Benchmark Tax Services, LLC (“Benchmark,” “Benchmark Tax Services,” “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects the privacy of our clients, prospective clients, website visitors, and others who interact with us.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you visit www.benchmarktaxservices.com, submit information through our website, communicate with us, schedule appointments, use our client systems, purchase services, or otherwise interact with Benchmark.
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through our website and online services and, where applicable, information collected in connection with our professional services.
By using our website or voluntarily providing information to Benchmark, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through or in connection with:
- www.benchmarktaxservices.com
- Website forms
- Contact and inquiry forms
- Appointment scheduling
- Client onboarding
- Client portals
- Tax preparation services
- Bookkeeping services
- Tax planning and consulting services
- Email communications
- SMS and text communications
- Telephone communications
- Electronic signatures
- Estimates and invoices
- Payment transactions
- Customer relationship management systems
- Marketing communications
- Blog subscriptions
- Other online interactions with Benchmark
Certain third party websites and services accessible through our Website maintain their own privacy policies. Their privacy practices are governed by their respective policies rather than this Privacy Policy.
2. Categories of Information We May Collect
The information Benchmark collects depends upon how you interact with us and which services you request.
A. Identification and Contact Information
We may collect information such as:
- First and last name
- Mailing address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Date of birth
- Preferred communication method
- Business name
- Job title or occupation
B. Taxpayer and Identity Information
When necessary to provide tax preparation or related professional services, we may collect taxpayer and identity information such as:
- Social Security numbers
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers
- Employer Identification Numbers
- Dates of birth
- Filing status
- Dependent information
- Government issued identification information
- Prior year tax information
- Taxpayer authentication information
Sensitive taxpayer information should be provided only through the secure methods designated by Benchmark.
C. Tax and Financial Information
Depending upon the services requested, we may collect:
- Income information
- W 2 information
- Form 1099 information
- Business income and expenses
- Banking information
- Investment information
- Retirement information
- Deduction information
- Credit eligibility information
- Estimated tax information
- Prior year tax returns
- Tax notices and correspondence
- Business financial records
- Profit and loss information
- Balance sheet information
- Bookkeeping records
- Payroll related information
- Other financial information necessary to perform requested services
D. Business Information
For business clients, self employed taxpayers, and transportation professionals, we may collect information including:
- Business name and structure
- Employer Identification Number
- Business address
- Ownership information
- Revenue and expenses
- Contractor information
- Business asset information
- Vehicle and mileage information
- Equipment information
- Accounting and bookkeeping records
- Business banking information
- Other information relevant to the services requested
E. Appointment and Service Information
When you schedule an appointment or request services, we may collect:
- Service requested
- Appointment date and time
- Consultation information
- Notes related to your inquiry
- Appointment history
- Service preferences
- Information you voluntarily provide regarding your tax or business needs
F. Communications
We may maintain records of communications with you, including:
- Emails
- SMS or text messages
- Telephone communications and related notes
- Website inquiries
- Portal messages
- Appointment communications
- Customer service communications
- Marketing preferences
- Opt in and opt out records
G. Transaction and Payment Information
When you purchase services or make payments, we may collect transaction related information such as:
- Amount paid
- Service purchased
- Invoice information
- Payment status
- Transaction date
- Payment method type
- Billing information
- Transaction identifiers
Payment card information may be processed directly by third party payment processors.
Benchmark does not necessarily receive or store complete payment card numbers when transactions are processed through a third party payment provider.
H. Website and Device Information
When you interact with our Website, certain information may be collected automatically, depending upon your device, browser, settings, and technologies used on the Website.
This information may include:
- Internet Protocol address
- Browser type
- Device type
- Operating system
- Referring website
- Pages viewed
- Date and time of visits
- Approximate geographic information derived from an IP address
- Website interactions
- Link clicks
- Session information
- Cookie or similar technology identifiers
3. How We Collect Information
Benchmark may collect information:
- Directly from you
- Through Website forms
- Through appointment scheduling
- Through client onboarding
- Through secure client portals
- Through tax organizers and questionnaires
- Through documents you provide
- Through email, SMS, telephone, or other communications
- Through electronic signature systems
- Through payment transactions
- Through our CRM and business systems
- Automatically when you interact with our Website
- From service providers acting on our behalf
- From government agencies or taxing authorities where authorized
- From other persons or organizations when you authorize or direct them to provide information to us
- From publicly available sources where appropriate and lawful
4. How We Use Personal Information
Benchmark may use personal information for legitimate business and professional purposes, including to:
- Respond to inquiries
- Schedule and manage appointments
- Determine which services may be appropriate
- Establish and manage client relationships
- Verify identity
- Prepare tax returns
- Perform bookkeeping services
- Provide tax planning or consulting services
- Request additional documentation
- Communicate regarding services
- Provide appointment reminders
- Send service status updates
- Prepare estimates and invoices
- Process payments
- Maintain accounting and business records
- Maintain required professional records
- Comply with tax preparer requirements
- Conduct due diligence
- Detect or prevent fraud
- Maintain and improve our Website
- Troubleshoot technical issues
- Protect Benchmark, our clients, and our systems
- Maintain internal administrative records
- Send educational content
- Send marketing communications where permitted
- Maintain communication preferences
- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, professional requirements, or governmental requests
- Establish, exercise, or defend legal rights
5. Tax Return Information
Benchmark recognizes that tax return information is highly sensitive.
