Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how VibrantWorks Financial (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and safeguards your personal information when you use our website and services. It also describes your rights regarding your information and how you can contact us with questions or requests. By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Policy. We are based in Georgia, United States, and we comply with applicable U.S. privacy laws to protect your information. This site and our services are intended for business clients and users over 18 years of age.

Information We Collect

We collect both information that you voluntarily provide to us and data collected automatically when you interact with our site:

Personal Information You Provide

When you engage with VibrantWorks Financial (for example, by filling out a contact form, signing up for our newsletter, or using our client portal), you may provide certain personally identifiable information. This “Personal Information” may include, but is not limited to:

• Contact details: such as your name, email address, phone number, and business address (which you might enter into our contact or inquiry forms). We collect this information so we can respond to your inquiries, set up consultations or accounts, and communicate with you about our services.

• Business information: such as your company/organization name, industry, or role, if you choose to share these when requesting our services. This helps us tailor our financial and accounting services to your business’ needs.

• Service-related information: any information you provide to us in the course of our professional services. For example, if you become a client, you might provide financial records, accounting data, tax documents, or other sensitive information via secure channels (e.g. through our client portal or via encrypted communications). We collect and use this information solely to perform the accounting, bookkeeping, advisory, FP&A, or CFO services you have engaged us for, and we treat it with strict confidentiality (see “Confidentiality of Client Information” below).

• Account credentials: Our services may involve setting up an online account or client portal access, which is provided by a trusted third-party services. Their system will handle all credential storage (such as email and password) on our behalf.

• Communication content: If you contact us by email, phone, or through our website (including any message fields on forms), we will collect the content of your communications and any information you choose to provide in those communications. This may include details about your financial questions, the services you are interested in, or other personal details you share. We use this information to understand and respond to your needs.

We will not collect any sensitive personal details that are not necessary for our services. For example, we do not ask for Social Security Numbers or financial account passwords on our website’s contact forms. Any sensitive financial data we may need (such as tax IDs, financial statements, etc.) will be collected only through secure, intentional means as part of providing professional services and not through public website forms.

Information Collected Automatically (Usage Data & Cookies)

When you visit our website, our systems and third-party services may automatically collect certain technical and usage information about your visit. This Usage Data can include information such as:

• Your device’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, and operating system.

• The pages of our site that you visit, the dates/times of your visits, and the time spent on each page.

• Referring website or search terms (how you arrived at our site).

• Unique identifiers associated with your device or browser, and other diagnostic information useful for troubleshooting.

This usage data helps us understand how our website is performing, which pages are most popular, and how users interact with our site so we can improve the user experience. We typically collect and analyze this data in aggregate form (not tied to your name) and do not use it to identify you personally. For example, we might see overall traffic patterns or the total number of visitors in a month. However, we can use IP addresses or other identifiers to identify a visitor if necessary to investigate security issues or to comply with law, such as protecting our site and other users from malicious activity.

Cookies and similar technologies: Like most websites, we use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and gather analytics about our web traffic. Cookies are small text files with a small amount of data (often including a unique identifier) that a website sends to your browser and stores on your device. We may use cookies to remember your preferences and settings, to keep you logged into secured areas (if applicable), and to analyze how you use our site so we can improve it. For instance, cookies may allow us to recognize that you have visited before or to track which pages of the site you visit and for how long.

We also utilize third-party analytics cookies. In particular, Google Analytics is used to track overall website usage and gather statistical information such as how many users visit, what pages are viewed, and what website referred them to us. Google Analytics may set cookies on your browser to collect this usage data, and Google may use the data collected to track and analyze the use of our site and to personalize its own services. The information generated by Google Analytics (including your truncated IP address) is transmitted to and stored by Google, and is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy. Google may also use this data to improve their products and services or for its advertising purposes (for example, to contextualize and personalize ads in its ad network). However, we do not receive personally identifying information about you from Google Analytics – we only see aggregated data (such as total site visitors, most viewed pages, etc.).

Your choices regarding cookies: You have the option to set your web browser to refuse all cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, if you disable or decline cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly (for example, certain features or login elements might not work). If you prefer not to be included in Google Analytics tracking, Google provides an opt-out browser add-on that you can install; this add-on prevents the Google Analytics script from collecting information about your visits. You can also delete cookies from your browser and use browser settings or extensions to control tracking. Please note that our site does not currently respond to “Do Not Track” signals, but we only collect and use data as described in this policy.

