Privacy Policy - Lumsden CPA

We Value Your Privacy

We are pleased to be part of your online experience, and we are committed to protecting your privacy and your Personal Information. This Privacy Policy explains how Lumsden & McCormick, LLP (Lumsden McCormick) collects, uses, and protects your data, as well as the choices you have regarding the information collected.

What Personal Information Do We Collect?

Lumsden McCormick may collect Personal Information relating to you, including:

Name
Contact details (such as work or home address, email address, and phone numbers)
Date of birth
Marital status
Government identifiers (such as social security number and passport details)
Financial information
Employment information

To meet your needs during tax return preparation, tax and financial planning, accounting, audit, and business advisory engagements, we collect various types of Personal Information about you from the following sources:

Information that we receive from you when you meet with us in person or over the phone, when you send us information by mail or email, through our website, on tax preparation worksheets, and on other documents or forms used in providing services for you. Such information includes, for instance, your name, address, social security number, income, investment and other assets, and other tax and financial attributes about you.
Information we receive from you when your browser interacts with us when you visit our website, such as information transmitted via cookies, including your preferences on the website and your internet service provider’s address

How Do We Collect Personal Information?

You may provide it directly to us
We may obtain it through current or previously provided services
We may receive it from third parties, such as your employer or partnership, tax authorities, and other relevant authorities or administrative bodies

What Aggregated and Non-Personal Information Do We Collect?

When you visit our website, we may collect certain information about your device and browsing activity using standard internet technologies, including cookies and web beacons. This technology may also be applied in promotional email messages or newsletters to determine whether messages have been opened and acted upon.

“Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. We use cookies to track user activity and behavior, including form submissions, clicks, and page views, so we can improve our website and services. A cookie file is stored in your web browser and allows the website or a third party to recognize you and make your next visit easier and the website more useful. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser setting to decline cookies. If you choose to decline cookies, please note that you may not be able to sign in or use some of the interactive features offered on the website or through our services.

We use both session and persistent cookies on the Website, and we use different types of cookies to run the website:

Essential/Strictly Necessary Cookies: Some cookies are essential to the functioning of the Website and cannot be switched off in our systems.
Analytical/Performance Cookies: These allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and see how visitors move around the Website. This helps us improve the way the Website works.
Functionality Cookies: Used to recognize you when you return to the Website. This enables us to personalize our content for you and remember your preferences.
Targeting Cookies: These record your visit to the Website, the pages you have visited, and the links you have followed. We will use this information to make the Website more relevant to your interests.

Third-Party Cookies

Some content or applications on the website may be served by third parties, including advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers, and application providers. These third parties may use cookies in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies to collect information about you when you use our website. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content. We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used.

Our website may contain links to other websites or services that are not controlled by us — these links are provided for your convenience and information. We are not responsible for any third party’s data collection or privacy practices, and we encourage you to review the privacy policies or notices posted on those third-party websites for further information.

Opting Out of Online Tracking and Advertising

As explained above, we may use third-party advertising providers to collect information about your device and online browsing activities for targeted advertising and related purposes so that we can provide you with more relevant and tailored ads regarding our Services. The disclosure of your information to these third parties to assist us in providing these services may be considered a “sale” of Personal Information under applicable law or the processing/sharing of Personal Information for targeted advertising purposes.

If you would like to opt out of our online disclosure such as through cookie and pixel technology of your Personal Information for purposes that could be considered “sales” for those third parties’ own commercial purposes, or “sharing” for purposes of targeted advertising, please:

Use the cookie management tools located on our website
See your browser’s settings for information about blocking or disabling cookies
Opt out of Google Analytics by visiting the Google Analytics opt-out page or downloading the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
Opt out of the use of cookies from Adobe Analytics by visiting adobe.com/privacy/opt-out.html

Please note that if you have a legally recognized browser-based opt-out preference signal turned on via your device browser (e.g., global privacy control), we recognize such preference in accordance with applicable law.

IP Address Data Collection

Your IP address is automatically assigned to your computer by your Internet Service Provider. An IP address may be identified and logged automatically in our server log files whenever a user accesses the website, along with the time of the visit and the page(s) visited. We use IP addresses for purposes such as calculating usage levels, diagnosing server problems, and administering the website. We may also derive your approximate location from your IP address.

