PRIVACY POLICY
Last revised: August 15, 2026
1. Our Commitment to Privacy
This Privacy Policy (this “Policy”) was developed to clarify the relationship between How To File Taxes, LLC, d/b/a Affordable Tax Co., a Georgia limited liability company (also referred to below as “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our”) and every person who visits our website located at AffordableTaxCo.com (our “Website”). This Policy outlines our commitment to combine the highest quality services with the highest level of integrity in dealing with our clients and visitors. This Policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use, and safeguard the personal information you provide to us when you visit our Website located at our Website or otherwise utilize our services (our “Services”; and together with, our Website, our “Products”), and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our Products.
This Policy applies generally to the use of our Services; however, the complete terms and conditions regarding your use of the Services will be set forth in a separate agreement. This Policy applies to information we collect: (i) on this Website; (ii) as part of our Services; (iii) in email, text, and other electronic messages between you and our Website; and (iv) when you interact with our advertising and applications on third-party websites and services, if those applications or advertising include links to our Website.
It does not apply to information collected by us offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by the Company or any third party, or any third-party content (including advertising) that may link to or be accessible from or on our Website.
Please read this Policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your information and how we will treat it. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is not to use our Products. By accessing or using our Products, you agree to this Policy. This Policy may change from time to time. Your continued use of our Products after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check this webpage periodically for updates.
2. Information we collect about you generally
When you use our Products, you may provide us with two (2) types of information: (i) personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and/or (ii) usage information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our Website.
If you choose to inquire about our Services, you may need to provide personal information. This includes information that you provide, or for which you provide us with access to, that directly or indirectly identifies an individual (including, without limitation, your name, mailing address , state of residence, email address, IP addresses, home and/or business phone number), or any other information which can be used to reasonably authenticate an individual (collectively, “Personal Information”). You may also need to provide information that is about you but individually does not identify you, such as information about your business organization or needs for which you are using our Products; or information about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Products, and usage details.
We collect this information directly from you when you provide it to us and automatically as you navigate through our Products; provided that, it is our Company’s policy not to use automatic tracking devices to collect Personal Information without your consent. Information collected automatically may include usage details, IP addresses, and information collected through cookies and other tracking technologies.
Other information we collect on or through our Products may include information that you provide by filling in forms on our Website (this includes information provided at the time of submitting a request for services or completing the fields on our contact page), and we may also ask you for information when you report a problem with our Products, such as information uploaded by you on our Website, or records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses) if you contact us.
If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses for a period of twenty-four (24) months. We provide the same protections for these electronic communications that we employ in the maintenance of information received by mail and telephone.
3. Website Use Information
Similar to other commercial websites, our Website utilizes web server logs to collect information about how our Website is used. For example, information gathered through web server logs may include the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent on our website, and the websites visited just before and just after our Website.
Children’s Information. We recognize a special obligation to protect Personal Information obtained from young children. Our Website is designed and intended for adults and is not of likely interest to children. The forms on our Website are capable, however, of collecting online information from children under the age of thirteen (13) that may be furnished by children under the age of thirteen (13) without prior parental consent. Upon discovery that any such information has been supplied by children under the age of thirteen (13), we will disregard and delete that information. We urge parents to instruct their children to never give out Personal Information without their permission when online. Additionally, the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”) requires that an individual under the age of sixteen (16) must provide opt-in consent for their personal information to be sold. Children under the age of thirteen (13) must provide valid parental consent for their information to be sold.
Information Sent to Us by Your Browser. Like most commercial websites, we collect information that is sent to us automatically by your web browser when you access our Website. This information typically includes the IP address of your internet service provider, the type of operating system and the type of your browser. The information we receive depends on the settings on your browser. Please check your browser settings to learn what information is sent or how to modify these settings. We use this information to create statistics that help us improve our Website and make it more compatible with the technology used by our visitors. We review these server logs for security purposes, such as detecting attempted intrusions or compromises to our network. If we suspect criminal activity, we might share our server logs – which contain visitors’ IP addresses – with the appropriate investigative authorities who could use that information to trace and identify individuals. In addition, if you access our Website through an email we have sent you, we may link the information provided by your browser to information in our records that identifies you personally.