Tax return information may be subject to federal confidentiality and use restrictions in addition to other applicable privacy and security requirements.
Benchmark uses and discloses tax return information as necessary and legally permitted to prepare and provide tax related services and otherwise as authorized or required by applicable law.
We do not treat possession of taxpayer information as unrestricted permission to use that information for unrelated purposes.
Where a separate consent is legally required for a particular use or disclosure of tax return information, Benchmark will seek the applicable authorization before making that use or disclosure.
6. Nonpublic Personal Information
In providing financial and tax related services, Benchmark may receive nonpublic personal information concerning clients.
The FTC's Safeguards Rule defines customer information broadly to include records containing nonpublic personal information about customers of covered financial institutions, and the FTC expressly identifies tax preparation firms among the businesses potentially covered by the Rule. Federal Trade Commission
Benchmark handles nonpublic personal information in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.
7. How We May Disclose Information
Benchmark may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary to provide services, operate our business, or comply with legal obligations.
Recipients may include the following categories.
Service Providers
We may use third parties that provide services such as:
- Website hosting
- Customer relationship management
- Client portals
- Tax preparation software
- Electronic filing
- Electronic signatures
- Appointment scheduling
- Email delivery
- SMS communications
- Payment processing
- Bookkeeping or accounting technology
- Cloud storage
- Cybersecurity
- Information technology support
- Analytics
- Professional support services
These providers may receive information necessary to perform services on Benchmark's behalf.
Government and Tax Authorities
When necessary or authorized in connection with tax services, information may be transmitted to:
- Internal Revenue Service
- State taxing authorities
- Other governmental authorities
Professional Advisors
Information may be disclosed when appropriate to Benchmark's attorneys, accountants, insurers, auditors, consultants, or other professional advisors.
Legal and Regulatory Requirements
We may disclose information where we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to:
- Comply with applicable law
- Respond to lawful governmental requests
- Respond to subpoenas or court orders
- Comply with regulatory requirements
- Protect legal rights
- Investigate suspected fraud
- Protect clients or other persons
- Enforce agreements
Business Transactions
Information may be transferred in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale of assets, or similar business transaction, subject to applicable confidentiality and legal requirements.
8. We Do Not Sell Taxpayer Information
Benchmark does not sell taxpayer information as a business practice.
We do not sell tax return information to data brokers or other businesses for their independent commercial use.
Where applicable law requires specific consent before tax return information may be used or disclosed for a purpose other than preparing or providing tax related services, Benchmark will follow the applicable consent requirements.
9. Gramm Leach Bliley Act and Financial Privacy
Certain activities performed by tax preparation firms may fall within federal financial privacy requirements.
The Gramm Leach Bliley Act requires covered financial institutions to explain certain information sharing practices and protect sensitive customer information. The FTC identifies tax preparation firms as an example of a business that may qualify as a financial institution under the Safeguards Rule. Federal Trade Commission
To the extent applicable, Benchmark maintains practices designed to address relevant privacy and safeguarding requirements.
Certain disclosures of nonpublic personal information may also be subject to notice and opt out requirements under applicable financial privacy rules. Federal Trade Commission
10. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Benchmark's Website may use cookies, pixels, tags, local storage, scripts, analytics technologies, or similar tools.
These technologies may be used to:
- Enable Website functionality
- Remember preferences
- Maintain sessions
- Understand Website traffic
- Measure Website performance
- Identify technical issues
- Understand how visitors interact with pages
- Measure marketing effectiveness
- Improve Website functionality
Some technologies may be placed by third party providers.
Your browser may allow you to block or delete certain cookies. Blocking cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Website.
