Privacy Policy

Ash Circle Associates is an accounting and financial consulting firm based in Thornton, Colorado, serving small and mid-size businesses throughout the greater Denver area. As a member of the BDO Alliance USA, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, responsiveness, and quality — and that includes how we handle your personal information.

By using our website, contacting us, or engaging our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

We collect personal information necessary to provide our accounting, tax, payroll, and financial consulting services. This may include:

• Identity Information — full name, date of birth, Social Security number or Tax ID
• Contact Information — phone number, email address, mailing address, business address
• Financial Information — bank account details, income records, tax documents, payroll data, business financials
• Business Information — business name, entity type (LLC, C-Corp, etc.), EIN, industry classification
• Communication Records — emails, phone calls, SMS/text messages, and notes from consultations
• Website Activity — information submitted through contact forms, appointment requests, or service inquiries
• QuickBooks & Software Data — login credentials and data related to QuickBooks setup, training, and support

• Directly from you when you complete a contact form, schedule a consultation, engage our services, or communicate by phone, email, or text
• During service delivery, when you provide financial documents, tax records, payroll data, or business information
• Through our website, when you request information, download resources, or use our online scheduling tools
• From third parties such as financial institutions, payroll processors (e.g., Gusto), or government agencies — only with your authorization and as necessary to perform our services
• Automatically, through standard website analytics (see Section 08)

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

• Providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and tax planning services
• Managing payroll processing and related filings
• Delivering part-time CFO and strategic consulting services
• Setting up, training, and supporting QuickBooks and other accounting software
• Conducting audits, reviews, compilations, and business valuations
• Communicating regarding appointments, service updates, deadlines, and compliance matters
• Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
• Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations (including IRS and state tax authority requirements)
• Improving our services and client experience

Ash Circle Associates does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers — trusted vendors who assist us in operating our business, such as payroll processors (e.g., Gusto), cloud storage providers, IT support, and secure document handling services. These providers are contractually bound to protect your information.
• Professional Partners — as a member of the BDO Alliance USA, we may collaborate with other Alliance firms to deliver specialized services, but only with your knowledge and consent.
• Legal Compliance — when required by law, court order, or government regulation, including IRS and state tax authority requirements.
• Business Transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our practice, your information would transfer subject to the same protections.

Opting In

By providing your mobile phone number and consenting to SMS communications, you agree to receive text messages from Ash Circle Associates for:

• Appointment reminders and scheduling confirmations
• Tax deadline reminders and filing status updates
• Service-related notifications (e.g., document requests, payroll alerts)
• Customer care and follow-up communications
• Conversational responses to your inquiries

SMS Disclosure & Terms

SMS Data Protection

Phone numbers collected for SMS communications are stored securely and are never shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes. We use industry-standard encryption and access controls to protect this data.

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, including:

• Secure, encrypted cloud storage for client files
• Password-protected systems and multi-factor authentication
• Restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Regular security assessments and staff training on data protection
• Compliance with professional standards for confidentiality (AICPA, state board of accountancy)

While we take these precautions seriously, no system is completely immune to security risks. In the unlikely event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you promptly and in accordance with applicable law.

Our website may use standard cookies and analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with our site, helping us improve user experience and content relevance. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, though this may affect certain website functionalities.

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or outdated information
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and professional retention requirements
• Opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP
• Withdraw consent for specific uses of your information, where consent was the basis for processing
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law.

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal and tax record-keeping obligations, and resolve disputes. Tax-related records are generally retained for a minimum of seven (7) years in accordance with IRS guidelines.

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please reach out:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Colorado and applicable federal privacy regulations.