Privacy Policy
At Accounting Heart Pty Limited (“Accounting Heart”) we respect your privacy. We respect the rights of our customers, suppliers and colleagues to decide if, when and how their personal information is used.
Our commitment to privacy is based on:
The freedom to visit our website and access information without the need to give us any personal information.
The choice to give us personal information if – and only if – you wish to access more tailored services such as being included on Accounting Heart mailing database.
A pledge that any information given is kept safely and securely, using the latest technology and to accepted industry standards.
Your use of our website or other online formats (e.g. Google Forms) is deemed to be acceptance of these privacy policies.
If you disagree with the policies set out above, and in more detail below, you should not use our website or engage with us via any online means.
WHAT INFORMATION MAY ACCOUNTING HEART COLLECT?
If you chose to become our client then Accounting Heart may collect the following information:
name and job title.
contact information including email address, mailing address and phone number.
your accounting information including bank account details, income, expenses, tax records including your tax file number, superannuation records, company records and accounts, trust records and accounts, partnership records and accounts, SMSF records and accounts, BAS, ASIC records etc.
HOW WILL ACCOUNTING HEART COLLECT INFORMATION?
We collect this information from you when you make an enquiry with us. We are committed to using lawful and fair means to collect personal information and collecting it from others only when it is unreasonable or impracticable to obtain information from you directly. Third parties may also use cookies, web beacons and similar technology to collect or receive information from our website or from you and from elsewhere on the internet and use that information to provide measurement services and targeted advertising (such as the Facebook pixel, Google Analytics and AdWords). We will destroy or de-identify information where we form the opinion that the information has been provided to us unlawfully or unfairly.
HOW THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT MAY BE USED
Any information we collect will never be sold, given or shared with any third party, except as disclosed in this privacy policy. It will only be used to allow us to provide tailored services, such as newsletters and seminar invitations and to allow us to better understand the needs of our customers and business partners.
ONLINE SECURITY
Whilst Accounting Heart is committed to protecting your privacy, the nature of the web and the technology it uses is not 100% secure.
Emails can be ‘hacked’ by those with the necessary skills.
We do, however, use the latest encryption technology, and firewalls are used to protect the information we hold as securely as is possible.
As and when technology improves, we will make use of newer and more secure methods of encryption and protection.
While we take commercially reasonable measures to maintain a secure website and business, electronic communications and databases are subject to errors, tampering and break-ins, and we cannot guarantee or warrant that such events will not take place and, to the maximum extent permissible by law, we will not be liable to you for any such occurrences.
YOUR ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION WE HOLD
We will strive to give you every opportunity to update and access the information we hold.
Where possible, we will give you online access to change and update your details yourself. Where not possible, it may be necessary to contact us directly at Accounting Heart.
UNSOLICITED ‘SPAM’
We will never knowingly send you unsolicited emails (known commonly as ‘SPAM’) when you have not requested them.
When signing up for our newsletters, you will be given the option of agreeing to us sending you related information about any or all of the products or services we offer.
Checking this option means you agree to us sending you emails from time to time, of a marketing or informational kind.
Leaving the option unchecked means we will not include you in any promotional offers or emails.
HOW YOU CAN UNSUBSCRIBE OR OPT OUT
Our emails will always come with an “Unsubscribe” button, so you can opt out at any time.
HOW ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION IS STORED
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the information we hold about you is secure, accurate and up to date.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Accounting Heart cannot take responsibility for the privacy policies, conduct or quality of third party websites linked to from this site or in the tools that we use.
Where possible, the content and availability of any sites we have linked to have been checked and read. However, you should check the privacy policies of any third party site before disclosing any personal information.
CREDIT CARDS AND DIRECT DEBIT
If you choose to pay for our services by credit card or direct debit, your complete credit card details or bank details are not stored by Accounting Heart and cannot be accessed by Accounting Heart staff. However, we can access your credit card’s expiry date and the first and last 3 digits of the card. This allows us to confirm with you that we have the correct credit card information. We also store an encrypted token which allows us, and only us, to bill or refund your credit card as required by you. We also use Stripe, a third party payment gateway, to process credit card payments. We use Practice Ignition, a third party payment gateway, to process credit card payments and/or direct debit payments. Your credit card details and/or bank account details are encrypted and securely stored by Stripe and Practice Ignition. You should review Stripe and Practice Ignition’s Privacy Policy and Security information to ensure you are satisfied.
COOKIES
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about webpage traffic and improve our website to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website (see below for more information).
PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES
Accounting Heart may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.
ACCOUNTING HEART’S COMMITMENT
The personal data we collect is:
processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
collected for the specified, explicit and legitimate purposes including creating our mailing list, direct marketing to you, providing you with information and services and preparing your accounts, preparing income tax returns, ASIC Registered Agent services and advisory services;
adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for our purposes;
accurate, and where necessary, kept up to date (we will take every reasonable step to ensure that inaccurate personal data is erased or rectified without delay);
not stored than for longer than is necessary for accounting purposes; and
processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data.
