Privacy practices built around clarity, confidentiality, and professional responsibility.

Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Lynx Tax Advisors.

Information You Provide Directly

We may collect:

• Name, email address, telephone number, mailing address, and other contact details
• Information contained in website forms, emails, telephone messages, text messages, or other communications
• Consultation requests, appointment details, and general descriptions of tax concerns
• Client intake information, questionnaires, engagement records, authorizations, correspondence, and case-related information
• Tax returns, IRS or state tax notices, account transcripts, financial records, payroll records, identity documents, and other information submitted through approved secure systems
• Billing, invoice, and payment-related information; complete card or bank credentials are generally handled by the applicable payment provider rather than stored directly by Lynx Tax Advisors
• Communication preferences and records of consent or opt-out choices
• Professional-referral, collaboration, contractor, credential, résumé, or applicant information
• Any other information you choose to provide

Please do not submit Social Security numbers, tax returns, IRS notices, bank statements, identity documents, or other highly sensitive information through a general website form or unsecured email unless specifically instructed.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use the website, we or our service providers may automatically collect:

• Internet Protocol address
• Browser, device, and operating-system information
• Approximate location derived from an IP address
• Pages viewed, links selected, referring pages, and general navigation paths
• Date, time, session duration, and website-performance information
• Cookie identifiers and similar technical identifiers
• Interaction information such as clicks, scrolling, mouse movement, and other usage patterns
• Security, diagnostic, fraud-prevention, and error logs

Information From Other Sources

We may receive information from:

• Scheduling, portal, payment, communications, document-management, and technology providers
• The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies, or other government sources when we are authorized to obtain or receive the information
• A spouse, business owner, fiduciary, attorney, accountant, payroll provider, bookkeeper, referral source, or other authorized person
• Public records and other lawful sources relevant to a potential or active engagement
• Professional contacts, applicants, credentialing sources, and collaboration partners

How We Use Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to questions and consultation requests
• Schedule, confirm, reschedule, and administer appointments
• Evaluate whether the firm can accept a matter, including conflict, scope, credential, risk, and capacity review
• Establish, administer, and document client engagements
• Provide tax preparation, tax representation, advisory, compliance, and related professional services within the agreed scope
• Obtain and review tax-agency information when authorized
• Operate the secure client portal and manage documents, tasks, signatures, questionnaires, invoices, and communications
• Process or facilitate payments and maintain accounting records
• Communicate about requests, appointments, engagements, documents, deadlines, invoices, security matters, and service updates
• Maintain professional, business, insurance, accounting, tax, security, and recordkeeping files
• Improve website performance, usability, content, and outreach
• Measure website traffic, referral sources, and advertising or campaign effectiveness
• Protect clients, personnel, systems, and operations from fraud, misuse, unauthorized access, and security threats
• Investigate and respond to incidents, complaints, disputes, or legal claims
• Comply with applicable laws, tax rules, court orders, professional standards, ethical obligations, and lawful government requests
• Evaluate professional referrals, contractor relationships, employment inquiries, and other business opportunities
• Carry out another purpose disclosed when the information is collected or authorized by you

Client and Taxpayer Information

Client and taxpayer information receives additional protection because of its confidential and sensitive nature.

We use and disclose client information only as reasonably necessary to perform an agreed engagement, administer the client relationship, work with authorized personnel and providers, comply with law and professional obligations, protect legal rights and security, or carry out another purpose authorized by the client.

When Internal Revenue Code section 7216 and its regulations apply, tax return information is used or disclosed only as permitted by law or with any consent required by law. This Privacy Policy does not replace a consent form that may be required for a particular use or disclosure.

Sensitive documents should be exchanged through the secure client portal or another approved secure method whenever practical. General website forms and ordinary email should not be used for highly sensitive taxpayer information unless specifically authorized.

Cookies, Analytics, and Similar Technologies

The website uses cookies and similar technologies for security, core functionality, preferences, analytics, performance measurement, and—when enabled—advertising or conversion measurement.

Necessary Technologies

Necessary technologies support functions such as website delivery, security, fraud prevention, navigation, form operation, and cookie-preference management. These technologies may operate because they are needed for the website to function.

Analytics and Performance Technologies

Current website tools may include:

• Squarespace and Squarespace Analytics
• Ahrefs Web Analytics
• Microsoft Clarity
• Google Tag Manager
• Google Analytics, Google Ads measurement, or other Google measurement tools when enabled
• Other security, performance, scheduling, form, and communications integrations

Microsoft Clarity may provide session recordings, heatmaps, and interaction analytics. These tools may record or infer clicks, scrolling, navigation, device information, and similar usage activity. Sensitive form content should be masked or excluded through the applicable configuration, but visitors should not submit sensitive taxpayer information through general website fields.

Service providers and tools may change as the website and business systems change. The categories of information collected and the purposes described in this Policy remain applicable to replacement or additional providers performing similar functions.

Cookie Choices

You may use the Cookie Preferences tool to accept, decline, or manage available categories of non-essential cookies. Browser settings may also allow you to block or delete cookies, although some website features may not function correctly as a result.

Browser Privacy Signals

Because browser “Do Not Track” signals are not a uniform industry standard, the website does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals. Where applicable law requires recognition of an opt-out preference signal, such as Global Privacy Control, a valid signal will be treated as an opt-out request for the browser or device from which it is sent. The website’s Cookie Preferences tool remains available for direct control of non-essential cookies.

