Privacy Policy

We collect information in the following categories depending on how you interact with us:

Information You Provide Directly

• Contact information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and preferred contact method.
• Appointment & inquiry data: Service requests, scheduling preferences, tax year, filing status, business entity type, document readiness, and messages submitted through contact or appointment forms.
• Newsletter subscriptions: Name and email address when you opt in to tax tips or newsletter communications.
• Client tax & financial data: Social Security numbers, income records, W-2 and 1099 forms, deduction documentation, business records, prior-year returns, and other information necessary to prepare accurate tax returns and provide advisory services.
• Payment information: Billing details processed through our authorized payment providers. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers.

Information Collected Automatically

• Website usage data: IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, referring URLs, and general location (city/state level) through standard server logs and analytics tools.
• Cookies & similar technologies: Session cookies for site functionality and optional analytics cookies to improve user experience. See Section 8 for details.

Information We Do Not Collect via Calculators

Our financial and tax calculators operate entirely in your browser. Calculator inputs and results are not transmitted to our servers or any third-party API unless you separately submit that information through a contact form.

We use collected information for legitimate business purposes, including:

• Responding to inquiries and scheduling consultations or appointments;
• Preparing, reviewing, and filing federal, state, and local tax returns;
• Providing bookkeeping, payroll, IRS representation, and financial advisory services;
• Communicating about deadlines, document requests, appointment confirmations, and service updates;
• Sending newsletters and tax tips to subscribers who have opted in;
• Processing payments and maintaining billing records;
• Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations applicable to tax practitioners;
• Improving our website, services, and client experience through aggregated analytics;
• Detecting, preventing, and addressing fraud, security incidents, or unauthorized access.

We will not use your tax or financial information for purposes unrelated to providing services without your consent, except as required by law or professional standards.

Depending on the context, we process personal information based on:

• Contractual necessity: To perform services you have requested or to take steps at your request before entering into a client engagement.
• Consent: For newsletter communications, optional cookies, and certain marketing communications you may withdraw at any time.
• Legal obligation: To comply with IRS Circular 230 requirements, state board regulations, anti-money laundering rules, court orders, and lawful government requests.
• Legitimate interests: To operate and secure our business, prevent fraud, and improve our services, balanced against your privacy rights.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• Tax authorities: Filing tax returns and related documents with the IRS, Maryland Comptroller, and other applicable federal, state, or local agencies as authorized by you.
• Service providers: Trusted vendors who assist with secure document storage, email delivery, appointment scheduling, payment processing, and website hosting — bound by confidentiality agreements.
• Professional advisors: Attorneys, financial advisors, or other professionals when you authorize coordinated services.
• Legal requirements: When required by subpoena, court order, regulatory inquiry, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of TEAMBASED Tax Services, our clients, or others.
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with continued protection of your information.

We require third parties to use your information solely for the purposes for which it was shared and to maintain appropriate security measures.

We retain personal and tax information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy and to meet legal and professional obligations.

• Tax records: Retained in accordance with IRS and Maryland record retention guidelines, typically a minimum of three to seven years depending on document type and circumstances.
• Client engagement files: Maintained for the duration of the client relationship and applicable post-engagement periods required by law.
• Website form submissions: Retained as long as needed to respond to inquiries and for reasonable business record-keeping, then securely deleted or anonymized.
• Marketing data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion, subject to legal suppression list requirements.

When information is no longer needed, we securely destroy or de-identify it using industry-standard methods.

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted transmission (SSL/TLS) for data submitted through our website;
• Access controls limiting employee access to client data on a need-to-know basis;
• Secure storage of physical and electronic tax documents;
• Password-protected systems and multi-factor authentication where applicable;
• Regular review of security practices and vendor compliance;
• Staff training on confidentiality and data handling procedures.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any portal credentials we provide.

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Enable essential site functionality and navigation;
• Remember preferences during your session;
• Analyze aggregated traffic patterns to improve content and usability.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website features. We do not use cookies to collect tax or financial data entered into our local calculators.

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Request deletion of information, subject to legal and professional retention requirements;
• Opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link or contacting us directly;
• Withdraw consent where processing is consent-based;
• Receive a copy of your data in a portable format where technically feasible.

To exercise these rights, contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and may require identity verification. Note that tax practitioners may be legally required to retain certain records even after a deletion request.

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately so we can promptly delete it.

Our website may contain links to third-party sites such as the IRS, state tax agencies, client portals, and payment processors. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Engagement of TEAMBASED Tax Services through our website does not create a client relationship until a formal engagement letter or agreement is executed.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact:

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law, technology, or our business practices. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

See also our Terms of Use and Accessibility Statement.