Privacy Policy

1. Information I Collect

When you fill out the contact form, request a consultation, or send me an email or a text, you give me information directly. That usually includes your name, email address, phone number, the name of your practice, and whatever you choose to tell me about your practice and where your books currently stand.

This website also collects basic technical information automatically, such as your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you view, and the site or search that sent you here. This happens through cookies and similar tools, which are described in the next section.

If we start working together, I receive the business records I need to do the bookkeeping. Depending on the services you sign up for, that can include bank and credit card statements, deposit reports from your practice management or payment system, payroll reports, vendor bills, contractor information for year-end 1099s, and access to your QuickBooks Online file.

2. Cookies and Analytics

Cookies are small files placed on your browser that help a website function, stay secure, and remember basic preferences.

Google Analytics: I use Google Analytics to see how visitors find and move through this site, which pages are actually useful, and where the site could be clearer. The reports I see are aggregated and do not identify you personally. Google may store this data on servers in the United States.

Cloudflare: This website uses Cloudflare for security and performance. Cloudflare may collect technical data such as your IP address and browser information to filter out malicious traffic, confirm that you are a real visitor rather than a bot, and load pages faster. Cloudflare may also provide me with anonymous statistics about site visits.

I do not use cookies for advertising, retargeting, or building a profile about you. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work properly if you do.

3. How I Use Your Information

Here is what I use the information for.

• Replying to your message and answering your questions.
• Scheduling and holding a consultation with you.
• Sending you a quote, proposal, or engagement letter.
• Doing the actual work if you become a client, including monthly bookkeeping, catch-up and clean-up projects, payroll processing, bill payment, invoicing, 1099 preparation, and QuickBooks Online setup and training.
• Sending you monthly reports and following up on questions about your books.
• Keeping this website working, secure, and easier to use.

I do not sell, rent, or trade your information, and I do not add you to any list you did not ask to join.

4. Your Practice Records and Your Clients' Information

Bookkeeping for a mental health practice means working with business financial records, not clinical records. I do not ask for and do not need therapy notes, treatment records, diagnoses, session content, or any other clinical detail about the people your practice serves.

What I do need is the money side of the practice, such as deposits, statements, payroll reports, invoices, and vendor bills. Sometimes a name appears on a deposit summary or an invoice simply because that is how the report prints. When that happens, I treat the information as confidential, use it only to record and reconcile the transaction, and do not discuss it with anyone.

If your practice prefers that identifying details be removed or redacted before documents reach me, tell me and we will set the work up that way.

5. When I Share Information

Your information stays with me unless sharing it is necessary to do the work you hired me for or is required by law.

I rely on a small number of business tools to run this practice, including accounting and payroll software, secure file sharing, scheduling, email, and website hosting. Those providers can access only what they need to deliver their service, and they are not permitted to use your information for their own purposes.

I do not prepare tax returns. Part of my job is keeping your books tax-ready for whoever does prepare them, which often means sending year-end reports to your tax preparer or CPA. I do that at your direction and with your permission, never on my own initiative.

6. How I Protect Your Information

I keep your records in password-protected, encrypted systems and use secure file transfer rather than plain email attachments for statements and other sensitive documents. Multi-factor authentication is turned on wherever the software supports it, and access to your accounts is limited to what the work actually requires.

Because I do the work myself, there is no rotating team and no long list of people touching your books. Fewer hands on your information is part of how I protect it.

I want to be honest about the limits. No system and no method of sending information over the internet is completely secure, so I cannot promise absolute security. What I can promise is that I treat your records with the same care I would want someone to use with mine.

7. How Long I Keep Information

Website inquiries and consultation requests are kept only as long as they are useful for following up with you. Client records are kept while we are working together and for a reasonable period afterward, since your books and reports may still be needed for your own recordkeeping or by your tax preparer. After that they are deleted or securely stored. If you would like your information removed sooner, just ask.

8. Your Rights and Choices

You can ask me what information I have about you, ask for a copy of it, ask me to correct anything that is wrong, or ask me to delete it. You can also tell me to stop contacting you at any time. Residents of California and some other states may have additional rights under state law, and the request process is the same either way. Reach out using the contact details below and I will handle it personally.

9. Updates to This Policy

If this policy changes because my tools, services, or legal obligations change, I will post the updated version on this page and change the date at the top. Current clients will hear from me directly about anything significant.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this policy or about how your information is handled, email me at info@adkeepsthebooks.com .

You can also write to AD Keeps The Books, 3716 W Ave K 13, Lancaster, CA 93536.