Website Privacy Policy
Last modified: September 5th 2026
Introduction
Reina L. Sturdivant, CPA, PLLC, doing business as The Relatable CPA and Partner With Reina (collectively, "we," "us," "our," or "the Firm"), is a licensed certified public accounting and enrolled agent practice located in Livonia, Michigan, serving clients throughout the Metro Detroit area and beyond. We take the privacy of the people we serve — including clients, prospective clients, referral partners, community members, and website visitors — seriously.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, with whom we share it, and the choices available to you. It applies to all of our services, platforms, and communications, including:
● Our website (reinalsturdivant.cpa) and all contact, intake, and scheduling forms associated with it
● Tax preparation, tax planning, bookkeeping, advisory, entity compliance, IRS representation, and related professional services
● Our client portal (TaxDome)
● The Relatable CPA's Trusted Advisor Network
● The Relatable CPA Tax Pros community and educational programs, including the Relatable CPA Institute Practicum
● All email, text message, and telephone communications with the Firm
If you have questions about this policy or your information, please contact us using the information at the end of this document.
Section 1 — Information We Collect
The type of information we collect depends on how you interact with us. We describe each category below.
1.1 Tax, Bookkeeping, and Advisory Clients
When you engage the Firm for professional services, we collect the information necessary to perform those services. This typically includes:
● Full name, mailing address, date of birth, Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, and Employer Identification Number (as applicable)
● Financial information, including income, wages, self-employment income, investment activity, business revenue and expenses, assets and liabilities, bank account information, and payroll records
● Prior-year tax returns, IRS and state tax authority notices, transcripts, and correspondence
● Entity formation and compliance documents (articles of incorporation or organization, operating agreements, annual reports, registered agent records)
● Information about household members, dependents, and business co-owners relevant to your tax or business situation
● Authorization information, including IRS Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative), Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization), and Michigan Form 151 (Authorized Representative Declaration)
● Communications and documents you share with us in connection with your engagement
1.2 Website and Scheduling
When you visit our website, submit a contact or intake form, or schedule an appointment, we collect:
● Name, email address, and phone number
● The content of any message or inquiry you submit
● Appointment date, time, and nature of the inquiry
● Technical information automatically collected during your visit, including IP address, browser type and version, device type, pages viewed, and referring URL
1.3 Email and Text Communications
When you communicate with us by email or text, we collect:
● Your contact information and the content of those communications
● Consent records when you opt in to receive text messages or marketing communications from the Firm
1.4 Community and Educational Platforms
When you join the Relatable CPA Tax Pros community (hosted on Skool) or enroll in an educational program such as the Relatable CPA Institute Practicum, we collect:
● Name, email address, and professional information provided at registration
● Payment information, processed by the applicable third-party platform
● Participation records, course completion data, and content you post within the community
1.5 Trusted Advisor Network
When you apply to or participate in The Relatable CPA's Trusted Advisor Network (the "Network"), we collect:
At initial intake (Stage 1): name, firm or company name, title or role, specialty or category of practice, license or professional credential, phone number, email address, website, and whether you are interested in mutual referrals.
If invited to complete the Advisor Profile (Stage 2): a description of your ideal client; your typical client's revenue range, entity type, industry, and geography; who is not a good fit for your services; your current referral capacity; what types of referrals you would like to receive; your fee structure; your typical turnaround or intake process; whether you offer a complimentary consultation; and a short description of what distinguishes your practice.
During vetting: publicly available information about your practice and professional reputation; identity verification information; and background check results relevant to financial, accounting, or tax-related conduct, obtained through a third-party screening service (Forewarn).
Section 2 — How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
● To provide, perform, and manage the professional services you have engaged us to provide, including tax preparation, tax planning, bookkeeping, entity compliance, advisory services, and IRS or state tax authority representation
● To communicate with you about your engagement, deadlines, document requests, and the status of your matter
● To process payments and manage billing
● To respond to inquiries and schedule appointments
● To operate and improve our website, client portal, forms, and communications platforms
● To operate the Trusted Advisor Network, including evaluating applicants, matching referrals, and maintaining the advisor directory
● To provide and administer community membership and educational programs
● To send you informational and marketing communications about our services, where you have provided consent or where we have a legitimate interest in doing so
● To comply with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations applicable to a licensed CPA firm and enrolled agent practice, including obligations under the Internal Revenue Code, Michigan Public Act 299 of 1980 (Michigan Occupational Code), and Treasury Circular 230
● To detect, prevent, and address fraud, errors, and other risks
We do not use your personal information for purposes unrelated to the above without your consent.
Section 3 — Confidentiality of Tax Return Information (IRC § 7216)
Federal law imposes specific obligations on paid tax preparers regarding the confidentiality and permissible use of tax return information.
Under Internal Revenue Code § 7216 and Treasury Regulation § 301.7216-1 through § 301.7216-3, we are prohibited from disclosing or using your tax return information for any purpose other than preparing your return, without your prior written consent, except as expressly permitted by law. Permitted disclosures without consent include, but are not limited to, disclosures required by subpoena or court order, disclosures to the IRS and other tax authorities in connection with your representation, and disclosures to quality reviewers retained by the Firm.
When we ask for your written consent to share your tax return information for any other purpose — such as referring you to another professional or using your return information in connection with an additional service — we will provide a separate written consent form that identifies: (1) the specific tax return information to be disclosed; (2) the purpose of the disclosure; (3) the person or entity to whom the information will be disclosed; and (4) the date through which your consent is valid. Your consent is voluntary, and refusing to consent will not affect our ability to prepare your return.
