Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Matloob Tax & Consulting is a sole-practitioner Enrolled Agent practice owned by Abdul H. Matloob, EA, located at 758B Falmouth Road, Hyannis, MA 02601. Abdul H. Matloob is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service under Circular 230 (31 C.F.R. Part 10).

2. Information we collect

We collect information in three ways:

• Information you give us directly — your name, address, phone number, email, Social Security number or ITIN, dependents, income, deductions, employment, investments, foreign accounts, and any other data needed to prepare, plan for, or represent you in tax matters. We also collect documents and notices you upload or send us.
• Information from your devices — when you visit this site, we automatically receive your IP address, browser type, device type, referring page, and pages viewed. We use privacy-respecting server logs for security and performance diagnostics. We do not sell or share this data.
• Information from third parties — we may receive information from the IRS, state tax authorities, prior preparers, employers, brokers, banks, or other professionals you authorize us to contact on your behalf (for example, by signing Form 2848 Power of Attorney or Form 8821 Tax Information Authorization).

3. How we use your information

We use your information only to provide the services you have engaged us for, to meet our professional and legal obligations, and to protect our practice. Specific uses include:

• Preparing federal, state, and local tax returns and supporting schedules.
• Representing you before the IRS or state tax authorities under Power of Attorney.
• Planning, advisory, bookkeeping, and payroll engagements you have asked us to perform.
• Responding to your questions, scheduling appointments, and maintaining your client file.
• Invoicing, processing payments, and administering our engagement letter.
• Complying with Circular 230, IRS §7216, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, state licensing rules, the FTC Safeguards Rule, and our Written Information Security Program (WISP).

4. Your tax information — IRC §7216

Under Internal Revenue Code §7216 and its regulations, we may not use or disclose any tax return information we receive from you for any purpose other than preparing your return unless we obtain your written consent on a form that satisfies the statute. We will ask for that consent in writing before we use or disclose your tax return information for any permitted secondary purpose (for example, generating a comparative analysis, referring you to a financial professional, or using it in other engagements you have with us).

5. Who we share information with

We do not sell your information. We share information only in the limited ways described below:

• Government authorities — the IRS and state tax agencies when we file on your behalf, respond to notices, or represent you.
• Service providers under contract — our tax-preparation software, e-file transmitter, secure document portal, cloud backup, and payment processor. Each is bound by written security terms consistent with the FTC Safeguards Rule and our WISP.
• At your direction — anyone you ask us to copy or communicate with, such as a financial advisor, attorney, or spouse.
• When required by law — valid subpoenas, court orders, or statutory reporting obligations (for example, currency-transaction or FinCEN filings when applicable).
• To defend our practice — in connection with a legal claim, dispute, or ethics inquiry, to the minimum extent reasonably necessary.

6. How we protect your information

We maintain a Written Information Security Program (WISP) as required by IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 314). Safeguards include:

• Encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest for our client portal and cloud storage.
• Multi-factor authentication on tax software, email, and cloud accounts.
• Role-based access — the practitioner is the only person with routine access to client data.
• Secure disposal of paper and electronic records when no longer needed.
• An annual WISP review and incident-response plan, including IRS Stakeholder Liaison notification if a data theft or unauthorized disclosure occurs.

No system is perfectly secure. If we learn of an incident that affects your information, we will notify you in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 93H and any applicable federal rule.

7. Retention

We retain client tax records for at least seven (7) years after the later of the filing date or the engagement close, consistent with IRS recordkeeping guidance and our internal Records Retention SOP. Engagement letters, §7216 consents, and authorization forms are retained for the full retention period. After the retention period, records are securely destroyed unless a longer period is required by law or by a pending matter.

8. Your choices and rights

• Access and correction. You may ask us for a copy of the information we hold about you and request corrections if it is inaccurate.
• Withdraw consent. You may withdraw a §7216 consent at any time, going forward, by writing to us at the address below.
• Marketing. We do not send marketing email without your consent. If you receive any communication from us you no longer want, reply with the word "unsubscribe" or email us at the address below.
• Cookies. Our marketing site uses only strictly necessary cookies for theme preference and anti-spam. We do not use advertising cookies. You can clear these from your browser at any time.

9. Children

Our site is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect information from children. Parents and guardians engaging us to prepare a child or dependent's return provide the child's information on the child's behalf as part of the family engagement.

10. Massachusetts residents

We comply with the Massachusetts data-security regulations at 201 C.M.R. §17.00 and the breach-notification requirements of M.G.L. c. 93H. Residents may contact us to request a free copy of the personal information we hold about them.

11. Changes to this notice

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will change the "Effective date" above and, for material changes, post a notice on the home page for at least 30 days. Material changes to our GLBA Privacy Notice are also provided directly to tax clients.

12. Contact us

Questions or requests about this Privacy Policy should be addressed to:

Matloob Tax & Consulting
Attn: Privacy Officer (Abdul H. Matloob, EA)
758B Falmouth Road
Hyannis, MA 02601
(508) 258-9890
contact@matloobtaxandconsulting.com