How We Use Your Information

We use the personal and usage information we collect for various legitimate business purposes in order to operate and improve our services. These purposes include:

• Providing and improving services: We use your information to carry out our accounting, bookkeeping, advisory, FP&A, and CFO services that you request. This includes using your data to analyze your financial information, produce reports, and provide advice or deliverables. We also use data (especially aggregated usage data) to maintain and improve our website and services – for example, fixing website performance issues, adding new features, or refining our offerings based on what users find useful.

• Communicating with you: We use your contact information (email, phone, address) to communicate with you about your inquiries, appointments, and service engagements. For example, if you fill out a contact form, we will use your email/phone to respond to your request. If you become a client, we may send you service-related communications such as proposal documents, invoices, financial reports, or alerts about relevant regulatory deadlines. We may also contact you with important announcements or updates about our services (for instance, changes to this Privacy Policy or our terms).

• Account and portal access: If you have an online account or use our client portal, we use your information to create and manage your user account, authenticate you upon login, and facilitate your access to documents or information you have stored with us. This might include remembering certain settings or information to personalize your portal experience (for example, your preferences or saved files).

• Customer support: We retain and use information (including communications and contact details) to provide customer service and support. If you reach out with questions, technical issues, or requests about our services, we will use your information to address the issue and get back to you. This also includes using data to troubleshoot problems (e.g., looking at error logs tied to your user ID if something isn’t working).

• Analytics and quality assurance: The usage data we collect (via cookies and analytics tools) is used to analyze how our site and services are used. We use these insights to improve the content and functionality of our website – for example, by understanding which pages are most frequently visited or where users spend the most time, we can refine our website navigation or content strategy. Internally, we may also analyze client engagement data (in aggregate) to improve our service offerings. All such analysis is typically done on de-identified or aggregated data.

• Marketing and newsletters (with consent): If you have signed up for our email newsletter or expressly opted in to receive marketing communications, we will use your contact information to send you periodic updates. These may include firm news, accounting/tax tips, or information about new services we offer. We only send marketing emails to those who have opted in or with whom we have an ongoing business relationship, in accordance with applicable laws. You can opt out of marketing emails at any time – every marketing email will contain an “unsubscribe” link that you can click to stop further emails. Alternatively, you can contact us at any time to request removal from our mailing list. (We do not send unsolicited mass marketing to people who have merely visited our website without providing contact information or consent.)

• Legal compliance and protection: We may use your information as necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations (for example, maintaining records for tax purposes or responding to lawful requests by authorities). We also may use and retain information to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims. Additionally, your information might be used to prevent fraud, resolve disputes, enforce our contracts or policies, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of ourselves and our clients (for instance, using data to investigate a security incident or misuse of our website).

We will only use your personal information for the purposes we collected it for (or purposes that are closely related), unless we obtain your consent for other uses. We do not use your data for any unrelated third-party marketing, and we do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers. Our use of data is limited to serving you and improving our own services, as outlined above.

How We Share and Disclose Information

VibrantWorks Financial understands the importance of keeping your information private. As a general rule, we do not disclose your personal information to any third parties except in the following circumstances:

• Service providers (processors): We may share your information with trusted third-party companies or individuals that provide services to us or perform functions on our behalf. For example, this includes our cloud service providers, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, email marketing platforms, IT infrastructure providers, analytics providers (like Google Analytics), or a secure client portal platform. These service providers process personal information only as needed to perform their specific tasks for us (e.g., to host our website data, send out newsletters, manage appointments, or analyze site performance) and are contractually obligated not to use or disclose your information for any other purpose. We require that our service providers maintain confidentiality and security standards that are at least as protective as our own standards. In other words, your data remains protected when handled by these partners on our behalf.

• Business transfers: If we ever merge with another company, sell or reorganize some or all of our business or assets, or otherwise engage in a business transfer or acquisition, your personal information may be disclosed to the parties involved (for example, to a successor company). This would only happen as part of the transaction (for instance, as an asset being transferred), and we would contractually require the new owner to continue to honor the commitments we have made in this Privacy Policy. If such a transfer of personal data occurs, we will provide notice to you or post a prominent notice on our website to inform you of the change and any choices you may have.

• Legal obligations and protection: We may disclose personal information when we believe in good faith that such disclosure is required to comply with a legal obligation or governmental request, such as a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena, or court order. We may also share information if needed to enforce our agreements or policies, to assert or defend against legal claims, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of VibrantWorks Financial, our clients, or others. For example, if someone is violating our Terms of Service or misusing our site, we might share data with law enforcement or seek legal remedy, which could involve disclosing relevant client information as permitted by law. Similarly, we might disclose information to prevent fraud or other wrongdoing.

• With your consent: In situations other than those above, if we ever need to share your personal information with a third party, we will ask for your consent. For instance, if you ask us to refer you to a partner (like a tax attorney or bank) and we need to share your contact details or documents, we would only do so with your permission. We aim to be transparent and give you control whenever your information might be shared outside of our organization.

