This Privacy Policy explains how Don Partners ("Don Partners," "we," "us," or "our") — a virtual accounting and tax-advisory firm based in Dallas, Texas — collects, uses, discloses, retains, and protects personal information through donpartnersfirm.com, its scripted website intake assistant, scheduling and communication processes, and related interactions that link to this Policy (collectively, the "Services").
This Policy covers website visitors, prospective clients, business contacts, and representatives of United States-based businesses. A separate engagement agreement, tax-return consent, Gramm-Leach-Bliley privacy notice, client-portal notice, or other legally required notice may apply after Don Partners accepts an engagement. If a more specific notice conflicts with this general website Policy, the more specific notice controls for the information and activity it covers.
1. Scope and U.S.-Only Services
The Services are intended for adults located in the United States and primarily for representatives of United States-based businesses. They are not directed to persons outside the United States or children under 13. Don Partners does not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information, contact us so we can evaluate and delete it as required.
2. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect information you provide, including identifiers and contact information; inquiry and intake information; communications and consent or opt-out records; scheduling information; professional-service information later provided through an approved channel; and other information you choose to provide.
Do not submit Social Security numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, full tax returns, bank credentials, payment-card numbers, passwords, authentication codes, or unredacted identity documents through the public website chat or general contact form.
When you use the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect Internet Protocol address; device, browser, operating-system, language, and general location information derived from IP address; date, time, referring page, pages or screens viewed, clicks, session activity, and diagnostic or error data; cookie, local-storage, authentication, security, or similar identifiers; and email-delivery events such as delivery, bounce, complaint, unsubscribe, and—if enabled—open or link-interaction events.
We may also receive information from scheduling providers, referral sources, public business records, identity or fraud-prevention services, government agencies when authorized, and other persons acting with your permission or on behalf of your business.
3. How We Use Information
We may use personal information to:
- operate, maintain, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Services;
- provide the scripted intake flow and remember the step or choices you make;
- respond to inquiries, verify contact details, evaluate requested services, identify conflicts or risk, and decide whether to offer a consultation or engagement;
- schedule and administer consultations, reminders, follow-ups, and requested communications;
- provide tax preparation, bookkeeping, IRS representation or support, advisory, or related professional services after an engagement is accepted;
- authenticate users, prevent abuse and fraud, protect systems, and maintain audit logs;
- comply with tax laws, recordkeeping duties, legal process, professional standards, insurance requirements, and regulatory requests;
- establish, exercise, or defend legal and professional claims;
- send service-related communications;
- send marketing communications where permitted by law and consistent with your choices; and
- create aggregated or deidentified information that is not reasonably linkable to an individual, subject to legal restrictions applicable to tax return information.
Where tax-return information is involved, Don Partners will use and disclose it only as permitted by Internal Revenue Code section 7216, Treasury regulations, a valid taxpayer consent that satisfies applicable requirements, or another applicable legal exception. A checkbox accepting this general Privacy Policy is not intended to serve as a section 7216 consent for a use or disclosure that requires a separate prescribed consent.
4. Scripted Intake Automation; No Generative AI Decision-Making
The website assistant is an automated, manually designed decision tree. It displays prewritten questions and response options based on the selections or information a visitor provides. It is not represented as a generative AI tax adviser and does not independently produce professional advice.
The flow may categorize, route, prioritize, or filter leads based on submitted answers and scheduling rules. It does not make legally or similarly significant decisions, determine a tax position, or establish a professional relationship. Don Partners personnel review matters before accepting an engagement or providing professional advice.
5. How We Disclose Information
We may disclose personal information to service providers that perform services for us, such as website hosting, cloud databases, authentication, security, email delivery, scheduling, communications, document exchange, customer management, analytics, professional software, and technical support. They may process information only for contracted business purposes and subject to applicable confidentiality, security, and legal restrictions.