The information we collect automatically may include Personal Information, but we may maintain it or associate it with Personal Information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Products and to deliver a better and more personalized service (as further outlined below), including by enabling us to, estimate our audience size and usage patterns, store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize our Products according to your individual interests, speed up your searches; and recognize you when you return to our Website.
Information Collected Using “Cookies.” Like many commercial websites, we use “cookies.” A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your hard disk by a web server. Cookies cannot be used to install software or deliver viruses to your computer. We may use two types of cookies – “session cookies” and “persistent cookies.” We may use “session cookies” to assign a randomly generated unique identification number to your computer. A session cookie expires after you close your browser. We use session cookies to collect information about the ways visitors use our Website – which pages they visit, which links they use and how long they stay on each page. We analyze this information, known as “click-through data,” to better understand our visitors’ interests and needs, and to improve the content and functionality of our Website. We may also use “persistent cookies.” These cookies do not expire when you close your browser but stay on your computer until they expire, or you delete them. Each time you visit our Website, our web server will recognize your cookie. By assigning your computer a persistent, unique identifier, we are able to create a database of your previous choices and preferences. In situations where these choices or preferences need to be collected again, they can be provided by us automatically, saving you time and effort. Assigning your computer, a persistent, unique identifier also helps us keep a more accurate account of how many people visit our Website, how often they return, how their use of our Website may vary over time, and the effectiveness of our promotional efforts. If you access our Website through an email, we have sent you or you have created a “user identity” during one of your visits, we may link the information provided by our cookies to information in our records that identifies you personally.
Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, analyze usage, and provide a better user experience. A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a web server. Cookies cannot be used to install programs or deliver viruses.
A. Essential Cookies. These cookies are necessary for the operation of our Website and cannot be disabled.
They include:
*Session cookies that maintain secure logins and navigation;
*Authentication cookies that verify your identity; and
*Load-balancing cookies that help distribute traffic across servers.
B. Non-Essential Cookies. These cookies enhance your experience but are not strictly required. They include:
*Preference cookies that remember your settings (e.g., language, location):
*Analytics cookies that help us understand how visitors use our site and improve performance:
*Advertising cookies that may be used to deliver relevant ads based on browsing behavior: and
*Social media cookies that enable sharing and interaction with platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
C. Third-Party Cookies. We may allow third-party service providers (such as analytics companies, advertising networks, or social media platforms) to place cookies on your device. These cookies may track your activity across different websites and are subject to the privacy policies of those providers. The Company shall have no liability for the practices and procedures of such third parties, nor any liability to you if you click on any third-party content.
D. Your Choices You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of our Website, but may be necessary in the event you do not consent to the automatic collection of Personal Information. For non-essential cookies, you may opt out through our cookie banner or by adjusting your preferences in your browser.
E. Log Files. We may also collect log files that record activity on our Website, including how many “hits” a particular web page is getting. These entries are generated anonymously and enable us to assess overall site activity, track interest in advertised sales and troubleshoot technical concerns. We also use the log file entries for our internal marketing and demographic studies, so that we can constantly improve the Services we provide you. Log files are only used internally, and are not associated with any individual, computer system, or browser.
Respecting Your Privacy Choices. We do not send out newsletters at this time, but in the event that we do, if you no longer wish to receive our email communications, please email me at the contact information below that you no longer wish to receive email communications. These emails are sent manually, and the Company maintains a manual opt-out list to prevent us from sending emails to those addresses.
4. External Transfer: How Do We Share Your Information?
Depending on your interactions with us and our Products, we may share your information as described below:
Third-Party Service Providers. We may use other companies to provide services to our business and clients and fulfill your requests. For example, we may use subcontractors for consulting engagements and administrative tasks. It is our policy to use service providers that maintain appropriate levels of data protection, security and confidentiality, and that comply with applicable law.
