PRIVACY POLICY

We may collect information directly from you, automatically through our website and technology providers, and from third parties when necessary and legally permitted to provide services you request.

Personal and Contact Information

We may collect:

• First and last name
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Date of birth
• Preferred communication method
• Government issued identification information when required
• Information submitted through website forms
• Appointment and consultation information
• Other information necessary to identify or communicate with you

Tax Information

When you request tax preparation or related services, we may collect information necessary to prepare, review, file, or otherwise assist with your tax matters.

This may include:

• Social Security numbers
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers
• Employer Identification Numbers
• Dates of birth
• Filing status information
• Dependent information
• W2s and 1099s
• Income information
• Business income and expenses
• Information concerning deductions and credits
• Prior year tax returns
• Tax notices and correspondence
• Banking information when required for an authorized tax related purpose
• Tax forms and supporting documentation
• Other information necessary to provide requested tax services

Tax return information is treated as sensitive information and is subject to applicable federal and state requirements.

Personal Credit Information

When you request personal credit services, we may collect information such as:

• Credit reports
• Creditor and account information
• Account balances
• Payment history
• Collection information
• Credit inquiries
• Information concerning disputed accounts
• Supporting documentation
• Information regarding your credit goals
• Other information necessary to provide requested credit services

Please do not submit credit bureau passwords or other account login credentials through general website forms, regular email, text messages, or social media.

Business Credit and Business Formation Information

When you request business credit, business formation, or related business services, we may collect:

• Business name
• Business address
• Business telephone number
• Business email address
• Ownership information
• Business entity information
• Employer Identification Number
• State registration information
• Business financial information
• Business banking information when necessary
• Business credit information
• Licensing or registration information
• Business revenue information
• Other information necessary to provide requested business services

Bookkeeping and Financial Information

When you request bookkeeping services, we may receive financial information necessary to maintain or organize your business records.

This may include:

• Business bank transaction information
• Business credit card activity
• Payment processor activity
• Income records
• Expense records
• Receipts
• Invoices
• Loan or financing information
• Financial statements
• Existing accounting records
• Other business financial information

The specific information collected depends on the bookkeeping services requested.

Life Insurance Information

When you request life insurance information or apply for coverage, information collected may include:

• Name
• Contact information
• Date of birth
• State of residence
• Beneficiary information
• Employment or occupation information
• Financial information
• Coverage preferences
• Health related information when required
• Tobacco or nicotine use information
• Information required for underwriting
• Other information required by an insurance carrier

Some insurance information may be collected directly by an insurance carrier, general agency, underwriting provider, or authorized insurance technology provider rather than directly by Knowledge Solutions.

Those organizations may maintain their own privacy policies and information handling practices.

Payment and Transaction Information

When you purchase services, information necessary to process your transaction may be collected by Knowledge Solutions or an authorized payment processor.

This may include:

• Name
• Billing address
• Transaction amount
• Payment status
• Transaction history
• Payment card or bank information when applicable

When payments are processed by a third party payment processor, Knowledge Solutions may not directly receive or store complete payment card information.

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically through cookies, server logs, analytics technologies, and similar tools.

This information may include:

• Internet Protocol address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Pages visited
• Date and time of visits
• Time spent on pages
• Referring website or source
• Approximate geographic location derived from an IP address
• Website interactions
• Other technical information

We may use this information to operate and secure our website, understand website usage, troubleshoot problems, improve functionality, and evaluate website performance.

Knowledge Solutions and service providers supporting our website may use cookies, pixels, analytics technologies, and similar tools.

These technologies may help us:

• Operate website features
• Maintain website security
• Remember preferences
• Understand website traffic
• Measure website performance
• Understand visitor interactions
• Improve our website and services
• Measure marketing effectiveness when applicable

Cookies used on our website may include essential, functional, preference, analytics, or marketing related cookies depending on the technologies currently implemented.

You may be able to manage cookies through your browser settings or through cookie preference tools made available on our website.

Disabling certain technologies may affect the functionality of the website.

Where applicable law requires consent before certain nonessential cookies or tracking technologies are activated, we will seek consent as required.

Knowledge Solutions may use information to:

• Respond to inquiries
• Provide requested services
• Schedule and manage appointments
• Create and maintain client records
• Verify identity
• Prepare and process tax services
• Provide personal credit services
• Provide business credit services
• Assist with business formation
• Perform bookkeeping services
• Assist with life insurance inquiries and applications
• Provide financial education and coaching
• Communicate regarding your services
• Request documents or additional information
• Send service updates
• Process payments
• Send invoices and receipts
• Provide customer support
• Maintain and improve our website
• Protect our systems and clients
• Detect or prevent fraud or unauthorized activity
• Maintain required business and regulatory records
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims
• Send marketing communications when permitted by law and consistent with your communication preferences

Knowledge Solutions does not use sensitive information for unrelated purposes when such use is prohibited by applicable law.

