This Privacy Policy explains how Focused-Bookkeeping, LLC ("Focused-Bookkeeping," "the Firm," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects information in connection with our website at https://www.focused-bookkeeping.com (the "Site") and our bookkeeping and related client services.
Focused-Bookkeeping, LLCThis Policy applies to information collected through the Site and through our direct interactions with prospective and current clients (such as phone calls, email, and our secure client portal). It does not apply to third-party websites or services that we do not control, even where the Site links to them (see Section 17).
When you contact us, request information, or schedule a consultation, you may provide:
Like most websites, the Site may automatically collect certain technical information when you visit, including your IP address, browser and device type, operating system, pages viewed, referring website, and the date and time of your visit. This information is generally collected through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 10).
If you become an engaged client, we collect the financial and business information necessary to perform bookkeeping and related services under your engagement letter, which may include bank and credit card transaction data, payroll records, invoices, receipts, financial statements, and related business records. This information is provided through our secure client portal or other agreed-upon secure channels, not through ordinary website contact forms.
Please do not submit Social Security numbers, Employer Identification Numbers, bank account or routing numbers, login credentials, or other highly sensitive information through the Site's contact forms or by unencrypted email. Once you are an engaged client, we will direct you to QuickBooks Online for the secure exchange of this type of information.
We use the information described above for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Example |
|---|---|
| Respond to inquiries | Reviewing and responding to contact-form submissions and emails |
| Schedule appointments | Processing consultation or meeting requests submitted through our contact form |
| Provide services | Delivering bookkeeping, payroll-support, and related services to engaged clients |
| Maintain client accounts | Administering access to the secure client portal and related records |
| Process payments | Billing and collecting payment for services rendered |
| Improve the website | Understanding how visitors use the Site through analytics |
| Security | Detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access |
| Legal compliance | Meeting recordkeeping, tax, and other regulatory obligations |
For engaged clients, information is used to perform the bookkeeping, payroll-support, and related services described in your engagement letter, to communicate with you about your account, to prepare and deliver financial records and reports, and to bill for services rendered. Use of client information beyond these purposes requires your consent or is otherwise permitted or required by law.
We work with third-party service providers to operate the Site and deliver our services. Depending on what Focused-Bookkeeping uses, these may include:
These providers process information on our behalf and are expected to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
We may use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use the Site so that we can improve its content and functionality. These tools may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your visit, which is typically reported to us in aggregate form.
We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction, consistent with North Carolina's data-security requirements under N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 75. These safeguards may include access controls, secure transmission methods, and secure storage of client records. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a security breach involving personal information, we will provide notification in accordance with applicable North Carolina and federal law.
The Site may use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
You can control cookies through your browser settings, including blocking or deleting cookies; note that disabling certain cookies may affect Site functionality.
We retain information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including providing services, complying with legal, accounting, and tax recordkeeping obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and applicable legal requirements; client financial records are generally retained in accordance with our internal recordkeeping policy and applicable law.
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:
We may access, preserve, or disclose information if we believe in good faith that doing so is necessary to comply with applicable law or legal process, protect the rights or safety of Focused-Bookkeeping, our clients, or the public, or investigate potential violations of our Terms.
The Site is intended for visitors located in the United States and operates in accordance with North Carolina and applicable U.S. federal law. If you access the Site from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you, subject to applicable legal and recordkeeping requirements (for example, we may be required to retain certain client financial records regardless of a deletion request). To make a privacy-related request, contact us at susanne@focused-bookkeeping.com. We will respond within a reasonable time.
The Site is not directed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can address it.
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, such as the IRS, the North Carolina Department of Revenue, or our accounting software and client portal providers. This Policy does not apply to those third-party sites, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies separately.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be reflected on this page; we encourage you to review this Policy periodically.
Questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy may be directed to:
Focused-Bookkeeping, LLC