Privacy Policy

November 1, 2002

Under Federal Law (15 U.S.C. 6803) CPAs and other providers of financial services are required to notify clients of their policy with respect to the disclosure of clients' personal information.

I understand the value of your personal information and I respect your right to restrict my use of it. I have created this Online Privacy Policy Statement ("the Privacy Policy") to demonstrate my commitment to fair information practices and the protection of privacy.  This notice sets forth the privacy policy of Arlene K. Mose, CPA with respect to the disclosure of your personal information.

ARLENE K. MOSE, CPA

Online Privacy Policy Statement

Like all providers of personal financial services, certified public accounting firms licensed in California are required by a new federal law to inform their clients of policies regarding the privacy of client information. Recently, you may have been receiving privacy notices from banks, brokers, and credit card companies. These same client-privacy rules apply to CPA firms that prepare tax returns and do financial planning. California CPA firms have been, and continue to be, bound by the following laws, regulations, and professional standards that protect, subject to certain exceptions, the privacy of client information.

• My code of professional conduct enacted by the California State Board of Public Accountancy forbids disclosure of client information,
• Both Federal and California laws have criminal penalties for tax return preparers who disclose client information, and
  
• My firm is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and follows their Code of Professional Conduct which prohibits disclosing confidential client information.

Of course, all of the above protections can be waived with your express consent.

Arlene K. Mose, CPA  has followed these laws, regulations, and standards for the past 25 years. I have always protected your right to privacy. We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our clients or former clients to anyone, except as permitted by law.

Examples of sources from which we collect information include:

• Interviews and phone calls with you,
  
• Letters and e-mails from you,
  
• Tax return or financial planning organizers,
  
• Financial history questionnaires,
• Access to my website:  My website has areas that are open to all users, with no registration required to obtain access. Some areas of my Site, including specific pages in the "for client" section are password-protected for specific user groups, such as clients of Arlene K. Mose, CPA.  For these clients, a unique a user name and password is disseminated to each client.  Unlike many other websites which use "cookies" to provide information about you, the only cookie I use on my Site is one to automatically remember logins and passwords for the password-protected areas.
  
• Personal Information Collected. When you use my website's "Contact Us" feature, fill out a form, or access newsletter subscription, you will give me information that personally identifies you. Personal information may include: (i) contact data (such as your name, mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers); (ii) financial data (such as your password or account number); and (iii) demographic data (such as your zip code). If you communicate with me by e-mail or other facilities that may exist on my Site from time to time, or complete online forms, I may collect any information from that communication.

As a general rule, Arlene K. Mose, CPA does NOT disclose personal information about clients or former clients to anyone. However, to the extent permitted by law and any applicable state Code of Professional Conduct, certain non-public information about you may be disclosed in the following situations:

1. In the course of a review of our firm's practices under the authorization of a state or national licensing board, or as necessary to properly respond to an inquiry or complaint from such a licensing board or organization.
   
2. In conjunction with a prospective purchase, sale, or merger of all or part of my practice, provided I take appropriate precautions (for example, through a written confidentiality agreement) so the prospective purchaser or merger partner does not disclose information in the course of the review.
   
3. As a part of any actual or threatened legal proceedings or alternative dispute resolution proceeding either initiated by or against me, provided I disclose only the information necessary to file, pursue, or defend against the lawsuit and take reasonable precautions to ensure that the information disclosed does not become a matter of public record.
   
4. To provide information to affiliates of the firm and nonaffiliated third parties who perform services or functions for us in conjunction with our services to you, but only if we have a contractual agreement with the other party which prohibits them from disclosing or using the information other than for the purposes for which it was disclosed. (Examples of such disclosures include using an outside service bureau to process tax returns, engaging a records-retention agency to store prior year records, or website support.)
5. I also employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include delivering packages, sending postal mail and e-mail.   These companies such as USPS, Federal Express or Constant Contact will have access to your name and address.
   
6. I will NOT share information with any other company that might try to solicit your business such as financial planners, insurance companies, etc.
   

Arlene K. Mose, CPA retains records relating to professional services provided so that I am better able to assist you with your professional needs and, in some cases, in order to comply with professional guidelines. So that I may guard your non-public personal information, I maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards.

I work to include security measures in this Site to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information within my control that you provide to me. However, I cannot ensure or warrant the security of that information. It also is important for you to protect against unauthorized access to your password and to your computer.  Be sure to sign off when finished using a shared computer or one that is otherwise accessible to third parties.   You must promptly notify me if your user name or password is lost, stolen or used without permission. In such an event, I will cancel that user name or password and update our records accordingly.

Please call if you have any questions, because your privacy, our professional ethics, and the ability to provide you with quality financial services are very important to us.

Updates and Changes to Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy and our Terms and Conditions of Use may change frequently, and use of information that I gather now is subject to the Privacy Policy in effect at the time of use. I reserve the right, at any time and without notice, to add to, change, update or modify this Privacy Policy, simply by posting such change, update or modification on our Site. Any such change, update or modification will be effective immediately upon posting on my Site. You should check my Site frequently, and the page where this Privacy Policy is posted, to see recent changes.

Conditions of Use - Opt Out

By using my Site, you signify your acceptance of this Privacy Policy, as amended from time to time. If you do not agree with the terms and conditions contained in this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Site.  If you have any concern about privacy at my Site, please send a detailed message to me at taxcrazy@earthlink.net and I will try to resolve it.

My Site contains links to other websites. I am not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites. You are encouraged to become familiar with the privacy policies and practices of every Web site that you visit prior to disclosing any personal information.

I make every effort to contact you  ONLY if you have previously chosen to receive communications from us. At any time, you can "opt out" of receiving direct mail and marketing material from  me, such as tax alerts and product and service updates, by e-mailing me at info@taxcrazy.com or calling (925) 680-0110.

Security of Information

Security of Personal Information:  I store your personal information in a secure location that is accessible only by designated staff. I make reasonable efforts to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration or destruction. In addition, I use a secure server to protect the safety and security of transactions over the Internet involving personal information.

Online information is stored on secure servers located in CPA Website Solutions SAS-70 certified datacenters.

If you have thoughts, questions or suggestions about this Privacy Policy or any other aspect of your relationship with my firm, please contact me.

My postal address is as follows:

Arlene K. Mose, CPA
367 Civic Drive, Suite #12

Pleasant Hill, CA 94523