Importantly, we do not sell your personal information to third parties for their own marketing or commercial uses. We also do not share client information with unrelated third parties for their marketing. Any sharing that occurs is solely to support the delivery of our services or as required by law, as described above. In special cases where aggregated or de-identified data (data that cannot identify you personally) is shared – for example, sharing general user statistics or quoting a financial benchmark – we ensure that no individual can be identified from that data.

Confidentiality of Client Information (GLBA Financial Privacy Notice)

As a provider of accounting and financial services, we adhere to professional standards of confidentiality and privacy. In fact, federal law (the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999) requires us to tell our clients how we treat their nonpublic personal information. Nonpublic personal information (NPI) is information about you that is not publicly available and that you provide to us or we obtain in providing financial services to you.

Information we collect from clients: We collect nonpublic personal information about you only as necessary to provide our services, and only from certain sources, such as:

• Information you provide to us on forms, questionnaires, applications, engagement letters, contact forms, worksheets, or other documents. This includes information you might fill out when becoming a client or during the course of our work (for example, financial statements, tax organizer information, bookkeeping data, or other details you supply so we can perform our services).

• Information about your transactions and interactions with us or our affiliates. For instance, this would include billing and payment history, the types of services you’ve used, and other details of your engagements with VibrantWorks Financial. It can also include communications records or notes from meetings that help us serve you better.

• Information from third parties as needed and authorized by you. This might include, for example, information from banks, insurance companies, or consumer reporting agencies (credit bureaus) if we need to obtain credit or background information in the course of providing certain advisory services. (In practice, we rarely if ever obtain consumer reports, but we include this for completeness. Any such action would typically require your consent.)

Our commitment to confidentiality: We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our clients or former clients to anyone, except as permitted by law. “Permitted by law” generally includes very limited circumstances, such as disclosures with your consent, disclosures to service providers who assist us (as described above), or disclosures under certain legal requirements (as described under legal obligations). We do not share your financial information with outside parties for their independent use without your permission.

We also restrict access to your nonpublic information strictly to those employees, contractors, or agents of our firm who need to know the information in order to provide services to you. For example, if you are a client, the staff members working on your account will access your files as needed, but other unrelated staff will not have unnecessary access. We maintain strong physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect your confidential information in compliance with federal and state regulations. This includes secure computer systems, encryption, access controls on electronic files, confidentiality training for personnel, and secure office facilities. In summary, safeguarding your financial privacy is a top priority for us, and we take reasonable and industry-standard measures to ensure your data remains secure and confidential.

If at any time you end your relationship with VibrantWorks Financial, we will continue to adhere to the privacy practices described in this Policy with respect to your information.

(This section constitutes our privacy notice to clients as required by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. If you have any questions about the handling of your financial information, please contact us.)

Data Security

We take the security of your personal information very seriously. VibrantWorks Financial implements a variety of technical and organizational security measures to help protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include encrypted connections (HTTPS) to our website, secure servers and firewalls, anti-malware and monitoring tools, and internal policies to restrict access to client data. We also partner with reputable hosting and cloud service providers that have their own robust security practices (for example, our cloud providers maintain SOC 1/SOC 2 or similar security certifications).

However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information at all times. This means that, although we work hard to safeguard your data, we cannot promise that hackers or other unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat our security measures. You transmit information to us at your own risk, but rest assured we are using up-to-date security protocols and tools to minimize that risk.

If we learn of a data breach that compromises the privacy or security of your personal information, we will notify affected individuals as required by law and take appropriate remedial measures.

Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. In practice, this means we keep your information for the duration of our relationship with you (for example, while you are a client) and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with recordkeeping laws and professional guidelines. For instance, tax preparation records might be retained for a certain number of years as per IRS regulations, and engagement contracts or invoices may be kept for legal auditing requirements.

When it comes to usage data collected via our website (analytics logs, etc.), we typically retain this data for a shorter period – only as long as it’s useful for analysis – and we either delete it or anonymize it after that. Usage data that has been aggregated (and no longer tied to personal identifiers) may be retained longer for historical trend analysis. If we are under no ongoing obligation to keep your personal data, we will dispose of it securely (through deletion or anonymization).

Please note that in some cases we may retain certain information longer if necessary to resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, or comply with legal obligations. For example, we might keep contact information on file to honor opt-out requests or to defend against a potential legal claim within the statute of limitations.

