Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 13, 2026
At The Kitchen CPAs, protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your information is an
important part of earning your trust. We understand that restaurant owners, hospitality
businesses, and their advisers rely on us to handle sensitive financial and business
information responsibly.
This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard
information when you visit our website, interact with our marketing, use our online
resources, contact us, or engage our professional services.

1. About Us and Scope of This Policy
   This website is operated by Mainspring Finance PLLC, doing business as The Kitchen
   CPAs, also known as Kitchen CPAs (collectively, “The Kitchen CPAs,” “Kitchen CPAs,”
   “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
   This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through https://www.kitchencpas.com,
   our associated website forms and interactive tools, our communications with prospective
   and existing clients, and information processed in connection with our professional
   services, except where a separate notice or agreement governs.
   Professional client information may be subject to additional confidentiality requirements,
   engagement agreements, and applicable federal and state laws. Where those
   requirements provide greater protection or impose additional restrictions, they control.
2. Information We Collect
   Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect the following categories of
   information.
   Information You Provide
   Information you voluntarily provide may include:

• Name, email address, telephone number, and mailing address.
• Business name, location, industry, ownership information, and business contact
  details.
• Information about accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax, or advisory needs.
• Information submitted through consultation requests, questionnaires, surveys,
  downloadable resources, newsletters, or other website forms.
• Restaurant financial and operational information submitted through our calculators
  or interactive tools.
• Communications exchanged with our personnel, including emails, telephone calls,
  video meetings, and other correspondence.
• Other information you choose to provide to us.
  Professional Client Information
  When you engage us for professional services, we may obtain additional records and
  information, including:
• Financial statements, general ledgers, and accounting records.
• Banking, payment processing, and transaction information.
• Tax returns, tax identification numbers, and supporting tax documents.
• Payroll, employee, contractor, and vendor records.
• Financial projections, budgets, and operational performance information.
• Information accessed through accounting, payroll, point-of-sale, and other financial
  technology integrations.
  We collect and process this information to perform authorized professional services and
  fulfill applicable legal and contractual obligations.
  Information Collected Automatically
  When you access our website, we or our technology providers may collect:
• Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and approximate location information.
• Browser, device, and operating system information.
• Pages visited, referral sources, visit timestamps, and website interactions.
• Cookie identifiers, advertising identifiers, and similar technical information.
• Information concerning interactions with our advertisements and marketing
  communications.
  Some of this information may constitute personal information under applicable privacy
  laws, even where it does not directly identify an individual by name.
  Information From Other Sources
  We may receive information from authorized third parties, referral partners, technology
  providers, publicly available business sources, and other parties involved in an existing or
  prospective professional engagement.
  We may combine information obtained from these sources with information collected
  directly from you, where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Information
   We collect and process information for legitimate business, operational, marketing, and
   professional purposes, including to:

• Respond to inquiries and requests for information.
• Evaluate prospective client needs and prepare proposals.
• Provide accounting, bookkeeping, tax, payroll, and financial advisory services.
• Maintain client relationships and administer professional engagements.
• Process payments, maintain business records, and manage administrative
  operations.
• Provide website tools, calculators, newsletters, and educational resources.
• Improve our website, services, and communications.
• Measure advertising performance and understand how visitors find and interact
  with our website.
• Personalize marketing communications and present relevant information about our
  services.
• Detect fraud, prevent misuse, protect our systems, and maintain information
  security.
• Fulfill legal, regulatory, contractual, and professional obligations.
  We do not use or disclose protected tax return information for unrelated marketing or other
  unauthorized purposes. Where specific consent is required by law, we obtain it through a
  separate appropriate process.

