What we collect, and what we do with it

Who we are

SmartTaxIQ is the tax division of Carter Cole & Associates LLC, a tax preparation practice at 14701 Mack Ave, Suite B, Detroit, MI 48215.

If you have a question about your information, or want us to change or delete it, contact us at info@smarttaxiq.com or 313-771-4400. A person will answer.

What we collect

We collect information you give us directly, through one of these:

• The contact form — your name, email, phone number, the topic you chose, and whatever you write in the message.
• The deadline-reminder signup — your email address, and which page you signed up from.
• The job application form — your name, email, phone number, your answers about availability and experience, and any note you add.
• Our job adverts on Facebook and Instagram — if you apply through the form inside the ad, that form is hosted by Meta. Meta collects your answers and passes them to us. Meta’s own handling of your data is governed by its privacy policy, not this one.
• Tax intake forms — hosted by JotForm, and covered by the engagement terms we agree with you as a client.
• Booking a consultation — through Calendly, which collects your name, email and chosen time.

We also record, automatically, which advertising campaign or page brought you here, so we know which of our adverts are working. That is stored alongside your enquiry.

What we use it for

• Answering your enquiry, or assessing your application
• Contacting you about it — by email, phone or text
• Sending you tax deadline reminders and tips, only if you asked for them. Applying for a job does not put you on that list.
• Preparing your return, if you become a client
• Understanding which of our adverts produce enquiries

We do not sell your information, and we do not share it with anyone for their own marketing.

Who else sees it

Only the services we use to run the practice, and only for that purpose:

• Meta — hosts the application form inside our job adverts
• Supabase — stores enquiries and applications
• Mailchimp — holds the mailing list, if you joined it
• Resend — sends our email
• Calendly — handles consultation bookings
• JotForm — hosts the tax intake forms
• Google Analytics — tells us how the site is used, in aggregate
• Twilio — sends us a text when an enquiry arrives

We may also disclose information where the law requires it.

Your rights

You can ask us at any time to:

• Tell you what information we hold about you
• Correct anything that is wrong
• Delete it, unless we are required to keep it
• Stop sending you marketing email

Every marketing email has a one-click unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing takes effect immediately. To ask for anything else, email info@smarttaxiq.com.

How long we keep it

• Enquiries — two years, then deleted
• Job applications — one year after the season closes, unless you ask us to remove them sooner
• Mailing list — until you unsubscribe
• Client tax records — as long as tax law requires, which is longer

How we protect it

Tax information is about as sensitive as personal data gets, and we treat it that way. Access is limited to the people who need it, our systems are access-controlled, and our preparers sign a confidentiality and data-handling agreement before they touch a client file. We maintain a written information security plan as required of tax professionals.

Children

This site is not intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18 through it. Children’s details do appear on tax returns — that information comes from the parent or guardian as part of preparing the return, and is held under the client records above.

Changes

If we change this policy we will update the effective date at the top. Where the change is significant and we hold your email address, we will tell you.