McGill, Power, Bell & Associates LLP, like all providers of personal financial services, is now required by law to inform our clients of our policies regarding privacy of client information. McGill, Power, Bell & Associates LLP has been and continues to be bound by professional standards of confidentiality that are even more stringent than those required by law. Therefore, we have always protected your right to privacy.
Types of Nonpublic Personal Information We Collect
We collect nonpublic personal information about you that is either provided to us by you or obtained by us with your authorization.
Parties to Whom We Disclose Information
For current and former clients, we do not disclose any nonpublic personal information obtained in the course of our practice except as required or permitted by law. Permitted disclosures include, for instance, providing information to our employees and, in limited situations, to unrelated third parties who need to know that information to assist us in providing services to you. In all such situations, we stress the confidential nature of information being shared.
Protecting the Confidentiality and Security of Current and Former Clients’ Information
We retain records relating to professional services that we provide so that we are better able to assist you with your professional needs and, in some cases, to comply with professional guidelines. In order to guard your nonpublic personal information, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards.
Like most CPA firms, we maintain data which our clients supply to us or authorize us to obtain from third-parties so that we may prepare their tax returns and advise them on tax and financial planning issues. As a general policy, we only maintain this data for seven years. Because of the confidentiality requirements of the accounting profession, we do not share with persons outside our firm any information which you may supply to us or authorize us to obtain from third-parties. We do, however, share such information with individuals within our firm and its affiliated entities so that we can offer you our full range of professional services.
Notwithstanding this policy, we may be required to disclose your confidential information to:
- third-parties with which you have authorized us to disclose this information;
- governmental agencies (such as federal and state taxing authorities) in representation of your interests;
- a service bureau that assists us in providing services for you;
- state or federal regulatory authorities which oversee the accounting profession;
- the disciplinary authorities of the AICPA or state CPA societies; and to comply with lawfully issued subpoenas or court orders.
Also be advised that, from time to time, we are approached by non-affiliated third-parties inquiring whether any of our clients might be interested in effecting a given type of transaction or purchasing their goods or services. It is our policy NOT to provide any confidential information about you to such persons without expressing your consent.
If you have any questions about our policies designed to protect the privacy of your confidential information, please call us. Your privacy, our professional ethics and the ability to provide you with quality accounting services are very important to us.