Privacy Policy | TaxAccountants.co.nz

TaxAccountants.co.nz ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you use TaxAccountants.co.nz, we collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

Personal information (name, email address, phone number)
Business information (business name, type, location, size)
Service requirements and preferences
Communication preferences
Any other information you choose to provide

Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website:

IP address and approximate location data
Browser type, version, and language settings
Device information (operating system, screen size)
Pages visited, time spent on site, and navigation paths
Referral source (how you arrived at our site)
Date and time of visits

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide Services: Match you with suitable tax accountants in your area based on your specific requirements
Facilitate Communication: Enable communication between you and tax professionals
Send Updates: Provide you with relevant information about tax services and updates (with your consent)
Improve Services: Analyze usage patterns to enhance our website functionality and user experience
Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries and provide assistance
Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws and regulations

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with:

Tax Accountants and Professionals

We share your contact details and service requirements with qualified tax professionals in our network who may be able to assist you. They will use this information solely to evaluate whether they can help you and to contact you about their services.

Service Providers

We work with third-party companies that help us operate our website and provide services (e.g., web hosting, analytics, email delivery). These providers are contractually bound to protect your information.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights and safety.

We Do Not Sell Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission
Regular security assessments and updates
Restricted access to personal information
Secure data storage and backup procedures

However, please note that no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted over the internet.

5. Your Rights Under New Zealand Privacy Law

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the following rights:

Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner if you believe we have breached privacy principles

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this policy.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

Remember your preferences and settings
Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
Improve user experience and website functionality
Provide relevant content and recommendations

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on our website.

7. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites operated by tax professionals, service providers, or other organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it. You can request deletion of your information at any time by contacting us.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Privacy Enquiries

privacy@taxaccountants.co.nz

We aim to respond to all privacy enquiries within 5 business days.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy concern, you can contact the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner:

Website: www.privacy.org.nz
Phone: 0800 803 909
Email: enquiries@privacy.org.nz