Your Rights and Choices

We believe in giving you control over your personal information. Depending on applicable laws and our relationship with you, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding the personal data we hold about you:

• Access and update: You have the right to request access to the personal information we have about you and to request corrections or updates to any inaccuracies. If you have an online account with us, you can log in and update certain profile information yourself. Otherwise, you can contact us to request that we update or correct your data. For example, if your email address or business address changes, let us know and we will update our records. If at any time you want to know what information we currently hold about you, you may reach out and we will provide you with a summary (subject to verifying your identity for security).

• Opt-out of communications: If you no longer wish to receive marketing emails or newsletters from us, you can opt out at any time. As mentioned, every marketing email from us contains an unsubscribe link at the bottom – clicking that will remove you from the mailing list. You can also contact us directly (via email or phone) to request that we stop sending you certain communications. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing messages, we may still send you transactional or service-related communications (such as invoices, account notices, or information about active projects) as these may be necessary for us to fulfill our professional obligations to you.

• Deletion (the “right to be forgotten”): You can request that we delete personal information that we hold about you. To the extent we are not required to keep that information for legal or legitimate business purposes, we will honor such requests. For example, if you were a newsletter subscriber and you unsubscribe, you can ask us to delete your contact info from our mailing list entirely. We will let you know if there is any data we cannot delete (for instance, information we must retain for legal compliance or internal record-keeping) and will work with you to address any concerns.

• Objection or restriction: You may have the right to object to or ask us to restrict certain processing of your data. For instance, if you feel our use of some information is not necessary or if you have concerns, you can communicate that to us. We will consider such requests and comply if required by law. In practice, we do not engage in aggressive data processing, so this is rarely an issue; however, you are welcome to contact us with any objections.

• Data portability: If applicable, you can request a copy of personal data you provided to us in a machine-readable format, or ask us to transfer it to another entity where feasible. This generally applies to structured data you have given us. For our typical small-business clients, this might include things like copies of financial records or reports (which we usually provide as part of the service anyway).

These rights may vary based on your jurisdiction. For example, California residents and EU residents have specific legal rights regarding personal data. VibrantWorks Financial will always respect applicable privacy rights. If you are a resident of a region that grants additional rights (such as the CCPA in California or GDPR in the European Union), please contact us with your request and we will accommodate you as required by law. We do not discriminate against individuals for exercising any privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, or if you have a privacy-related request (such as updating or deleting your info), please contact us using the contact information in the last section of this Policy. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests (for example, to ensure that the person asking for data deletion is actually the data subject). We will respond to your inquiry or request within a reasonable timeframe, and in accordance with any deadlines set by law.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to external websites or integrations with third-party services (for example, a link to our client portal login, or links to our profiles on social media or professional directories). Please be aware that once you leave our website or interact with a third-party service, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other websites or services that are not operated by VibrantWorks Financial. For instance, if you click a link to an article on another site, or use a third-party scheduling tool through our site, any data collected on those external platforms is governed by their respective privacy policies.

We strongly encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites or services you visit via links on our site. Nonetheless, if you believe a third-party site linked from our page is misusing your information, please inform us and we will consider removing or investigating that link. Your security and trust are important to us even beyond our own site’s boundaries.

International Data Transfers

Our services are primarily designed for businesses in the United States. If you are visiting our website from outside the United States, please be aware that any information you provide will be transferred to and processed in the United States (or possibly in another country where our service providers operate). The data protection laws of the U.S. (or those other countries) may differ from the laws in your jurisdiction. However, as noted, we take steps to ensure all personal data is protected according to the measures described in this Policy, no matter where it is processed.

By using our site or giving us information, you consent to the transfer of your personal information to the United States. If we transfer information across borders, we will do so in accordance with applicable legal requirements and will protect it as described here. For example, when we use service providers in other countries, we rely on standard contractual data protection clauses or other appropriate safeguards, as needed, to ensure your data remains protected.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make any material changes, we will notify you by updating the “Last Updated” (effective) date at the top of this Policy and, if you are a client or subscriber, we may notify you through other channels (e.g., via email or a notice on our website). We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

Your continued use of our website or services after any changes to this Privacy Policy signifies your acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree with any updates or modifications, you should stop using our site and services and may contact us if you have concerns. This Privacy Policy is not a contract and does not create any legal rights or obligations beyond what privacy laws require, but it is a reflection of our commitment to transparency and your privacy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to address your concerns and ensure your information is handled properly.

You can reach out to us by email or through the contact form on our website. Our contact information is available on multiple pages throughout our site.

Your trust is important to VibrantWorks Financial. We welcome any questions or feedback regarding privacy or data security. Thank you for choosing VibrantWorks Financial for your accounting and financial needs. We look forward to serving you in a manner that keeps your information safe and confidential.