Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At Taxo.au ("we," "us," or "our"), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website (taxo.au), mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

We adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and are committed to ensuring that all our privacy practices comply with these obligations.

By accessing or using our Services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our Services.

2. Information We Collect

To provide our tax services, we need to collect various types of information from you. We collect this information in the following ways:

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, which may include:

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and password.
• Profile Information: Your date of birth, address, occupation, profile picture, and other demographic information.
• Financial Information: Tax File Number (TFN), bank account details, income information, investment details, expense records, and other financial information necessary for tax preparation.
• Identity Verification: Government-issued identification documents such as driver's license or passport details to verify your identity as required by Australian tax regulations.
• Communications: Information you provide when you contact our customer support, participate in surveys, or communicate with us through various channels.
• Agent Program Information: If you apply to join one of our agent programs, additional business information such as ABN, business name, and relevant experience.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Services, certain information is collected automatically, including:

• Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our Services, such as the features you use, pages you visit, and the time and duration of your activities.
• Device Information: Information about your device, including IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, and device identifiers.
• Location Information: General location information as determined by your IP address.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies as described in our Cookies section below.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may collect information about you from third parties, including:

• Australian Taxation Office (ATO): With your authorization, we may obtain information directly from the ATO via their pre-filling service to assist with your tax return preparation.
• Identity Verification Services: Information from identity verification providers to verify your identity in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Referral Sources: If you were referred to our Services, we may receive information from the referrer.
• Payment Processors: When you make a payment, our payment processors provide us with transaction information, but not your full financial details.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

3.1 Providing and Improving Our Services

• Preparing and lodging your tax returns with the ATO
• Creating and managing your account
• Processing payments and transactions
• Providing customer support and responding to your inquiries
• Improving and developing new features and services
• Analyzing usage patterns to enhance user experience

3.2 Communications

• Sending important notices about your account or tax lodgment status
• Providing tax-related reminders, updates, and suggestions
• Sending promotional communications and newsletters (with your consent)
• Responding to your inquiries and support requests

3.3 Legal and Security Purposes

• Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Preventing, detecting, and investigating fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and other agreements
• Protecting our rights, property, and the safety of our users and others

3.4 Agent Program Management

• Reviewing and processing agent applications
• Managing agent relationships and commissions
• Providing agent-specific tools and resources

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We are committed to maintaining your trust, and we want you to understand when and with whom we may share your information:

4.1 Australian Taxation Office (ATO)

We share your tax return information with the ATO for the purpose of lodging your tax returns. This is a necessary part of our tax preparation service.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Payment processors to process your transactions
• Cloud storage providers to store your information securely
• Analytics providers to help us understand how our Services are used
• Customer support tools to assist with your inquiries
• Identity verification services to verify your identity

All service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the services they provide to us, to protect your information, and not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

4.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or uses of your information, as well as any choices you may have regarding your information.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal requests, such as subpoenas, court orders, or government regulations. We may also disclose your information if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation
• Protect and defend our rights or property
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with our Services
• Protect the personal safety of users of our Services or the public

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given us your consent to do so. For example, if you choose to participate in referral programs or testimonials.

4.6 Aggregated and De-identified Data

We may share aggregated, anonymized, or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you with third parties for various purposes, including business analytics, research, and marketing.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption: We use industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) to protect data in transit and AES-256 encryption for data at rest.
• Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can access your information within our organization, and all staff undergo background checks and security training.
• System Monitoring: We continuously monitor our systems for suspicious activities and unauthorized access attempts.
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing.
• Physical Security: Our data is stored in secure facilities with multi-layered physical security controls.
• Incident Response: We have an incident response plan to address any potential data breaches promptly.

While we implement these safeguards, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the security of your information transmitted to our Services; any transmission is at your own risk. However, once we receive your information, we make every effort to ensure its security on our systems.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide you with our Services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Specifically:

• Account information is retained as long as you maintain an active account
• Tax return information is retained for at least 5 years as required by ATO regulations
• Financial records are retained in accordance with taxation and financial regulatory requirements
• Usage data may be retained for a shorter period for analytics purposes

When your information is no longer required, we will either delete it or anonymize it so it can no longer be associated with you.

7. Your Privacy Rights

As an Australian service provider, we recognize and respect your rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access and Correction

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and to request that we correct any inaccuracies. You can access and update most of your information directly through your account settings. For information that cannot be accessed or corrected through your account, please contact us using the details in the "Contact Us" section.

7.2 Data Portability

You may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format for your own purposes or to transfer to another service.

7.3 Deletion

You may request that we delete your personal information. Please note that we may be unable to delete certain information if we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes, or if it is necessary for the provision of our Services.

7.4 Restriction of Processing

You may request that we limit the way we use your personal information, particularly if you are concerned about the accuracy of the information or how it is being used.

7.5 Withdrawing Consent

Where we process your information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on your consent before its withdrawal.

7.6 Marketing Preferences

You can opt out of receiving marketing communications from us by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email, updating your communication preferences in your account settings, or by contacting us directly.

7.7 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in the "Contact Us" section. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and deliver relevant advertising.

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the operation of our website, such as session management and security
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to enhance your experience
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website
• Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant ads and track ad campaign performance

8.2 Cookie Management

You can control cookies through your browser settings and other tools. For more detailed information about cookies and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that a child under 18 may have provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

10. International Data Transfers

We primarily store and process your information in Australia. However, some of our service providers may be located in other countries. When we transfer your information to service providers in other countries, we implement appropriate safeguards to ensure your information receives an adequate level of protection, regardless of where it is processed.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email (if you have an account where we have your contact information) or by posting a notice on our website prior to the changes becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Privacy Officer
Taxo.au
Level 12, 400 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia
Email: privacy@taxo.au
Phone: 1300 TAXO AU

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

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By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.