Souza & Associates, Inc. values its website visitors’ and clients’ privacy. This privacy policy is effective November 1, 2014. It summarizes what information we might collect from a client. It is intended to give you confidence in the privacy and security of your personal information.
If you are like most Americans, privacy is a big concern to you. We want you to know that we share this concern. We recognize the importance of privacy and the sensitivity of personal information. As bookkeepers, we have a professional obligation to keep confidential all information we receive within a bookkeeper-client relationship. We are committed to protecting any personal information we hold.
During the preparation of your various tax filings, bookkeeping, and business management, you share personal information with us. This might include information on applications, worksheets, organizers, or other documents we use in assisting your needs. It also may include information we receive directly from third parties such as brokerage houses, banks, your lawyer, your accountant, and vendors regarding your accounts and information about your transactions. This may also include personal information regarding you and your employees, such as addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, etc. We value your trust and make every effort to continue to deserve your confidence.
Protecting our clients’ privacy is important to us and your personal information is only shared with our employees with whom it is necessary to perform the services you have hired us to do. State and federal laws require us to keep your information confidential unless we are required by a legal authority to divulge the information, for example, in response to a subpoena or a search warrant. Any disclosure of personal information will be strictly controlled and made fully in accordance with current U.S. law.
Under California law, you must give written permission before information is shared in any form with any third parties, affiliates, marketing experts, or subcontractors. At this time, we do not use any third parties, affiliates, marketing experts, or subcontractors in the course of business.
Souza & Associates, Inc. takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that your personal information is kept safe from loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. Among the steps we take to protect your information are:
- Premises security, including locked offices, file cabinets, and secure computers;
- Restricted file access to personal information;
- Installing, updating, and maintaining suitable anti-virus and anti-malware software and firewalls to prevent hacking or unauthorized computer access;
- Internal password and security policies.
For your convenience, Souza & Associates, Inc. may provide links to other websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices and terms of use of such other sites. Once you leave our website, we encourage visitors to read the privacy statements and terms of use of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by Souza & Associates, Inc.
In addition, you should be aware that e-mail is not a 100% secure medium and you should be aware of this when contacting us to send personal or confidential information. We utilize secure file sharing programs to ensure the safety of your information.
We take our obligation to you very seriously and value your trust. When your personal information is not longer needed, it is shredded, erased, or destroyed before being recycled.
This privacy policy may change from time to time. Visitors have an affirmative duty, as part of the consideration for permission to view this website, to keep themselves informed of changes.
If you have any questions or comments regarding Souza & Associates, Inc.’s privacy notice, please send an e-mail to: [email protected]
Thank you and we appreciate you allowing us to do the counting for you!