Current website infrastructure includes Google Firebase for hosting and/or related cloud functions and data services, and Resend (operated by Plus Five Five, Inc.) for email delivery. Depending on configuration, these providers may process identifiers, content routed through their services, IP or device information, logs, and delivery or diagnostic data.
Don Partners may use Google Calendar and Google Meet to schedule and conduct consultations. Google may process participants' names, email addresses, calendar and appointment details, meeting identifiers, device and connection information, and other information submitted during a meeting. Don Partners uses this information to schedule, administer, secure, and conduct requested appointments. Google's processing is also governed by its applicable privacy terms.
Appointment confirmation emails are delivered through Resend and may include the client's name, appointment date and time, and a Google Meet join link (and related dial-in details). Please do not share your meeting link with others, and join only at your scheduled time.
Consultations may be recorded, transcribed, summarized, or otherwise documented (including through meeting notes tools) for quality, training, and service purposes. Recording and consent requirements vary by location. Participants are notified of this practice in appointment communications. If you do not want a meeting recorded or documented, tell Don Partners before or at the start of the consultation. Don Partners will not quietly enable recording, transcripts, or AI meeting notes without disclosure to participants.
After an engagement begins, we may disclose information to Don Partners personnel, authorized tax preparers, professional advisers, software providers, government agencies, financial institutions, or other parties as necessary to perform requested services, but only as authorized by law, a valid consent, or an applicable exception.
We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, legal process, professional duties, insurance obligations, or government requests; protect rights, safety, systems, or property; investigate fraud or misuse; or complete a merger, reorganization, financing, or transfer of all or part of a business.
6. Sale, Sharing, and Targeted Advertising
Don Partners does not sell personal information for money and does not authorize Firebase, Resend, or another service provider to sell personal information submitted to Don Partners. Don Partners also does not sell or disclose tax return information for advertising or unrelated commercial purposes.
Mobile telephone numbers, text-message originator opt-in data, and consent records will not be sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
Don Partners does not currently state that it shares personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or processes it for targeted advertising. Because Don Partners does not currently sell personal information or use it for targeted advertising as described above, it does not currently offer a separate "Do Not Sell or Share" link. If that practice changes, Don Partners will implement the required mechanism before the practice begins.
7. Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Site may use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies that are strictly necessary for operation, security, preferences, form or chat state, authentication, and performance. You can control cookies through browser settings. Blocking necessary technologies may prevent features from working.
8. Email, Telephone, and Text Communications
We use contact information to respond to requests and, when authorized, to send calls, emails, or text messages about inquiries, consultations, reminders, document requests, services, and related follow-up.
Marketing emails will identify the sender, use non-deceptive subject lines and headers, include a valid physical postal address, provide a clear unsubscribe method, and honor opt-out requests within the period required by law, including within 10 business days under the CAN-SPAM Act. Transactional or relationship messages will be treated according to their primary purpose.
8A. SMS / MMS Program Disclosures (Don Partners texts)
Program: Don Partners informational SMS/MMS for inquiry responses, contact verification, consultation scheduling, appointment reminders, tax-deadline alerts, document requests, service updates, and related follow-up for Don Partners accounting, tax-advisory, bookkeeping, or IRS-support services.
Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase.
Opt out: Reply STOP to cancel texts from Don Partners. Help: Reply HELP for help. After an opt-out we may send one confirmation and will not send further program texts to that number unless you opt in again (for example by texting START, JOIN, or SUBSCRIBE, or by checking the SMS box on our website).
Mobile number non-sharing: No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Mobile numbers are not shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes. Mobile telephone numbers, text-message originator opt-in data, and consent records collected for this SMS/MMS program are not sold, rented, or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. Consent is collected only for Don Partners' own first-party messages described above — not for other brands' campaigns.
Website Terms of Use: https://donpartnersfirm.com/terms. Privacy Policy: https://donpartnersfirm.com/privacy. Accessibility: https://donpartnersfirm.com/accessibility. Combined hub: https://donpartnersfirm.com/legal.