Tax return information is treated as confidential and may be subject to specific federal protections.

Knowledge Solutions handles tax return information in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations governing the use and disclosure of tax return information.

Federal law may restrict the use and disclosure of information obtained in connection with preparing a tax return.

When a separate written consent is required before tax return information may be used or disclosed for a particular purpose, Knowledge Solutions will seek the applicable consent.

Tax information may be disclosed to authorized tax preparation software providers, electronic filing providers, taxing authorities, financial institutions, or other authorized service providers when necessary and legally permitted to provide a requested tax service.

Providing tax information to Knowledge Solutions for tax preparation does not automatically authorize its use for unrelated purposes when separate authorization is required by law.

Information obtained through personal or business credit services may be used to:

• Provide requested credit services
• Review information supplied by the client
• Develop applicable educational or action plans
• Assist with authorized credit related processes
• Communicate regarding the client's service
• Maintain required records
• Operate technology used to provide the service
• Comply with applicable legal obligations

Knowledge Solutions does not sell client credit reports or credit information.

Credit information may be disclosed to authorized technology providers or service providers when reasonably necessary to provide requested services and when permitted by applicable law.

Business financial information received for bookkeeping or related services is used to perform the services authorized by the client.

Information may be processed through accounting, bookkeeping, financial management, document storage, or related technology providers used to perform those services.

Access to financial information is limited to authorized purposes and individuals or providers requiring access to perform applicable services.

Information provided in connection with life insurance services may be transmitted to or collected by:

• Insurance carriers
• General agencies
• Underwriting providers
• Insurance technology providers
• Medical information providers when authorized and applicable
• Other organizations involved in processing an authorized insurance application

Insurance carriers and related organizations may independently collect, maintain, and process applicant information according to their own privacy notices and applicable insurance laws.

Once information is submitted to an independent insurance carrier or provider pursuant to your authorized application, that organization's privacy practices may also apply.

Knowledge Solutions does not sell sensitive client information.

We may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary to provide requested services, operate our business, protect our systems, or comply with applicable law.

Service Providers

We may use authorized third party providers for functions such as:

• Website hosting
• Customer relationship management
• Client portals
• Tax preparation software
• Electronic filing
• Credit related technology
• Accounting and bookkeeping software
• Insurance application processing
• Appointment scheduling
• Payment processing
• Electronic signatures
• Email communications
• Text message communications
• Cloud storage
• Document management
• Data backup
• Cybersecurity
• Website analytics

These providers may receive or process information necessary to perform services on our behalf.

Government and Regulatory Authorities

Information may be disclosed when required or permitted by law to:

• Federal agencies
• State agencies
• Local government agencies
• Taxing authorities
• Courts
• Regulators
• Law enforcement
• Other legally authorized authorities

Professional Advisors

Information may be disclosed to attorneys, accountants, compliance professionals, insurers, or other professional advisors when reasonably necessary to obtain professional services, maintain compliance, or protect legal interests.

Business Transactions

If Knowledge Solutions is involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar business transaction, information may be transferred as permitted by applicable law and subject to applicable confidentiality and privacy requirements.

Knowledge Solutions does not sell:

• Social Security numbers
• Tax return information
• Credit reports
• Financial account information
• Government identification information
• Insurance underwriting or health information
• Text messaging consent information
• Other sensitive client information

We do not disclose these categories of information to unrelated third parties for their independent marketing purposes except where you have expressly authorized such disclosure and it is otherwise legally permissible.

If you provide your email address, we may use it to communicate with you regarding:

• Inquiries
• Appointments
• Requested services
• Client account activity
• Documents or information needed
• Service updates
• Educational information
• Business announcements
• Promotional communications when authorized or otherwise permitted

Where required, promotional emails will provide a method for unsubscribing.

Choosing not to receive promotional emails does not prevent us from sending transactional or service related emails necessary to provide services you requested.

When you provide a mobile telephone number, Knowledge Solutions may collect and maintain your telephone number, communication preferences, consent records, and message history as necessary to provide authorized communications.

Depending on the consent you provide, communications may include appointment information, service updates, client support, requested information, account communications, or promotional communications.

Mobile Information Sharing

No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for their independent marketing or promotional purposes.