How We Disclose Information

We may disclose personal information to the following categories of recipients when reasonably necessary:

Personnel and Professional Support

Owners, employees, contractors, tax professionals, interpreters, administrative personnel, and other individuals supporting the firm, subject to appropriate confidentiality and access restrictions.

Service Providers

Providers supporting website hosting, client portals, scheduling, forms, email, telephone, text messaging, videoconferencing, cybersecurity, document storage, electronic signatures, payments, accounting, analytics, marketing measurement, and other business operations.

Current systems may include Squarespace, TaxDome, Google Workspace, Microsoft Clarity, Ahrefs, Google services, and payment or communications providers. Each provider processes information under its own terms, privacy practices, and contractual arrangements.

Tax Agencies and Authorized Recipients

The IRS, state tax agencies, courts, financial institutions, payroll providers, attorneys, accountants, fiduciaries, business representatives, and other persons when authorized by the client or otherwise permitted by law.

Legal, Compliance, and Security Recipients

Government authorities, regulators, law-enforcement agencies, insurers, legal advisers, auditors, or other recipients when disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with law, respond to lawful process, investigate fraud or security incidents, enforce agreements, or protect clients, personnel, operations, or legal rights.

Business Transactions

A prospective or actual successor, purchaser, lender, insurer, adviser, or other participant in a financing, reorganization, merger, transfer, or sale involving all or part of the business, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal restrictions.

Sale, Sharing, and Targeted Advertising

We do not sell personal information in exchange for money. We do not sell client tax information or use client tax information for unrelated advertising.

Depending on how a website analytics or advertising technology is configured, disclosure of online identifiers or website-interaction information may be treated as a “sale,” “sharing,” or targeted advertising under certain state privacy laws even when no money changes hands. When an applicable law provides an opt-out right, you may use the Cookie Preferences tool, a recognized opt-out preference signal where supported and required, or the contact methods below.

We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of children under 16.

Information Security

Lynx Tax Advisors maintains a Written Information Security Plan and uses administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect confidential information. Depending on the information and system involved, safeguards may include:

• Role-based access controls and authentication requirements
• Multifactor authentication where appropriate
• Encryption and secure transmission methods where available
• Secure client-portal technology
• Device, network, software, and account-security practices
• Confidentiality obligations and workforce training
• Vendor review and access limitation
• Backup, monitoring, incident-response, and recovery procedures
• Secure retention and disposal practices

No method of transmission, storage, or security can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please contact us promptly if you believe information involving Lynx Tax Advisors may have been accessed, used, or disclosed without authorization.

Data Retention

We retain information for only as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and for legitimate legal, professional, security, insurance, accounting, tax, and business needs.

Retention may depend on:

• Whether an inquiry resulted in an engagement
• The nature and duration of a client matter
• Applicable tax, professional, contractual, insurance, or recordkeeping requirements
• The need to maintain conflict, authorization, billing, security, or dispute records
• Applicable limitation periods and legal holds
• Vendor settings for analytics, communications, security, and operational systems
• The sensitivity of the information and the practical ability to delete or de-identify it

Client and professional records may be retained after an engagement ends when required or reasonably appropriate. A privacy request does not require deletion of information that must or may lawfully be retained.

Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, the nature of the information, and whether an applicable privacy law covers Lynx Tax Advisors, you may have the right to:

• Confirm whether we process personal information about you
• Access or obtain a copy of certain personal information
• Learn the categories, sources, purposes, and recipients associated with personal information
• Correct inaccurate personal information
• Request deletion of certain personal information
• Obtain certain information in a portable format
• Opt out of a sale, sharing, targeted advertising, or certain profiling
• Limit certain uses or disclosures of sensitive personal information
• Appeal a decision regarding a privacy request
• Receive equal service and avoid unlawful discrimination for exercising a privacy right

These rights are subject to legal exceptions and limitations. For example, a request may not apply to information needed to provide services, comply with professional or legal obligations, protect security, establish or defend claims, maintain required records, or preserve confidential information belonging to another person.

You may submit a request by emailing info@LynxTaxAdvisors.com or calling 805-380-6010. Please state that your message concerns a privacy request and identify the state in which you reside.

We may ask for information reasonably necessary to verify your identity, authority, and request. An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted by law, but we may require proof of the agent’s authority and direct verification from the individual.

If we deny a request, we will provide an explanation when required. Where applicable, instructions for appealing the decision will also be provided.

Email, Telephone, Text, and Portal Communications

When you provide contact information and ask us to communicate with you, schedule an appointment, or enter an engagement, we may respond or send service-related communications through email, telephone, text message, client-portal notification, or another agreed method.

Service-related communications may concern appointments, document requests, portal activity, invoices, deadlines, security, engagement administration, or client services. Message and data rates may apply. Consent to receive marketing text messages is not a condition of purchasing services. You may ask us to stop non-essential promotional communications, although we may continue to send necessary service, security, transactional, or legally required messages.

Ordinary email and text messaging may not be secure. Do not send highly sensitive taxpayer information through those channels unless specifically instructed.

Children’s Privacy

The website and professional services are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from a child under 13 through the website. If you believe a child has provided personal information without appropriate authorization, please contact us.

Third-Party Websites and Services

The website may link to client portals, scheduling tools, payment providers, government websites, professional directories, social networks, or other third-party resources. Lynx Tax Advisors does not control and is not responsible for the privacy, security, availability, content, or terms of third-party services. Review the applicable third party’s policies before providing information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as laws, systems, services, and business practices change. The revised Policy will be posted on this page with a new “Last Updated” date. Material changes may be communicated through an additional notice when appropriate or required.