Privacy Policy

How Big Beach Books, LLC collects, uses, and protects your personal information.

Contents

Overview
Information We Collect
How We Use Your Information
Information Sharing
Data Security
Client Portal
Cookies & Website
Your Rights
Data Retention
Children's Privacy
Changes to This Policy
Contact Us

Last updated: January 1, 2026 · Big Beach Books, LLC · Gulf Shores, Alabama

Overview

Big Beach Books, LLC ("Big Beach Books," "we," "our," or "us") is a licensed CPA firm located in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our clients and website visitors. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal and financial information when you use our services, visit our website, or communicate with us.

As a licensed accounting and tax firm, we are bound by professional standards of confidentiality under Alabama CPA licensing requirements and applicable federal regulations, including IRS Circular 230. We take these obligations seriously and have built our practices around protecting your information at every step.

Information We Collect

We collect personal and financial information necessary to provide accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and consulting services. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information: Name, date of birth, Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number, driver's license or government ID
Contact information: Mailing address, email address, phone number
Financial information: Income, expenses, bank account details, investment records, payroll data, tax records, financial statements
Business information: Business name, entity type, ownership structure, employee information
Website information: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and other technical data collected through standard web analytics
Communications: Records of messages, emails, and other correspondence with our firm

We collect this information directly from you, from documents you provide, and through our secure client portal platform (TaxDome).

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and financial information solely for legitimate business and professional purposes, including:

Preparing and filing tax returns and other required filings
Providing bookkeeping, accounting, and financial consulting services
Communicating with you about your engagement and our services
Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
Responding to inquiries submitted through our website contact form
Sending our monthly newsletter (only to subscribers who have opted in)
Improving our services and client experience

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information for marketing purposes beyond our own firm communications.

We treat all client information as strictly confidential. We do not share, sell, rent, or trade your personal or financial information with third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

With your consent: We may share information with third parties when you have explicitly authorized us to do so (for example, sharing data with your bank, attorney, or financial advisor).
Tax authorities: We transmit tax returns and related information to the IRS, Alabama Department of Revenue, and other applicable taxing authorities as part of our services.
Service providers: We use TaxDome, a secure practice management platform, to store and process client documents and communications. TaxDome maintains its own privacy and security standards.
Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or when necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our firm, our clients, or others.
Professional obligations: In limited circumstances, peer review or regulatory oversight may require access to certain engagement files, subject to confidentiality protections.

Data Security

Protecting your financial information is a top priority. We employ multiple layers of security to safeguard your data:

Encrypted client portal: All client documents, communications, and e-signatures are handled through our enterprise-grade TaxDome portal, which uses bank-level encryption (256-bit SSL/TLS).
Access controls: Client information is accessible only to authorized firm personnel on a need-to-know basis.
Secure transmission: We do not transmit sensitive financial documents via unencrypted email. All document sharing occurs through the secure portal.
Physical security: Physical records, when held, are stored securely and disposed of through appropriate means.

While we implement industry-standard security measures, no method of data transmission or storage is completely secure. We encourage clients to use strong passwords and protect their portal login credentials.

Client Portal

We use TaxDome as our secure client portal platform. When you access the portal at bigbeachbooks.taxdome.com, your use is also subject to TaxDome's own privacy policy and terms of service. We have selected TaxDome specifically for its strong security standards and its compliance with professional accounting firm requirements.

Through the portal, you can securely upload documents, sign forms electronically, communicate with our team, and access your financial records. We recommend reviewing TaxDome's privacy policy for information about how they handle platform-level data.

Cookies & Website

Our website (bigbeachbooks.com) is hosted on TaxDome's platform. The site may use standard web technologies including cookies and analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site and to improve the user experience. This data is collected in aggregate and is not linked to personally identifiable information.

You can configure your browser to refuse cookies, though some website features may not function properly as a result.

Your Rights

You have the following rights with respect to your personal information held by Big Beach Books:

Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal and professional obligations to retain certain records.
Opt-out: You may unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email.
Portability: Upon request, we can provide copies of your financial documents in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected] or by mail at the address below.

Data Retention

We retain client records in accordance with IRS guidelines, Alabama state requirements, and professional standards. Tax returns and related financial records are generally retained for a minimum of seven (7) years. We retain records for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy and to comply with our legal and professional obligations.

When records are no longer required, they are disposed of securely and in compliance with applicable professional standards.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.