In addition, as an Enrolled Agent licensed to practice before the IRS, the Firm is subject to the ethical standards of Treasury Circular 230, which include obligations of confidentiality applicable to client information obtained in the course of representation.
Section 4 — How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:
4.1 To Perform Your Services
We share your information with government agencies and authorities to the extent necessary to perform the services you have engaged us for, including:
● The Internal Revenue Service and its subsidiaries
● The Michigan Department of Treasury
● The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
● Other state tax authorities, as applicable to your situation
4.2 Service Providers and Technology Platforms
We share your information with third-party technology and service providers who support our operations, including:
● TaxDome (client portal, document exchange, and engagement management)
● GoHighLevel (customer relationship management, forms, website, and communications platform)
● QuickBooks Online (accounting and bookkeeping software)
● Calendly and GoHighLevel scheduling tools (appointment scheduling)
● Skool (community and educational platform hosting)
● Payment processing providers
● Email and text message delivery providers
These providers are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide services to us on your behalf, and are not permitted to use it for their own independent purposes.
4.3 Trusted Advisor Network
For Trusted Advisor Network applicants: we share your application information with Forewarn solely for purposes of conducting background screening. Once you are approved as a Network partner, limited profile information (name, firm, specialty, contact information) may be shared with clients referred to you, consistent with the referral purpose for which you joined the Network.
4.4 Legal Requirements and Professional Obligations
We may disclose your information when required by law, subpoena, court order, or governmental authority, or when disclosure is necessary to fulfill our professional obligations as a licensed CPA firm and enrolled agent practice (including, without limitation, mandatory reporting obligations and professional peer review, where applicable).
4.5 With Your Consent
We may share your information for any other purpose with your prior written consent, consistent with any applicable IRC § 7216 consent requirements.
Section 5 — Text Messages, Email, and Calls
By providing your telephone number and consenting to receive text messages from the Firm, you agree to receive non-marketing text messages regarding your engagement, appointments, documents, deadlines, and other service-related communications. If you separately opt in, you may also receive marketing and promotional communications by text.
Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You may reply STOP at any time to opt out of text messages from the Firm, or HELP for assistance.
For text messages sent in connection with the Trusted Advisor Network, separate consent is collected through our intake forms, and the same opt-out rights apply.
We may also contact you by phone to discuss your engagement or schedule appointments.
Section 6 — Data Storage and Security
Your personal information is stored using the technology platforms described in Section 4.2. We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, consistent with the professional and regulatory standards applicable to a CPA firm.
No data transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us has been compromised, please contact us immediately at the information below.
Section 7 — Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to perform our professional services, to comply with our legal and professional obligations, and to resolve any disputes or enforce our agreements.
For tax and accounting client records, retention periods are governed in part by professional standards (including IRS guidance on records relevant to periods subject to assessment) and our engagement letters. We generally retain client files for a minimum of seven (7) years following the close of the relevant tax year or engagement, unless a longer period is required by law or professional obligation.
For Trusted Advisor Network applicants who are not approved, we retain Stage 1 information for twelve (12) months in case a future fit arises, unless you request deletion sooner.
For community and educational platform participants, we retain account information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter.
Section 8 — Your Choices and Rights
Depending on how you interact with us, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
● The right to know what personal information we hold about you
● The right to request correction of inaccurate information
● The right to request deletion of your information, subject to our legal, professional, and contractual retention obligations
● The right to opt out of marketing communications at any time, by replying STOP to any text message, clicking the unsubscribe link in any email, or contacting us directly
● The right to withdraw your consent for any purpose for which consent was the basis of our use of your information, without affecting the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond to requests in a reasonable time and may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.
Section 9 — Community and Educational Platforms
The Relatable CPA Tax Pros community is hosted on Skool, a third-party platform. Information you provide when creating an account on Skool is also subject to Skool's own privacy policy. We encourage you to review Skool's privacy practices before joining.
Content you post within the community is visible to other community members. Please exercise appropriate discretion when sharing personal or client information within any community forum.
The Relatable CPA Institute Practicum and other educational programs are offered for professional development purposes. Participant information is used to administer program access, track completion, issue certificates (as applicable), and communicate program updates.
Section 10 — Trusted Advisor Network
A detailed description of the information collected through the Trusted Advisor Network application and vetting process is included in Section 1.6. The Firm uses that information solely to evaluate and manage referral partner relationships, as described in Sections 2 and 4.3.
Network participation is also governed by the Trusted Advisor Network Terms of Service, which is a separate document.
Section 11 — Children's Privacy
Our professional services, website, community, and educational programs are directed to adults and professional practitioners. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
Section 12 — Third-Party Links
Our website and communications may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or resources. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
Section 13 — Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the law, or our services. The effective date at the top of this document reflects the most recent revision. For material changes, we will provide notice through our website or by direct communication to affected parties, where practicable. Continued use of our services after a change is posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
Section 14 — Contact Us
Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information may be directed to:
Reina L. Sturdivant, CPA, PLLC
32238 Schoolcraft Rd., Suite 105
Livonia, Michigan 48150
313-334-7100
We will respond to your inquiry promptly and, where required by applicable law, within the timeframe mandated by that law.