4. Cookies, Analytics, and Advertising Technologies
   Our website may use cookies, tracking pixels, web beacons, and similar technologies.
   These technologies help us operate the website, understand visitor behavior, measure
   marketing effectiveness, and improve our services.
   Depending on the tools we use, these technologies may collect or associate information
   such as IP addresses, browser identifiers, website activity, advertising interactions, and
   information submitted through designated marketing forms.
   Website Analytics
   We may use website analytics and customer relationship management technologies,
   including HubSpot and other analytics providers, to evaluate website traffic, visitor
   engagement, inquiries, and marketing performance.
   These systems may use cookies or similar identifiers to recognize returning visitors and
   associate website activity with information voluntarily provided through forms, subject to
   applicable law and the technologies enabled.
   Advertising and Remarketing
   We may use advertising services provided by platforms such as Google, Meta, OpenAI, and
   other marketing partners.
   These services may help us measure conversions, understand campaign effectiveness,
   and deliver advertisements to relevant audiences.
   Depending on the service, information may include online identifiers, website activity,
   interactions with advertisements, and eligible contact information used for audience
   matching or conversion measurement.
   Certain disclosures to advertising partners may qualify as targeted advertising, sale, or
   sharing of personal information under applicable state privacy laws, even when no money
   is exchanged for the information.
   Where required, we provide appropriate notice, consent mechanisms, or opportunities to
   opt out.
   OpenAI Advertising Measurement
   Our website may use the OpenAI Ads Measurement Pixel, a technology provided by
   OpenAI to measure the effectiveness of advertising displayed through ChatGPT and related
   advertising services.
   When enabled, and subject to applicable consent requirements, this technology may
   collect information about website visits and interactions, including pages visited, visit
   timestamps, advertising click references, and browser identifiers.
   OpenAI’s measurement technology may also use first-party cookies to associate visits with
   advertising interactions and subsequent conversion events.
   If a visitor submits certain marketing forms, eligible contact information, such as an email
   address or telephone number, may be normalized and converted into a cryptographically
   hashed format before transmission to OpenAI for advertising attribution and measurement.
   Hashing changes the format of information but does not necessarily render it anonymous.
   We use these technologies to understand whether advertising leads to actions such as
   consultation requests or other designated marketing conversions.
   We do not intentionally transmit client tax returns, Social Security numbers, banking
   credentials, detailed financial records, or other confidential professional information
   through advertising measurement technologies.
   OpenAI may process information received through its advertising tools in accordance with
   its applicable terms and privacy practices.
   For additional information, visit:
   https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy/
   Your Cookie and Advertising Choices
   You may control certain cookies through your browser settings or through the cookie
   preference tools made available on our website.
   Where required by applicable law, we provide mechanisms to consent to or decline
   nonessential tracking technologies and to exercise applicable targeted advertising opt-out
   rights.
   You may also manage advertising preferences directly through the relevant advertising
   platforms.
   Some cookies and technologies are necessary for website operation and may not be
   disabled through advertising preference controls.
5. Marketing Communications and Text Messaging
   We may use business contact information to send newsletters, educational resources,
   service updates, event invitations, and promotional information about our accounting and
   advisory services, as permitted by law.
   You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link
   included in those communications.
   Where we offer promotional text messaging, we will obtain any consent required by
   applicable law and provide applicable opt-out instructions.
   We do not sell mobile telephone numbers or text messaging opt-in consent information to
   third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
   Service providers may process messaging information solely as needed to provide
   authorized communications services, subject to appropriate restrictions.
   Unsubscribing from promotional messages does not prevent us from sending necessary
   engagement, billing, security, or administrative communications.
6. How We Disclose Information
   We do not sell confidential client accounting records or tax return information to
   advertisers or data brokers.
   We may disclose information in the following circumstances, subject to applicable law,
   professional standards, and engagement agreements.
   Employees, Contractors, and Service Providers
   We may provide information to authorized employees, contractors, and third-party
   providers who require access to perform professional services or support our operations.
   Such parties may include accounting, tax preparation, payroll, information technology,
   cloud hosting, document management, payment processing, and other service providers.
   Where appropriate or required, these relationships are subject to contractual
   confidentiality, information security, and restrictions on the use and further disclosure of
   information.
   Authorized Third Parties
   We may disclose information to financial institutions, attorneys, payroll providers,
   business advisers, or other third parties when appropriately authorized by you or otherwise
   permitted by law.
   Professional Oversight and Quality Control
   We may disclose information where legally permitted or required in connection with
   professional licensing-board inquiries, authorized peer reviews, regulatory examinations,
   or other professional oversight activities.
   Legal Proceedings and Regulatory Requirements
   We may disclose information when required by valid legal process, applicable law, or
   regulatory obligations.
   We may also disclose information as reasonably necessary to establish, exercise, or
   defend legal rights, subject to applicable confidentiality restrictions and appropriate
   safeguards.
   Business Transactions
   Information may be disclosed in connection with a proposed or completed merger,
   acquisition, restructuring, or sale of all or part of our professional practice.
   We will apply appropriate confidentiality protections and comply with applicable
   professional and legal restrictions governing the disclosure of client information.
   Marketing and Advertising Providers
   We may share eligible website and marketing-related information with advertising,
   analytics, and customer relationship management providers for the purposes described in
   this policy.
   Such disclosures do not authorize the unrestricted sharing of confidential professional
   client records or protected tax return information.
7. Professional Confidentiality and Taxpayer Information
   The Kitchen CPAs recognizes the confidentiality obligations associated with professional
   accounting and tax services.
   We handle confidential client information in accordance with applicable CPA professional
   standards, federal and state law, and our engagement agreements.
   Certain tax return information is protected by Internal Revenue Code Section 7216 and its
   implementing regulations, which restrict unauthorized use and disclosure by tax return
   preparers.
   When separate consent is legally required for a particular use or disclosure, acceptance of
   this Privacy Policy does not replace that consent.
   We restrict access to nonpublic client information to personnel and authorized parties with
   a legitimate need to perform services or fulfill other permitted functions.
   Professional confidentiality obligations may continue after a client engagement ends,
   subject to applicable law.
8. Information Security
   We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect
   information against unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, destruction, or misuse.
   Our security practices may include appropriate access controls, authentication measures,
   secure systems, personnel procedures, service-provider oversight, and incident response
   processes.
   We periodically evaluate our safeguards and seek to adjust them as business needs,
   technology, and security risks evolve.
   Although we take reasonable steps to protect information, no electronic transmission or
   storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
   We encourage clients and prospective clients to use our designated secure systems when
   transmitting sensitive financial documents, tax returns, identification numbers, or banking
   information.
   General website contact forms should not be used to transmit highly sensitive information.
9. International Processing and Authorized Personnel
   We may use authorized employees, contractors, and technology service providers located
   within or outside the United States to support our operations and professional services.
   Information may be accessed, stored, or processed in jurisdictions with privacy and data
   protection laws that differ from those applicable in your location.
   Where required, we implement appropriate contractual, technical, professional, and legal
   safeguards governing such processing.
   Any use or disclosure of protected tax return information remains subject to applicable
   federal restrictions, including requirements concerning disclosures to persons located
   outside the United States.
   Nothing in this Privacy Policy constitutes consent to a disclosure for which separate
   authorization is legally required.
10. Use of Automated Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
    We may use software automation and artificial intelligence-enabled tools to support
    appropriate internal business functions, administrative activities, research, data analysis,
    and professional workflows.
    The use of such technologies is subject to applicable professional responsibilities,
    confidentiality obligations, vendor arrangements, and legal restrictions.
    We do not regard this Privacy Policy as blanket authorization to disclose confidential client
    information or protected tax return information to artificial intelligence providers.
    Where separate client authorization is required, we will address that authorization through
    the appropriate process.
    Professional services remain governed by our engagement agreements and applicable
    professional standards.
11. Information Retention
    We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain
    business records, fulfill contractual obligations, comply with applicable laws and
    professional standards, resolve disputes, and protect legitimate business interests.
    Retention periods depend on the nature of the information and the reasons for processing
    it.
    Tax and accounting records may be subject to different retention requirements than
    website analytics, marketing records, or general business inquiries.
    When information is no longer reasonably required, we take appropriate steps to delete,
    destroy, or deidentify it, subject to applicable legal and operational requirements.
12. Your Privacy Rights and Choices
    Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights concerning personal
    information, including rights to:

