Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

theTaxSearch ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect information about visitors and clients of our website www.thetaxsearch.com (the "Website") and the professional tax and compliance services we offer.

By accessing our Website, using our calculators, or engaging our services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our Website and services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Full name, date of birth, gender, and photograph (where required for filings)
• Contact details including email address, phone number, and WhatsApp number
• Residential and business address
• Permanent Account Number (PAN), Aadhaar number, TAN, GSTIN, and other government-issued identifiers
• Financial information including income details, tax documents, investment records, bank account details, and Form 16
• Business details such as entity type, registration certificates, and director/partner information
• Documents uploaded for tax return filing, GST compliance, TDS filing, and business registration services
• Communications you send us via the contact form, email, or WhatsApp

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
• Device identifiers and screen resolution
• Referring URLs and search queries that led you to our Website
• Cookie data and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8 for details)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from government portals (such as the Income Tax Department e-Filing Portal, GST Portal, and MCA21) where you have authorised us to act as your tax representative or authorised signatory.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and financial information only for the following purposes:

3.1 Providing Services

• Preparing and filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) on your behalf
• GST registration, monthly/quarterly/annual return filing, and reconciliation
• TDS computation, quarterly return filing (24Q/26Q), and certificate issuance
• Business and company registration under the Companies Act, LLP Act, and other applicable laws
• 12A and 80G registrations for non-profit organisations
• Audit, assurance, and accounting compliance support
• Generating outputs from our free tax calculators (Income Tax, GST, HRA, TDS)

3.2 Client Communication

• Responding to your enquiries, consultation requests, and support queries
• Sending service updates, filing deadlines, and compliance reminders
• Sharing notifications regarding changes in tax law that may affect you

3.3 Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• Meeting our obligations under the Income Tax Act 1961, GST Act, Companies Act, and other applicable Indian legislation
• Retaining records as required by applicable laws and regulatory bodies
• Responding to lawful requests from government authorities and courts

3.4 Improving Our Services

• Analysing usage patterns to improve Website functionality and calculator accuracy
• Conducting internal quality assurance and staff training (using anonymised data)
• Developing new tools and service offerings

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal grounds under applicable Indian data protection law and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 ("SPDI Rules"):

• Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent, such as when booking a consultation or uploading documents
• Contractual necessity: Where processing is required to perform services you have engaged us for
• Legal obligation: Where we are required by law to process or retain your information
• Legitimate interests: For improving our services, preventing fraud, and ensuring the security of our systems

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

5.1 We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal or financial information to any third party for commercial or marketing purposes under any circumstances.

5.2 Authorised Sharing

We may share your information with:

• Government portals and tax authorities (Income Tax Department, GSTN, MCA, EPFO, etc.) solely for the purpose of rendering the services you have engaged
• Banks and financial institutions only where required to complete transactions on your behalf
• Our qualified staff and authorised representatives (Chartered Accountants, Tax Consultants) bound by professional confidentiality obligations
• Technology service providers who assist us in operating our Website and systems, subject to strict data processing agreements
• Legal and regulatory authorities, courts, or law enforcement agencies where required by law or valid legal process

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of our business, your information may be transferred to the successor entity. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our Website before such a transfer occurs.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal and financial information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide the services you have engaged
• Comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and accounting obligations (typically a minimum of 8 years for tax-related documents as required under Indian tax law)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Following the end of the required retention period, your data is securely deleted or anonymised. You may request earlier deletion where legally permissible by contacting us (see Section 12).

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational security measures to protect your information, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers
• Secure, access-controlled systems for storing sensitive documents and financial data
• Role-based access controls limiting staff access to client data on a need-to-know basis
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Staff training on data handling, confidentiality, and information security best practices

While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that is likely to affect your rights and interests, we will notify you promptly and take all necessary remedial steps.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. These include:

• Essential cookies: Required for the Website to function properly (e.g., session management)
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our Website (e.g., Google Analytics, used in anonymised/aggregated form)
• Functional cookies: Remember your preferences to personalise your experience

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Website and calculators. We do not use cookies to serve third-party advertising.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Website and services are intended for individuals aged 18 years and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from persons under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

10. Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, government portals, and payment gateways. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.

11. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored and processed within India. Where we use cloud or technology service providers that may process data outside India, we ensure such transfers are governed by appropriate contractual safeguards consistent with applicable Indian law.

12. Your Rights

Under applicable Indian law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data where retention is no longer necessary or legally required
• Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw consent you have previously provided (this will not affect lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal)
• Grievance redressal: Lodge a complaint with our Grievance Officer (see below)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Grievance Officer at contact@thetaxsearch.com. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.

13. Grievance Officer

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the SPDI Rules, we have designated a Grievance Officer to address any complaints or concerns regarding your personal data:

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable law. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our Website with a revised effective date, and where appropriate, by email notification. Continued use of our Website or services after the updated policy is posted constitutes your acceptance of the changes.