Other Limited Circumstances. There are other limited circumstances in which we may share your Personal Information or other information with third parties. For example, we may disclose your personal information when we, in good faith, believe disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law or a regulatory requirement or to comply with a subpoena or court order; to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to enforce a contract; to protect the rights, property or safety of the Company or a third party; or to protect your vital interests. In addition, your Personal Information may be transferred to another company that has acquired stock or all or part of the assets of the Company, to any affiliates or subsidiary of the Company, or to any successor of the Company as the result of a sale, merger, reorganization, dissolution, or liquidation. If such a transfer occurs, the acquiring company’s use of your Personal Information will still be subject to this Policy and the privacy preferences you have expressed to us. Unless you instruct us to share such information when you provide any Personal Information, we will not otherwise share your Personal Information with other third parties for unknown or unrelated purposes without your prior consent.
How Do We Use the Information That You Provide to Us? Broadly speaking, we use Personal Information for purposes of administering our business activities, providing customer service, and making available other products and services to our customers and prospective customers.
Sharing Information We may share Personal Information about you with firms that assist us in servicing your account or accounts and processing transactions you request. We may share Personal Information about you among our affiliates to offer or provide further products and services to you. We do not disclose Personal Information about you with non-affiliated third parties except with your consent or as permitted or required by law (e.g., disclosures to service client accounts or to respond to subpoenas). We may share Personal Information about you with non affiliated individuals or entities that you have previously authorized to receive such Personal Information, including but not limited to, your other professional advisors and/or service providers (e.g., attorney, accountant, insurance agent, broker-dealer, investment adviser, account custodian).
In addition to that which is described in this Policy, we restrict access to non-public Personal Information about you to employees of our firm and, in limited situations, to other non-affiliated third parties who assist us in providing Services to you. Their right to further disclose and use the information is limited by the other policies of our firm, applicable law, our Code of Ethics, and nondisclosure agreements where appropriate. We also maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards in compliance with applicable law and regulations to guard your non-public personal information. We reserve the right to amend our policies at any time and will notify you should this occur.
Finally, we retain the right to use and disclose your Personal Information if (i) we believe a limited disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate to protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights, property, or safety of our clients or others, (ii) to enforce or apply our Terms of Use found at https://affordabletaxco.com/terms-of-use/ and other agreements, including for billing and collection purposes, or (iii) to enforce the terms and conditions of our Services.
5. Data Security.
Our Security Obligations. We will comply with the terms and conditions set forth in this Policy, be responsible for any unauthorized creation, collection, receipt, transmission, access, storage, disposal, use, or disclosure of your Personal Information under our control or in our possession, and use and disclose your Personal Information only for the purposes for which it is provided, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Policy, and not use or otherwise disclose or make available your Personal Information for our own purposes without your prior written consent. We may aggregate, de-identify, or anonymize your Personal Information, and use such aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized data, which shall no longer be considered Personal Information, for our own research and development purposes.
Information Security. We utilize password protected documentation and encryption/security software to safeguard the confidentiality of Personal Information we collect from unauthorized access or disclosure and accidental loss, alteration, or destruction. We will deploy additional reasonable security measures to protect Personal Information in accordance with accepted industry standards. If, while performing our obligations under for you pursuant to our Products, we have access to or will collect, access, use, store, process, dispose of, or disclose credit, debit, or other payment cardholder information on your behalf, we will comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requirements, as applicable.
Employee Access, Training and Expectations. Our corporate values, ethical standards, policies, and practices are committed to the protection of customer information. Our business practices limit employee access to confidential information and limit the use and disclosure of such information to authorized persons, processes, and transactions.
Data Retention. We retain client tax records and related financial information for a minimum of seven (7) years to comply with IRS and state requirements. Records may be maintained electronically through secure portals or cloud-based storage, or in paper form if provided directly by clients. After the retention period, records are securely deleted or destroyed unless a longer period is required by law or necessary for legitimate business purposes.
Sensitive Personal Information. The Company may collect and use sensitive Personal Information in the course of providing tax preparation and advisory services. This includes, but is not limited to, Social Security numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, financial account details, and other information required to comply with federal and state tax laws.