Where required by applicable law, Benchmark will provide additional choices regarding nonessential cookies or similar technologies.
11. Analytics
Benchmark may use analytics technologies to understand how visitors interact with the Website.
Analytics information may include page views, device information, referral information, Website navigation, session activity, and similar usage information.
Analytics information helps us evaluate Website performance and improve our online services.
12. Advertising and Tracking Technologies
Benchmark may use online advertising or marketing technologies to measure campaigns or reach individuals who may be interested in Benchmark's services.
Depending upon the technologies actually deployed on the Website, third party advertising platforms may use cookies, pixels, or similar technologies.
Where legally required, users will be provided with appropriate disclosures or choices regarding these technologies.
Before publishing this section, the Website should be checked for the actual Meta Pixel, Google Ads, Google Analytics, or other tracking technologies installed. The final policy should name material technologies actually being used rather than pretending we know what is installed.
13. Email Communications
Benchmark may send service related, educational, administrative, or promotional emails.
Promotional emails may contain an unsubscribe mechanism.
You may opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link provided in the applicable message.
Opting out of promotional emails does not prevent Benchmark from sending necessary transactional, administrative, appointment, account, or service communications.
14. SMS and Text Messaging Privacy
When you provide your telephone number and consent to receive text messages where required, Benchmark may use your number for communications consistent with the consent provided.
SMS communications may include:
- Appointment reminders
- Service updates
- Document reminders
- Administrative notifications
- Tax season communications
- Educational messages
- Promotional communications where authorized
Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.
You may opt out of applicable SMS communications by following the instructions contained in the message, including replying STOP where supported.
Mobile Information
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
Information may be shared with service providers that support delivery of Benchmark's messaging program when necessary to provide those services.
Text messaging originator opt in data and consent will not be sold or shared with third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
This section should also be consistent with the exact SMS consent language used on Benchmark's HighLevel forms and A2P registration.
15. Payment Processing
Benchmark may use third party payment processors to facilitate payments.
Payment processors may collect payment card details and other information necessary to complete a transaction.
Benchmark may receive information regarding the transaction, such as the amount, date, payment status, transaction identifier, and payment method type.
The payment processor's handling of payment information is also governed by its own privacy policy and terms.
16. Client Portal and Professional Systems
Benchmark may provide clients with access to secure portals or other professional systems for onboarding, document exchange, communications, tax preparation, electronic signatures, and related services.
Information submitted through these systems may be processed by the technology providers that operate them on Benchmark's behalf.
Clients should use Benchmark's designated secure systems when transmitting sensitive tax documents or confidential financial information.
17. Data Security
Benchmark recognizes the sensitive nature of taxpayer and financial information.
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, acquisition, disclosure, alteration, loss, misuse, or destruction.
The FTC Safeguards Rule requires covered financial institutions to maintain a written information security program containing administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to their operations and the sensitivity of customer information. Federal Trade Commission
The IRS likewise states that professional tax preparers are required to create and maintain a Written Information Security Plan for client data. IRS
However, no method of electronic transmission, online storage, or information security can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
18. Data Breach and Security Incidents
If Benchmark becomes aware of a security incident involving personal information, we will evaluate and respond to the incident in accordance with applicable law and our security procedures.
Where notification to affected individuals, government authorities, regulators, or other parties is legally required, Benchmark will provide such notification in accordance with applicable requirements.
The FTC's Safeguards Rule includes notification requirements for certain security events applicable to covered institutions. Federal Trade Commission
19. Data Retention
Benchmark retains personal information for periods reasonably necessary to:
- Provide requested services
- Maintain client records
- Fulfill tax preparation obligations
- Satisfy due diligence requirements
- Maintain accounting and transaction records
- Resolve disputes
- Enforce agreements
- Meet professional obligations
- Comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements
Retention periods vary depending upon the type of information and reason it was collected.
For example, certain federal tax preparer due diligence records must be retained for specified periods. The IRS currently requires certain due diligence records to be retained for at least three years. IRS
Benchmark may retain information for longer periods when reasonably necessary or legally required.
When information is no longer required, Benchmark may delete, destroy, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it consistent with applicable requirements and business practices.
20. Your Privacy Choices
Depending upon the nature of your relationship with Benchmark and applicable law, you may have choices concerning certain uses of your information.
These may include the ability to:
- Unsubscribe from marketing emails
- Opt out of applicable promotional SMS messages
- Adjust browser cookie settings
- Request correction of inaccurate contact information
- Ask questions regarding Benchmark's privacy practices
- Exercise other rights available under applicable law
Not every privacy right applies in every jurisdiction or circumstance.