Information may be shared with service providers or subcontractors that support communications, customer service, text message delivery, customer relationship management, or other necessary business functions.

Those providers receive information as necessary to perform services on behalf of Knowledge Solutions.

Text messaging originator opt in data and consent will not be shared with third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes.

Additional terms governing participation in Knowledge Solutions text messaging programs are provided in our Terms of Use or applicable consent disclosures.

Knowledge Solutions uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

Depending on the information and technology involved, safeguards may include:

• Secure client portals
• Access controls
• Authentication measures
• Password protection
• Encryption provided by applicable technology platforms
• Secure document transfer systems
• Limited access to sensitive information
• Data backup practices
• Security monitoring
• Confidentiality requirements
• Other reasonable security measures

No website, electronic transmission, cloud platform, storage system, or security method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Knowledge Solutions therefore cannot guarantee absolute security.

Please do not submit highly sensitive information through our general website contact form, regular email, social media direct messages, or unsecured text messages.

Examples include:

• Social Security numbers
• Complete tax returns
• W2s or other tax documents
• Full banking information
• Credit bureau login credentials
• Copies of identification documents
• Insurance medical information
• Account passwords
• Other highly sensitive financial information

When sensitive information is required, Knowledge Solutions may provide access to an appropriate secure intake form, client portal, application platform, or other authorized method.

Knowledge Solutions may retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide requested services
• Maintain client and business records
• Meet tax related recordkeeping obligations
• Meet insurance related requirements
• Meet applicable credit service requirements
• Maintain accounting and transaction records
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Resolve disputes
• Maintain security and fraud prevention records
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims

Retention periods vary depending on the type of information, service provided, contractual requirements, applicable law, and regulatory requirements.

When information is no longer reasonably necessary, it may be securely deleted, destroyed, anonymized, or otherwise disposed of according to our applicable information management practices.

Our website and services may interact with third party platforms such as:

• Scheduling providers
• Payment processors
• Client portals
• Tax software providers
• Credit technology providers
• Accounting platforms
• Insurance carriers
• Electronic signature providers
• Communication platforms
• Other technology or service providers

When you provide information directly to an independent third party, that organization's privacy policy may govern how it processes your information.

Knowledge Solutions does not control the independent privacy practices of third party organizations.

We encourage you to review the privacy notices of third party services with which you interact.

Knowledge Solutions may maintain accounts on social media platforms.

Information you voluntarily post publicly, include in comments, or otherwise make available through social media may be visible to other users and subject to the privacy practices of the applicable platform.

Please do not send sensitive tax, financial, credit, insurance, identity, banking, or authentication information through social media.

Our general website and services are not directed toward children under 13.

Knowledge Solutions does not knowingly solicit personal information directly from children under 13 through its general website.

Information concerning a minor may be provided by a parent, legal guardian, taxpayer, insurance applicant, or other authorized adult when reasonably necessary to provide an authorized service.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information directly to us without appropriate authorization, please contact Knowledge Solutions.

Depending on your state of residence, the type of information involved, and applicable law, you may have certain rights concerning your personal information.

These may include rights to request:

• Access to certain personal information
• Correction of certain inaccurate information
• Deletion of certain information
• Information regarding certain uses or disclosures
• Withdrawal of certain communication consents
• Opt out of certain marketing communications
• Other rights provided under applicable privacy laws

These rights are not absolute.

Certain information may need to be retained or may be exempt from a privacy request because of tax laws, financial recordkeeping requirements, insurance regulations, credit service requirements, fraud prevention obligations, legal claims, contractual obligations, or other legal requirements.

We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing a privacy request.

Residents of certain states may have additional privacy rights under applicable state law.

Where a state privacy law applies to Knowledge Solutions and your personal information, we will process applicable privacy requests as required by law.

The availability and scope of these rights may depend on:

• Your state of residence
• The type of information involved
• How the information was collected
• Why the information is maintained
• Applicable statutory thresholds
• Applicable exemptions

To submit a privacy related request, contact Knowledge Solutions using the information provided below.

Certain browsers or devices may allow users to transmit privacy preference signals, such as Global Privacy Control.

Knowledge Solutions will process legally recognized privacy preference signals when required by applicable law and when our website technology is capable of receiving the applicable signal.

Knowledge Solutions may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in:

• Our services
• Technology
• Information handling practices
• Vendors or service providers
• Legal requirements
• Regulatory requirements

When this Privacy Policy is updated, the “Last Updated” date at the top of the page will be revised.

When required by law, additional notice may be provided regarding material changes.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.