Privacy policy
BalancedRow is a **free matching service**. We help people connect with licensed accountants, and we try to keep the information you share limited, clear, and safe.
What we collect
When you use BalancedRow, we collect contact and request details only so we can try to match you with a licensed accountant.
This may include:
- your name
- email address
- phone number
- ZIP code or state
- language preference
- whether you need help with taxes, bookkeeping, payroll, or small-business accounting
- basic details about your situation, like whether you are self-employed, have a business, or need help as an ITIN filer or new immigrant
We do not ask for or want your Social Security Number, ITIN number, bank login, financial-account numbers, or tax documents through our matching forms. Please do not send that information to us.
If you are looking for help, start with Get matched and share only the basics needed for a match.
How we use your information
We use the information you give us to run the matching service and communicate with you.
- To understand your request. For example, whether you need help finding someone for tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, or another service.
- To try to match you with licensed accountants. Participating accountants may receive the basic request details needed to decide whether they may be a fit.
- To contact you about your request. We may send emails, texts, or call you about your match, your questions, or next steps.
- To improve the service. We may review trends, form responses, and site activity so we can make the service easier to use.
BalancedRow is not an accounting firm, tax preparer, bookkeeper, payroll provider, or law firm. We do not prepare returns, keep books, run payroll, file taxes, or give tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice.
Matching is free to the reader. Participating accountants pay a flat fee to be part of the network. BalancedRow never takes a percentage of your refund.
What we share, and what we do not
We share limited information only as needed to provide the matching service.
- We may share your contact details and request details with licensed accountants in our network so they can contact you.
- We may use service providers that help us operate the website, forms, communications, and basic analytics.
- We may disclose information if required by law, to respond to legal process, or to help protect the service from fraud or abuse.
What we do not do:
- We do not sell your tax return.
- We do not ask you to upload tax documents into the matching request.
- We do not need your SSN or ITIN to match you.
- We do not ask for bank usernames or passwords.
Before you share sensitive documents with any accountant, verify the credential and PTIN yourself through the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers or a state board of accountancy, and confirm the fee and scope in writing. Our guide to choosing an accountant can help.
Your choices and how to protect yourself
You stay in control.
- You can choose whether to submit a request.
- You can decide which accountant, if any, you want to speak with.
- You can stop responding to outreach from a matched accountant.
- You can ask us to stop contacting you about your request.
A few simple safety rules matter a lot:
- Never share an SSN, ITIN number, bank login, or tax documents with anyone you have not verified.
- Compare options. You choose who to hire.
- Ask for the fee and the scope of work in writing before any work starts.
- Hire a licensed professional, usually a CPA or IRS Enrolled Agent, and verify the credential yourself.
If you are unsure, especially as a new immigrant or ITIN filer, getting help is normal. You can learn more at ITIN & immigrant help.
Cookies, records, and updates
Like most websites, we may use cookies or similar tools to keep the site working, understand basic site traffic, and improve the user experience. These tools help us see things like which pages are used, whether forms are working, and where people stop.
We may keep request records for a reasonable period so we can operate the service, follow up on matches, prevent abuse, and maintain business records.
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the updated version on this page with the new effective date if one is shown.
If you contact us, please keep your message simple. Do not include SSNs, ITIN numbers, financial-account numbers, or tax documents.
Use BalancedRow to share the basics of what help you need, not your sensitive tax data. We can try to match you with a licensed accountant, but you should verify the credential yourself, compare options, and keep your SSN, ITIN, bank details, and tax documents private until you know exactly who you are dealing with.