Registration and Event Information

While registration is not required for you to use the website, there may be circumstances in which you choose to register for our services, to attend our events, or to receive ongoing updates from us. In these cases, we may collect your Personal Information and contact you to invite you to our events, provide you with information about our services and publications, or for other marketing purposes. For example:

Email Alerts: We offer an email alert service to website visitors in which we send subscribers updates for new information added to our website. If you decide to subscribe, we will collect Personal Information from you, such as your name and email address.
Surveys: We may conduct surveys via our website. Survey participants may be asked for Personal Information or other information in addition to opinions or feedback.
Thought Leadership and Events: We occasionally require registration in exchange for thought leadership such as white papers or articles, or to attend webinars, conferences, and seminars. Your Personal Information may be required in registration forms.
Career Opportunities: If you have applied for employment with Lumsden McCormick, your information submitted with your job application will be used for recruitment and other customary human resources purposes.

If you have registered on our website, your information will be stored in our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Data retention periods may vary depending on the purpose of your registration.

If you have opted out of receiving future Lumsden McCormick thought leadership, event invitations, or Firm communications, your contact details will remain on our opt-out list to prevent you from receiving any further publications, invitations, or Firm communications from Lumsden McCormick. This does not apply to any Lumsden McCormick invoices or other communications we may be required to provide (for example, federal notifications in connection with tax services provided to you).

How Do We Use Your Personal Information?

We use your Personal Information for various purposes, including to:

Respond to your requests for information and provide you with more effective and efficient service
Contact you by email, postal mail, or phone regarding our and partner products, services, surveys, research studies, promotions, special events, and other subjects that may be of interest to you
Customize the content you see on the Services
Help us better understand your interests and needs, and improve the Services through research and testing of new products, features, and services
Secure our Services and resolve technical issues being reported
Comply with any procedures, laws, and regulations that apply to us
Establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights

We may combine the information we collect through the Services with information we receive from other sources, both online and offline, and use such combined information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We may also aggregate and/or de-identify information collected through the Services so that such information does not identify you personally, and use or share such data with third parties for purposes such as research and marketing.

How Do We Share Your Personal Information?

We do not share your Personal Information with anyone without your expressed consent except as permitted by law and as described below. The law permits disclosure in certain instances, such as if we must share information to protect against fraud, in response to a court subpoena, or to others who are assuring our compliance with professional accounting standards (such as peer review).

Affiliates and Subsidiaries: We may share the information we collect with our affiliates and/or subsidiaries to deliver our Services to you, ensure a consistent level of service, and enhance your customer experience.
Service Providers: We provide access to or share your information with select third parties who perform services on our behalf, including billing, sales, marketing, analytics, data storage, security, payment processing, and legal services. They are prohibited from using your information for other purposes.
Events: We may share registrant information with third parties in association with events we host or co-host, such as hotels, sponsors, co-sponsors, promoters, event organizers, speakers, and panelists. Please review the details provided at individual events to understand fully how your information will be used.
Protection of Us and Others: We may disclose information if required by law or in a good faith belief that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with legal process, enforce our legal terms, respond to claims that content violates the rights of third parties, or protect the rights, property, or personal safety of us, our users, or the public.
Business Transfers: As we continue to develop our business, we may buy, merge, or partner with other companies. Personal Information may be among the transferred assets in such transactions.
Consent: We may also disclose your information to a third party when you affirmatively consent to such disclosure.

Consent and Withdrawal

Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your Personal Information. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the details in the Contact Information section below. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for use by, or to sell products and services to, children under the age of 13. Consistent with the Federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose Personal Information from anyone under the age of 13 without obtaining the required parental consent. If we determine upon collection that users are under this age, we will not use or maintain their Personal Information without a parent’s or guardian’s consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that we might have any information from or about a child under age 13, please contact us at marketing@LumsdenCPA.com or by mail at 369 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.

How Do We Protect the Confidentiality and Security of Your Personal Information?

Keeping your information confidential and secure is our priority. We use a variety of safeguards to protect your Personal Information, which include physical (e.g., secure office entry), technical (e.g., password protection, network firewalls, laptop encryption, authentication mechanisms), and administrative (e.g., confidentiality agreements, training, procedures that limit access to and use of data) measures. We restrict access to your Personal Information to those employees who need to know that information to provide products or services to you. Our employees are bound by internal confidentiality policies and are subject to disciplinary action for any policy violations.

