Disclosure Policy

CLIENT TOOL BOX

November 1, 2005

Under Federal Law (15 U.S.C. 6803) CPAs and other providers of financial services are required to notify clients of their policy with respect to the disclosure of clients’ personal information.

This notice sets forth the privacy policy of the Ellis CPA Firm PC with respect to the disclosure of your personal information.

Ellis CPA Firm PC

privacy policy

Like all providers of personal financial services, certified public accounting firms are required by a new federal law to inform their clients of policies regarding the privacy of client information. Recently, you may have been receiving privacy notices from banks, brokers, and credit card companies. These same client-privacy rules apply to CPA firms that prepare tax returns. CPA firms have been, and continue to be, bound by the following laws, regulations, and professional standards that protect, subject to certain exceptions, the privacy of client information.

• First, our code of professional conduct enacted by the Colorado State Board of Public Accountancy forbids disclosure of client information,

• Second, Colorado law grants to clients an accountant-client privilege so that Colorado CPA firms cannot be compelled, even in court, to disclose certain client information,

• Third, both Federal and Colorado laws have criminal penalties for tax return preparers who disclose client information, and

• Fourth, this firm is a member of the Colorado Society of CPAs and is governed by the Colorado State Board of Accountancy, and follows their Codes of Professional Conduct which prohibit disclosing confidential client information.

Of course, all of the above protections can be waived with your express consent.

The Ellis CPA Firm PC has followed these laws, regulations, and standards for the past 25 years. We have always protected your right to privacy.

Types of Non-public Personal Information Collected by the Ellis CPA Firm PC collects certain information about you—but only when that information is provided by you or is obtained by us with your authorization. We use that information to prepare your personal income tax returns and may also use it to provide various tax and financial planning services to you at your request.

Examples of sources from which we collect information include:

• Interviews and phone calls with you,

• Letters and e-mails from you,

• Tax return or financial planning organizers, and

• Financial history questionnaires.

Parties to Whom Ellis CPA Firm PC Discloses Information 

As a general rule, the Ellis CPA Firm PC does not disclose personal information about our clients or former clients to anyone. However, to the extent permitted by law and any applicable state Code of Professional Conduct, certain non-public information about you may be disclosed in the following situations:

• In the course of a review of our firm’s practices under the authorization of a state or national licensing board, or as necessary to properly respond to an inquiry or complaint from such a licensing board or organization.

• In conjunction with a prospective purchase, sale, or merger of all or part of our practice, provided we take appropriate precautions (for example, through a written confidentiality agreement) so the prospective purchaser or merger partner does not disclose information in the course of the review.

• As a part of any actual or threatened legal proceedings or alternative dispute resolution proceeding either initiated by or against us, provided we disclose only the information necessary to file, pursue, or defend against the lawsuit and take reasonable precautions to ensure that the information disclosed does not become a matter of public record.

• To provide information to affiliates of the firm and nonaffiliated third parties who perform services or functions for us in conjunction with our services to you, but only if we have a contractual agreement with the other party which prohibits them from disclosing or using the information other than for the purposes for which it was disclosed. (Examples of such disclosures include using an outside service bureau, such as Intuit’s Lacerte, to process tax returns or engaging a records-retention agency to store prior year records.)

• To ensure that we’re providing the value and service you expect from the Ellis CPA Firm PC. From time to time, there may be products and services, either from our own affiliated companies or from businesses that are not affiliated with us, from which we think you may benefit. To offer such products and services to you, we may need to share your information with our own affiliates or with non-affiliated companies. An example of an affiliate is PDI PaySource Inc.. We will not share this information without your expressed consent.

Protecting the Confidentiality and Security of Current and Former Client’s Information Ellis CPA Firm PC retains records relating to professional services provided so that we are better able to assist you with your professional needs and, in some cases, in order to comply with professional guidelines. So that we may guard your non-public personal information, we maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards.

Please call if you have any questions, because your privacy, our professional ethics, and the ability to provide you with quality financial services are very important to us.