Privacy policy

Shammas Bureau Tax (“we”, “us”) prepares tax returns for individuals and businesses. This policy explains what we collect through our client portal, how we use it, and the choices you have. Questions: hello@shammasbureau.com or (619) 579-7689.

What we collect

• Contact details: your name, email address, mobile number and mailing address.
• Tax information you give us or we prepare for you: documents you upload, answers to our questions, returns, and identification numbers (stored encrypted).
• Messages, appointments, signatures and invoices in your portal.
• Security records: sign-in sessions and devices, and a log of who viewed or downloaded your documents.

How we use it

• To prepare, review and file your returns, and to answer your questions.
• To send you notices about your account by email — and by text message if you have turned texts on (see below).
• To keep your account secure and to meet our legal and professional obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.

Text messages

If you turn on texts (Settings → Notifications in your portal), we use your mobile number to send account notices: new messages and requests from your preparer, appointment reminders, filing updates and signing codes. Message frequency varies with your account activity. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to stop texts at any time, or HELP for help.

We do not share or sell your mobile number or your consent to receive texts with third parties or affiliates for their marketing. Text-message opt-in data and consent are not shared with any third party, except the service providers that deliver our messages.

Who we share it with

• The IRS and state tax agencies, when we file at your direction.
• Service providers that run the portal for us under confidentiality obligations: hosting (Cloudflare), database and file storage (Supabase), email delivery, and text-message delivery (Twilio).
• Others only when the law requires it, or with your written consent.

How we protect it

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and identification numbers are encrypted separately. Only your preparer and our office team can see your records, staff sign in with two-step verification, and every document view and download is logged.

How long we keep it

We keep client records for seven years after your last return, then delete them, unless the law requires us to keep them longer.

Your choices

• Update your details or turn email and text notices on or off in Settings.
• Ask for a copy of everything we hold about you, or ask us to close your account, from Settings → Data or by contacting us.

Changes

If we change this policy we will update the date above and, for significant changes, tell you in your portal.