YOUR CONSENT
Accounting Heart requests your consent to the processing of your personal data. Processing your data is necessary for us to perform our services set out in our Client Engagement Letter. You give us consent to process your personal data by clicking accept or by indicating your acceptance with your signature. You can withdraw that consent at any time by sending an email to info@accountingheart.com.au. We will action your withdrawal as soon as reasonably practicable by ceasing to process your personal data.
ACCOUNTING HEART DATA PROCESSING INFORMATION
To help you to understand how Accounting Heart will work with your personal data we set out some key information below. As always if you have any questions just ask – we are here to help!
WHO IS THE CONTROLLER?
Accounting Heart Pty Ltd
Privacy contact: Sonia Gibson
Mailing address: PO Box 405, Jannali, NSW 2226 Australia
Phone: + 61 2 95280257
Email: sonia@accountingheart.com.au
WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES FOR PROCESSING THE PERSONAL DATA?
Creating our mailing list, direct marketing to you, providing you with information and services and preparing your accounts, preparing income tax returns, ASIC Registered Agent services and advisory services.
WHAT IS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING THE PERSONAL DATA?
Where we have collected data from you on engagement, the legal basis is the performance of a contract, namely our Letter of Engagement.
Where we have collected data from you for direct marketing purposes, the legal basis is your freely given, informed and explicit consent, which you have given by a positive act (i.e. accepting this Privacy Policy) knowing that you can withdraw it at any time.
Where we have collected data from you other than pursuant to an engagement or your consent, we have collected data to facilitate our pursuing our legitimate business interests, including creating our mailing list, direct marketing to you, providing you with information and services and preparing your accounts, preparing income tax returns, ASIC Registered Agent services and advisory services.
WHO RECEIVES YOUR PERSONAL DATA?
Your data is received by us, Accounting Heart Pty Ltd, and also by our key suppliers including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Xero Australia Pty Ltd, BGL, MYOB, Google, Quickbooks Online, Receipt Bank, Hubdoc, HowNow Online, Practice Ignition, Monday, Now Infinity, Accurium and Encharge.
WILL WE TRANSFER DATA TO A THIRD COUNTRY?
We use cloud storage systems for our data. As cloud storage systems rely on keeping multiple copies of our data in physical servers in several locations in Australia, the UK and the US.
HOW LONG WILL YOUR PERSONAL DATA BE STORED?
For Accounting Heart clients, permanent documents are stored by us while ever you remain a client. If you cease being a client we will return a soft copy to you via download from the Accounting Heart Portal. The documents will then be deleted by us.
Company records in paper form are returned at the completion of your matter.
Tax return and accounting workpapers are retained by us for 5 years after a return has been lodged, pursuant to statutory requirements.
Information retained for marketing purposes is retained while you remain a client or prospective client of Accounting Heart, or until you request the deletion of your information.
CAN YOU REQUEST ACCESS AND/OR RECTIFICATION?
You may request access to, rectification or erasure of your personal data, restriction of processing or object to processing for automated decision-making. You also have the right to data portability. Contact us by phone or email if you have a request like this.
GOT A PRIVACY RELATED COMPLAINT?
If you wish to complain to us about how we have handled your personal information you should first complain to us in writing. If you need help lodging a complaint, you can contact us.
If we receive a complaint from you about how we have handled your personal information we will determine what (if any) action we should take to resolve the complaint.
If we decide that a complaint should be investigated further, the complaint will usually be handled by a more senior officer than the officer whose actions you are complaining about.
We will assess and handle complaints about the conduct of an OAIC officer using the APS Values and Code of Conduct and the guidelines issued by the Australian Public Service Commission.
We will tell you promptly that we have received your complaint and then respond to the complaint within 30 days.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaint or the way in which the complaint was handled, then you may contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/ for advice about your complaint.
IS PROVISION OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA A STATUTORY OR CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT? ARE YOU REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOUR PERSONAL DATA? WHAT IF ANY ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO PROVIDE IT?
Where we have collected data from you on engagement, the provision of your personal data is a contractual requirement and may also be a statutory requirement.
Where we have collected data from you here you have ‘opted in’ for direct marketing purposes pursuant to an offer, the provision of your personal data is a contractual requirement for the delivery of an opt in material.
If you do not provide personal data, we not be able to provide our products or services to you.
IS THERE AUTOMATED DECISION MAKING (INCLUDING PROFILING)?
You may be subjected to automated decision making based on data you provide to us, such as:
decisions in relation to tax brackets, where your taxable income is used to calculate your tax payable.
calculating which parcel of shares to sell based on whether or not you want to minimise or maximise capital gains.
Any automated decision making would only relate to decisions necessary for us to perform the services as agreed for you.
WHAT CATEGORIES OF PERSONAL DATA MIGHT WE COLLECT OTHER THAN DIRECTLY FROM YOU?
We may collect other personal data about you from other sources. All such data is obtained from government registers and is publicly available. The categories of personal data include legal names, addresses, contact details and dates of birth.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
Please email us if you have any further questions or concerns about your privacy, and our conduct online.