Marketing email opt-outs use the unsubscribe link in each email and apply only to that contact — they do not change other people's preferences. We retain SMS consent and opt-out records as needed for compliance.
9. Legal Bases and Consent
United States law generally does not use a single universal "legal basis" framework. Depending on the information and context, we process information to respond to your request, perform or consider a contract, operate and secure our business, comply with legal and professional duties, protect rights, and act with consent where consent is required.
You may withdraw consent prospectively through the method provided at collection or by contacting us, but withdrawal does not affect processing already lawfully completed and may prevent us from providing a requested feature or service. Tax-return-information consents are governed by their separate terms and applicable Treasury regulations.
10. Data Retention
We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, including to evaluate inquiries, provide services, maintain consent and opt-out evidence, comply with tax-preparer and professional recordkeeping requirements, secure systems, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.
Retention depends on the type of record, sensitivity, engagement status, legal obligations, limitation periods, insurance requirements, and backup cycles. Prospective-client intake that does not result in an engagement should be deleted or deidentified under a documented schedule unless needed for compliance, security, conflict checking, or dispute prevention.
11. Security
Don Partners uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. The public Site is not a secure client portal. If you suspect unauthorized access or receive an unusual request involving payment, credentials, or sensitive documents, contact Don Partners through a known method rather than replying to the suspicious request.
12. Your Privacy Rights and Choices
Depending on your state, residency, relationship with Don Partners, the type of information, and whether an exemption applies, you may have rights to confirm whether we process your personal information; access or obtain a portable copy; correct inaccuracies; delete certain information; opt out of targeted advertising, sale, or certain profiling; limit or withdraw consent for certain sensitive-data processing; appeal a denied privacy request; and receive equal service without unlawful discrimination for exercising a right.
These rights are not absolute. Exceptions may apply to information governed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, tax-preparer confidentiality rules, business-to-business or employment exemptions, legal claims, security, recordkeeping, or other law.
To submit a request, use the privacy contact method shown on the Site and state "Privacy Request." Describe the request, your state of residence, and the information or interaction involved. We may reasonably verify identity and authority before responding. Don Partners will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.
13. State-Specific Notices
Texas residents may have rights under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, subject to applicability thresholds and exemptions. These may include access, correction, deletion, portability, opt-out, and appeal rights.
Residents of California and other states may have additional rights if the applicable law covers Don Partners and the relevant data. Categories described in Section 2 are collected for the purposes described in Section 3 and disclosed to the categories of recipients described in Section 5. Nothing in this Policy limits a right that cannot be waived.
14. Tax Return Information and Financial Privacy
Tax return information is subject to special restrictions. Don Partners will not use or disclose tax return information except as allowed by Internal Revenue Code section 7216 and Treasury regulations, a legally sufficient written consent, or another applicable exception. Certain consents for individual Form 1040-series return information must follow specific content, timing, formatting, and signature rules and cannot be replaced by general acceptance of this Policy.
As a tax preparer or provider of financial advisory services, Don Partners may also be a "financial institution" for purposes of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and FTC rules. When applicable, Don Partners will provide required financial privacy notices and maintain a written information security program. This website Policy supplements and does not replace those notices or safeguards.
15. Third-Party Sites and Services
The Services may link to third-party websites or tools. Their privacy practices are governed by their own notices. Don Partners is not responsible for third-party practices it does not control. Before sending sensitive information through a linked tool, confirm that it is an approved Don Partners channel.
16. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy to reflect changes in law, technology, vendors, or practices. The "Last updated" date identifies the current version. We will provide additional notice or obtain consent when required for a material change. We will not retroactively expand the use of tax return information or other protected information without authorization required by law.
17. Contact
Privacy questions and requests may be submitted using the contact method identified on donpartnersfirm.com. Don Partners should publish a monitored privacy email address, business telephone number, and business mailing address on or adjacent to this Policy before launch.
This page is a counsel-review draft implementation aid and is not a substitute for review by Don Partners' attorney, privacy counsel, professional-liability carrier, or licensing adviser.