We use this information solely for the purpose of preparing tax returns, providing related advisory services, and fulfilling legal obligations. We do not use sensitive Personal Information for marketing, profiling, or unrelated business purposes.
Although the Company does not provide services in California and is not subject to the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) or the CCPA when it comes to performing Services for our client, we voluntarily disclose that we limit the use of sensitive Personal Information to the purposes described above. Clients may request clarification of how their sensitive Personal Information is handled by contacting us at the email address listed below. We acknowledge the application of the CPRA and the CCPA when it comes to our Website and information collected thereby.
Automated Decision-Making and Profiling. The Company does not use automated decision-making or profiling in providing our Services. All tax preparation and advisory decisions are made by qualified professionals and are not based solely on automated processes.
Your Privacy Rights. The Company generally collects only the Personal Information necessary to fulfill your request. Where additional, optional information is sought, you will be notified of this at the point of collection. Depending on the jurisdiction in which you are located, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
*Right of access and data portability. You may have the right to request that we disclose to you information about our collection and use of your personal data in the preceding twelve (12) months, including: (a) the categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we collect; (b) the categories of sources from which we collect or sell Personal Information; (c) the business or commercial purpose for which we collect Personal Information; (d) the categories of third parties with whom we share Personal Information; and (e) the categories of Personal Information disclosed for a business purpose or sold to third parties and the categories of third parties to whom such personal data was sold or disclosed.
*Right to deletion. You may request that we delete certain Personal Information that we have collected about you. The foregoing is subject to our right to maintain your Personal Information for specific purposes and periods as permitted by law. If we are unable to comply with any such request, we will notify you.
*Right to opt-out. You may have the right to request that your Personal Information not be used for any other reason than business purposes. You have the right to exercise any of the rights listed above without discrimination by us or any additional charges or cost.
Expanded Data Subject Rights. In addition to the rights already described above, depending on your jurisdiction you may also have the following rights:
*Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process Personal Information, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
*Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: If you are a resident of a jurisdiction that provides this right (such as California under the CPRA), you may request that we limit our use of sensitive Personal Information to only those purposes necessary to provide our services or comply with legal obligations.
*Right to Data Portability: You may request that we provide your Personal Information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format so that you can transmit it to another service provider. Where technically feasible, you may also request that we transmit such information directly to another provider at your direction.
We will honor these rights to the extent required or permitted by applicable law and will respond to requests within the timeframes established by those laws.
Cyber Incident Response Plan. In the event of any unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or acquisition of Personal Information or other such breach of our information security measures (a “Data Breach”) we will follow the procedures set forth below:
*a meeting of the key members, officers, personnel, and managers of the Company will be held as soon as it is practicable to address the Data Breach;
*we will develop a reasonably detailed response to the specific Data Breach at issue and provide our reasonable best efforts to remedy the situation as soon as we can;
*we will notify you of a Data Breach as soon as reasonably practicable after we become aware of it in accordance with all applicable laws;
*we will notify you of any actions required on your end, such as changing usernames or passwords, as specified in a specific response to a Data Breach; and
*we will continue to follow up on our security systems after a Data Breach to analyze where the issue arose and how we can best prevent future similar incidents from happening.
6. Miscellaneous Provisions.
Contact for Privacy Requests. All privacy questions, requests, or matters related to this Policy should be directed to our designated Privacy Contact. You may reach us in the following ways:
*By Email: lrobinson@howtofiletaxesllc.com
*By Mail: How To File Taxes LLC d/b/a Affordable Tax Co
171 Crisler St
Canton, GA 30114
We may request additional information to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. This is to protect your privacy and ensure that we do not disclose Personal Information to unauthorized individuals. You can expect a response within thirty (30) days.
State and International Privacy Rights. The Company provides Services to clients in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Utah, Ohio, and Missouri. While our business does not meet the statutory thresholds requiring compliance with the applicable privacy laws of these states, we voluntarily extend similar privacy protections to our clients. This includes the right to access, correct, and request deletion of personal information, as well as the right to opt out of targeted advertising or the sale of personal data.