Benchmark may need to retain certain information despite a request where retention is required for tax, accounting, regulatory, contractual, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or other lawful purposes.
21. Financial Information Sharing Opt Out
Where applicable financial privacy law provides you with a right to opt out of certain disclosures of nonpublic personal information to nonaffiliated third parties, Benchmark will provide the required notice and a reasonable method for exercising that right.
The FTC Financial Privacy Rule requires covered financial institutions to comply with limitations on certain disclosures and, in applicable circumstances, provide consumers an opportunity to opt out. Federal Trade Commission
This right does not apply to disclosures that are legally permitted without an opt out, including certain disclosures necessary to process or service transactions, provide requested services, prevent fraud, comply with law, or perform other legally recognized functions.
22. Georgia Residents
Benchmark operates in Warner Robins, Georgia, and this Privacy Policy is intended to operate consistently with applicable Georgia and federal requirements.
Georgia residents may contact Benchmark using the information below with questions concerning personal information or privacy practices.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to limit any privacy or consumer right available under applicable Georgia or federal law.
23. Residents of Other States
Benchmark may provide services to individuals located outside Georgia.
Depending upon your state of residence and whether an applicable state privacy law applies to Benchmark or the particular information involved, you may have additional privacy rights.
Such rights may include, where applicable:
- Confirmation of whether personal information is processed
- Access to certain personal information
- Correction of inaccurate information
- Deletion of certain information
- Obtaining a copy of certain information
- Opting out of certain targeted advertising
- Opting out of certain sales or sharing
- Appealing certain privacy request decisions
These rights are subject to applicable statutory definitions, thresholds, exemptions, exceptions, verification requirements, and other limitations.
Benchmark will respond to valid privacy requests as required by applicable law.
24. How to Submit a Privacy Request
Privacy questions or requests may be submitted to:
Benchmark Tax Services, LLC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 478 919 2255
Website: www.benchmarktaxservices.com
Please identify your request sufficiently for Benchmark to understand and respond to it.
Benchmark may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
Verification helps prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing, changing, or deleting another person's information.
Authorized agents may submit requests where permitted by applicable law, subject to appropriate verification and authorization requirements.
25. Do Not Sell or Share Requests
Benchmark does not sell taxpayer information.
If Benchmark engages in activity in the future that constitutes a “sale,” “sharing,” or similar regulated disclosure under an applicable privacy law, Benchmark will provide any notices and opt out mechanisms required by that law.
A disclosure to a service provider performing services on Benchmark's behalf is not necessarily considered a sale under applicable privacy laws.
26. Children's Privacy
Benchmark's Website and professional services are intended for adults seeking tax, bookkeeping, or related professional services.
The Website is not directed to children under 13, and Benchmark does not knowingly solicit personal information directly from children under 13 through general Website marketing features.
Tax preparation may require information concerning a client's children or dependents. Such information may be provided by a parent, guardian, taxpayer, or other authorized person as necessary to provide professional services.
That information is treated as client and taxpayer information rather than information collected from a child independently using the Website.
27. Links to Other Websites
Our Website may contain links to third party websites.
Benchmark does not control the privacy practices of those websites.
When you leave Benchmark's Website and visit another website, you should review that provider's privacy policy before submitting personal information.
28. Social Media
Benchmark may maintain profiles or pages on third party social media platforms.
Information you provide directly to a social media platform is governed by that platform's privacy policies and settings.
Interactions with Benchmark through social media may also be visible to the platform or other users depending upon your settings and the nature of the interaction.
Do not submit confidential taxpayer information through social media.
29. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Benchmark may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in:
- Our services
- Website functionality
- Technology
- Business operations
- Privacy practices
- Legal or regulatory requirements
When changes are made, the revised policy will be posted on this page and the Last Updated date will be changed.
Material changes may be communicated through additional means when required by applicable law.
30. Relationship to Terms of Use and Client Agreements
This Privacy Policy addresses Benchmark's privacy practices.
Use of the Website is also governed by Benchmark's separate Terms of Use.
Professional tax preparation, bookkeeping, tax planning, and other services may also be governed by separate engagement agreements, consents, authorizations, disclosures, or other documents.
If a separate legally required privacy notice or consent applies to a particular service or use of information, that document may supplement this Privacy Policy.
31. Contact Benchmark Tax Services
Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or Benchmark's privacy practices may be directed to:
Benchmark Tax Services, LLC
Warner Robins, Georgia
Houston County
Phone: (478) 654-7343
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.benchmarktaxservices.com