• Request access to certain information we maintain about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of eligible information.
• Request information about applicable data collection and disclosure practices.
• Opt out of certain targeted advertising, sale, sharing, or profiling activities where
  applicable.
• Withdraw previously provided consent where legally permitted.
• Appeal a privacy-related decision where applicable law provides that right.
  Certain requests may be limited by legal obligations, professional requirements,
  exemptions, or other lawful grounds for retaining or processing information.
  We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
  We will not unlawfully discriminate against individuals for exercising applicable privacy
  rights.
  Privacy requests may be submitted using the contact information below.

13. Children’s Privacy
    Our website is intended for adults and business representatives.
    We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through
    our general website marketing activities.
    If we become aware that such information was collected inappropriately, we will take
    reasonable steps to address it.
    This restriction does not prevent authorized processing of information concerning
    dependents or minors where necessary for professional accounting or tax services.
14. External Websites and Third-Party Services
    Our website may link to third-party websites, applications, payment platforms, accounting
    software, and other resources.
    These services may maintain their own privacy policies and terms.
    We are not responsible for the independent information practices of third parties that we
    do not control.
    We encourage visitors to review the applicable policies before providing personal
    information to external services.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
    We may revise this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our operations, technology,
    professional services, or legal obligations.
    Updated versions will be posted on our website with a revised effective date.
    Where required by applicable law, we will provide additional notice or obtain appropriate
    consent before materially changing relevant information practices.
16. Contact Information
    For questions about our privacy practices or to submit a privacy-related request, contact:
    The Kitchen CPAs (Kitchen CPAs)
    A trade name of Mainspring Finance PLLC
    Website: https://www.kitchencpas.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Mailing Address: [email protected]