Privacy Policy

Who we are

This website is operated by Santana & Associates, 7050 East Fwy, Suite 2A, Houston, TX 77020 (“Santana & Associates,” “we,” “us”). This policy explains how we handle information collected through santanaacct.com. Information you give us as a client is also protected by our professional obligations and your engagement with us.

Information we collect

Information you choose to give us: when you call, email us, use the contact form or book an appointment, we receive the details you provide, such as your name, email address, phone number, best time to call and message. When you send the contact form, your message is emailed to our office inbox ([email protected]), and a private backup copy is kept as described under “How our online forms are sent”.

Technical information: like most websites, our hosting provider automatically processes basic technical data (such as IP address, browser type and pages requested) to deliver the site and protect it from abuse.

Cookies and analytics: this website does not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels or other ad trackers. We may use privacy-friendly, cookieless analytics from Cloudflare (Cloudflare Web Analytics) to count visits and see which pages are used; it does not build a personal profile of you. If that changes, we will update this policy and ask for your consent where required.

How we use information

We use the information you provide to respond to your questions, schedule appointments, provide the services you request, and meet our legal and professional obligations.

We don’t sell your information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for targeted advertising (ads based on your activity across other websites). We don’t rent or trade it either.

Global Privacy Control and opt-out signals

We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) and other opt-out preference signals sent by your browser. If your browser sends one, we treat it as a request not to sell your personal information or use it for targeted advertising. We don’t do either today, so the signal confirms the choice we already apply to everyone.

Tax return information

As a tax and accounting firm, we treat tax return information as confidential. We use and disclose it only to provide our services, as permitted by Internal Revenue Code section 7216 and its regulations, as required by law, or with your written consent.

Please don’t email sensitive data

Regular email is not a secure way to send Social Security numbers, tax documents or bank details. Existing clients should use our secure Client Portal, or bring documents to our office.

Get started questionnaire

Our “Get started” questionnaire asks what you need help with and a few related questions (for example, the type of IRS notice, an approximate amount owed, your type of business, revenue and employee ranges, and how soon you need help), plus your name, phone number, email address, preferred contact method and best time to call. You can also add an optional note. Your answers are kept only in your browser tab (session storage) while you complete it and are cleared when you close the tab. When you send the questionnaire, we use the information only to contact you and prepare for your consultation. The questionnaire never asks for Social Security numbers, tax documents, bank or card details, and it does not accept file uploads; please don’t include them in the note.

How our online forms are sent

When you send the contact form or the “Get started” questionnaire, your answers are emailed to our office inbox ([email protected]) through our website host, Cloudflare. So that a request isn’t lost if an email is delayed or blocked, a backup copy of what you entered in the form is also kept in a private Cloudflare database that only our office can access. It is never shown on the website and is deleted automatically after 12 months. The emailed copy is kept with our office email under our normal record-keeping. Both forms check for and block Social Security, tax ID and account numbers before anything is sent.

Spam check: both forms use Cloudflare Turnstile, a security check that helps tell people from automated spam. To do this, Cloudflare processes technical information about your browser and device (such as your IP address) under its own privacy policy (cloudflare.com/privacypolicy). We don’t use Turnstile to track you or for advertising.

Text messages

We send text messages only if you check the optional text-consent box (or ask us to text you). Message frequency varies, message and data rates may apply, and you can reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help at any time. Consent to receive texts is not a condition of receiving our services. We don’t sell or share your phone number or text-consent information with third parties for their marketing.

Free tools on this site

Our free tools (IRS Notice Lookup, IRS Scam Checker, Where’s My Refund? Helper, IRS Online Account Helper, IRS Interest & Penalty Estimator, Document Checklist Builder, Deadline Calendar 2026–2027, Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator, 1099-K Checker, Logistics & trucking tools) run entirely in your browser. What you type or select in them is not sent to us or stored by the website. The IRS Online Account Helper only links to the IRS’s own website; anything you enter there is handled by the IRS under its privacy policy.