If we become aware of a security systems breach, we will attempt to notify you electronically using the contact information we have available so that you can take appropriate protective steps. Depending on where you live, you may have a legal right to receive notice of a security breach in writing.

Please note, however, that no method of transferring data over the internet or storing electronic data is entirely secure. While we strive to use commercially reasonable means to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee security against all threats.

Former Client Data Protection

Should you become an inactive client or should our relationship end, we will continue to protect the confidentiality and security of your Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Data Retention

We retain your Personal Information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements. Retention periods may vary depending on the context in which information was collected:

Client Engagement Records: We retain Personal Information collected in connection with our professional services for the period required by applicable professional standards, tax regulations, and other legal or regulatory requirements.
Website and Device Information: Information collected automatically through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies is retained in accordance with our cookie management practices or as required for our legitimate business purposes.
Marketing and CRM Data: If you have opted out of communications, your contact details will remain on our opt-out list to prevent you from receiving further publications or firm communications.
Job Application Data: Personal Information submitted through our career opportunities portal is retained for the period necessary to complete the recruitment process and as required by applicable law.

Your Legal Rights

Your local laws (e.g., in Europe, or in U.S. states with applicable privacy laws such as California, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) may permit you to request that we:

Provide access to and/or a copy of certain Personal Information we hold about you
Provide you with information about categories of Personal Information we collect or disclose about you; the categories of sources of such information; the business or commercial purpose for collecting your Personal Information; and the categories of third parties to which we disclose your Personal Information
Update Personal Information which is out of date or incorrect
Delete certain Personal Information which we are holding about you
Restrict the way that we process and disclose certain of your Personal Information
Transfer your Personal Information to a third-party provider of services
Revoke your consent for the processing of your Personal Information where our processing of such information was based on your consent

To exercise these rights, please email us at marketing@LumsdenCPA.com or contact us by postal mail at the address in the Contact Us section below. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

Shine the Light

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83 (“Shine the Light”), California residents have the right to request in writing from businesses with whom they have an established business relationship, (a) a list of the categories of Personal Information (e.g., name, email and mailing address and the type of services provided to the consumer) that a business has disclosed to third parties (including affiliates that are separate legal entities) during the immediately preceding calendar year for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes; and (b) the names and addresses of all such third parties. To request the above information, please contact us as directed in the Contact Information section below with a reference to Shine the Light inquiry.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If we collect Personal Information from EU residents in a manner subject to the GDPR, the following additional terms shall apply:

Sensitive Data: We do not collect sensitive data such as biometric data, health data, or data revealing racial or ethnic origin from visitors to our website.
Onward Transfer: We only disclose Personal Information to third parties who reasonably need access to it for the purpose of the transaction or activity for which it was originally collected, or to provide services on our behalf. All such third parties must agree to use your Personal Information only for the purposes for which we have engaged them and must provide adequate protections no less protective than those set out in this Privacy Policy.
Your Rights: Your rights include: (a) a right to withdraw your consent to the processing of Personal Information about you to which you have previously given consent; (b) a right to object to processing of your Personal Information for the purpose of direct marketing; and (c) a right to have incorrect Personal Information about you corrected or removed.

International Residents

Lumsden McCormick is based in the United States. If you are visiting our website from outside the United States, please be aware that the information we obtain through the website will be transferred to, processed in, and stored on our servers in the United States, as well as in other locations where we and our vendors operate. By using this website and providing us your Personal Information, you acknowledge and agree to the transfer of such information to the United States and the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Verification of Requests

When you submit a request to exercise any of your privacy rights under applicable law, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. Verification may include matching the information you provide with information we already maintain in our records. In some cases, we may request additional information to verify your identity. You may also designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf.

Our Pledge to You

As Certified Public Accountants, our professional ethical obligations and responsibilities have always demanded no less than the highest regard and duties toward the confidentiality of your Personal Information and the security of your privacy. We will protect your Personal Information, use it appropriately, and accomplish your engagements with us in a manner that always maintains your trust and confidence in us.

Updates to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in the law, our data collection and use practices, the features of our Services, or technological advances. We will make the revised Privacy Policy accessible through the Services, so you should review the Privacy Policy periodically. If we make a material change to the Policy, you will be provided with appropriate notice in accordance with legal requirements. By continuing to use the Services, you confirm that you have read and understood the latest version of this Privacy Policy.

For more information about our privacy practices or to address questions and concerns, please contact us by email at marketing@LumsdenCPA.com or via mail at 369 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.