Tax Preparer Privacy Policy - Data Privacy and Security of Customer's Tax data

In our current work environment, where customer's tax data is stored in computers and communicated through emails,
it is very important for tax accountants to understand data privacy and security to prevent identity theft.

By following data privacy and security processes and implementing software encryption tools, the tax accountants can maintain the privacy of your customer's tax data,
prevent identity theft and provide peace of mind to your customers.

What is Data Privacy and Encryption?

Data privacy is a security measure to ensure that your customer's personal tax data is protected from an identity thief.

Data encryption is a way to enable data privacy, by changing customer's tax data in way that cannot be read by an identity thief.

Data Privacy processes to follow;

1. Do not use personal emails to communicate. Use your company provided email address like @companyname.com

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2. Do not store or share customer's tax data in CDs, USB drives.

The reason is that if you lose them your customer's tax data can be misused by a person who finds them.

3. Shred printed copies of customer's tax data after tax preparation - invest in a paper shredder.

Always maintain Encrypted Online Storage Solution, that is automatically backed up and encrypted.

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4. Protect data theft when you lose your computer. Install a Hard disk encryption software.

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5. When submitting Credit/Debit card information in a website, make sure you see 'https' in the address bar.

Example: https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/home.do

6. Make sure you regularly run your anti virus and anti malware software on your computer.

7. If you are planning to sell your computer, make sure you 'secure erase' the hard disk before selling your computer.

8. If you use mobile phones to check emails, make sure that you have the encryption turned on.

Make sure password protect is turned on when your mobile phones are not in use.

9. Yearly review - Make sure that you review and audit the data privacy and security processes.

Buy Data Privacy Audit Services.

Follow these data privacy processes to ensure your customers, that their confidential tax data is protected.