with you about your tax preparation services
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• To improve our services and customer experience
• To detect and prevent fraud or other illegal activities
• To send you relevant notifications and updates

Data Storage and Security

We use CCH Tax Software as our tax preparation platform, which implements industry-standard security measures:

• All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using advanced encryption protocols
• Secure data centers with physical access controls
• Redundant data backup systems
• Regular security audits and updates
• Compliance with IRS security requirements
• Fully compliant with GDPR 

Beyond our software platform, we implement the following security practices:

• Access to your information is restricted to authorized personnel only
• Regular staff training on data protection and privacy
• Secure digital data deletion with specialized software to prevent recovery

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law or regulations. For tax preparation purposes, we typically retain your information for 3 years following the applicable tax year, in accordance with IRS requirements.

Data Sharing Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with government agencies as required for tax filing purposes.

Third Party Service Providers

Our tax preparation services rely on CCH Axcess Tax Software and Encyro, Inc. These providers are contractually obligated to use your information solely for the purposes of providing services to us and maintaining appropriate security measures. 

Read more about CCH Axcess Tax Software's privacy policy here: https://taasupportportal.wolterskluwer.com/uk/en/home-page/welcome2/service-policies-and-notices/policies  

Read more about Encyro, Inc's privacy policy here: https://www.encyro.com/privacy#:~:text=We%20ensure%20your%20information%20is,the%20privacy%20of%20your%20data.  

Changes to our policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on our website and changing the "Updated" date at the top of this policy.