*Virginia Residents: We acknowledge the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) and voluntarily extend similar rights to our Virginia clients, including access, correction, deletion, and opt-out of targeted advertising.
*Utah Residents: We acknowledge the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) and voluntarily extend similar rights to our Utah clients.
*Tennessee Residents: We acknowledge the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA) and voluntarily extend similar rights to our Tennessee clients.
*Florida Residents: While the Florida Digital Bill of Rights applies only to very large businesses, we voluntarily extend similar rights to our Florida clients.
*Ohio Residents: Ohio’s Data Protection Act provides a safe harbor for businesses adopting recognized privacy frameworks. While not mandatory, we strive to align with these standards.
International Clients and Data Transfers. The Company does not actively market or provide services to residents outside the United States. In limited circumstances, such as assisting family members residing abroad, we handle Personal Information with the same care and safeguards described in this Policy. We do not engage in targeted marketing or systematic data processing in the European Union, and therefore the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) does not apply to our business operations. Likewise, in limited circumstances, Personal Information may be transferred internationally. When such transfers occur, we apply the same safeguards described in this Policy, including encryption, secure storage, and restricted access. Any international transfer of client information is limited to lawful purposes directly related to tax preparation and advisory services. We do not engage in systematic cross-border data processing or targeted marketing in the European Union. Accordingly, the GDPR does not apply to our Services. However, we voluntarily handle international client information with the same care and protections afforded to our U.S. clients.
Non-Service States. Affordable Tax Co does not provide tax services, consultation, or bookkeeping in the following states due to restrictive laws or regulatory requirements:
*Hawaii
*Nevada
*Illinois
*Maryland
*Oregon
*New York
*California
We do not market, solicit, or perform work for residents of these states. Accordingly, the privacy laws of these jurisdictions do not apply to our Services; however, we acknowledge that such restrictions may still pertain to our Website. If we expand our Services into any of these states in the future, we will update this Policy to reflect compliance with all applicable requirements.
Additional Privacy Disclosures
*Data Retention: We retain tax records and related financial information for a minimum of seven (7) years to comply with IRS and state requirements. Other Personal Information is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy.
*Sensitive Information: We collect and use sensitive Personal Information (such as Social Security numbers and financial account details) solely for the purpose of preparing tax returns and providing related Services. We do not use this information for marketing or unrelated purposes.
*International Transfers: In limited cases where client information is shared outside the United States, we use encryption and safeguard measures to protect the data.
*Automated Decision-Making: We do not use automated decision-making or profiling in providing our Services.
*Your Rights: In addition to the rights listed above, you may have the right to withdraw consent, limit the use of sensitive personal information, and request portability of your data, depending on your jurisdiction.
California Disclaimers. The Company acknowledges that California has certain laws and regulations, including the CPRA, the CCPA, and the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”; and together with the CPRA and the
CCPA, the “CA Laws”). While the Company does not perform Services in California, it understands that the CA Laws may still be applicable to the way that Personal Information is collected and stored on our Website. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Policy, the following disclaimer will apply for any California resident who accesses our Website within the jurisdiction of the state of California:
IF YOU DO NOT CONSENT TO THE COMPANY AUTOMATICALLY COLLECTING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION THROUGH ANY DEVICE, YOU SHOULD SPECIFICALLY OPT OUT OF SUCH AUTOMATIC COLLECTION BY CHANGING YOUR BROWSER. SETTING, SELECTING TO MANAGE COOKIE SETTINGS ON OUR WEBSITE, OR PROMPTLY LEAVE OUR WEBISTE. BY CLICKING ACCEPT, ACCEPT ALL, OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR ACCEPTANCE NOTICE WHEN PROMPTED BY OUR WEBSITE REGARDING COOKIE TRACKING NOTICES, YOU SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZE AND CONSENT TO THE COMPANY USING AUTOMATIC DATA COLLECTION DEVICES FOR THE SOLE PURPOSES OUTLINED IN THIS POLICY.
Privacy Statement. It is our policy to post any changes we make to this Policy on this page. The date this Policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date active and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting our Products and this Policy to check for any changes.