Third-party services

Some features are provided by other companies and are covered by their own privacy policies, including our Client Portal (provided by ATOM, login.atomanager.com), our website host Cloudflare (which also delivers our form emails, runs the Turnstile spam check and provides our cookieless analytics if we use them), our online appointment provider, and links to Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Yelp. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.

When we share information

We share information only in these cases:

Service providers: companies that help us run our business, such as our website host and our email and Client Portal providers. They may use the information only to provide their services to us and must protect it.

Legal requirements: when we believe in good faith that the law requires it, for example to respond to a subpoena, a court order, or a valid request from law enforcement or a government agency such as the IRS.

Protecting rights and safety: to investigate or prevent fraud or misuse of this website, to protect the rights, property or safety of Santana & Associates, our clients or others, or to defend against legal claims.

Business transfers: if Santana & Associates is involved in a merger, a sale, or a transfer of all or part of the practice, information may be transferred to the new owner, who must keep protecting it as this policy describes.

With your consent: in any other case, only with your permission.

Tax return information always stays under section 7216: we use or disclose it only as that law and its regulations allow, and it is never disclosed or transferred, including in a merger or sale, without the consent the law requires.

How we protect information

We follow the federal safeguards rules for tax and financial information: the FTC Safeguards Rule, with IRS Publication 4557 (Safeguarding Taxpayer Data) as our guide. We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect the information entrusted to us. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Retention

We keep information for as long as needed to provide our services and to meet legal, tax and professional record-keeping requirements.

Age

This website is not intended for people under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 through it. If you believe someone under 18 has sent us information through the site, contact us and we will delete it unless the law requires us to keep it.

Your privacy requests

Whatever state you live in, you can ask us to:

• Show you the information you sent us through this website, or confirm whether we have any.
• Send you a copy of that information in a common electronic format.
• Correct information that is wrong.
• Delete it.
• Stop contacting you.

We offer these choices to everyone. Some state privacy laws give their residents similar rights; where such a law applies to us, we follow it.

We may keep some information when we need it to meet legal, tax or professional record-keeping duties (for example, records tied to a tax return we prepared), to finish a service you asked for, or to protect against security problems, fraud or misuse. If we can’t do all of what you ask, we will tell you why.

How to make a request

Email us at [email protected], call 713-678-8627, or write to us at the mailing address under “Contact us” below. Tell us what you would like us to do. There is no fee for a request, and you don’t need an account.

Checking your identity: to protect your information, we will confirm that you are the person the information is about before we act, usually by asking you to confirm details you already gave us. We use those details only to check your identity.

Someone acting for you: another person can make a request for you if you give them permission. We will ask for proof of that permission (for example, a signed letter or a power of attorney) and may still confirm your identity with you directly. A parent or legal guardian can make a request for their minor child.

When we will respond

We will confirm that we received your request within 10 business days and respond within 45 days. If we need more time, we may extend that once, by up to 45 more days; if we do, we will tell you within the first 45 days and explain why.

Appeals

If we turn down your request, in whole or in part, you can ask us to look at it again. Email [email protected] with the subject “Appeal Request” and tell us why you disagree. We will answer in writing within 60 days of receiving your appeal and explain our decision. If we deny your appeal, you can file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General.

No retaliation

We will never treat you differently for making a request. We won’t refuse you service, charge you a different price or give you a different level of service because you asked.

Terms of Use

Use of this website is also governed by our Terms of Use, which include our website disclaimer.

Changes to this policy

This policy takes effect on the date shown at the top of this page. We may update it from time to time. If we make major changes, we will post the updated policy on this page with a new effective date.

Accessibility

Need this policy in another format, such as large print, plain text by email, or read to you over the phone? Call us at 713-678-8627 or email [email protected]. See our Accessibility Statement for more.

Contact us

Questions about this policy, or a request about your information? Write to us at our mailing address, Santana & Associates, 7050 East Fwy, Suite 2A, Houston, TX 77020; call 713-678-8627; or email [email protected].