Introduction

This policy applies to Jigsaw Taxation & Advisory Pty Ltd (Jigsaw, we, us, our) along with any related entities.

Jigsaw handles a lot of personal information due to the nature of our business. As such, it is our utmost priority to ensure any personal information collected and stored in a secure manner, and only accessible to people who require the information for fulfilment of the service we provide.

Why do we collect personal information?

Collecting personal information is crucial to the operation of our business and the delivery of the service we provide. The collection of personal information comes primarily from our individual clients, their businesses, and related persons/entities. Jigsaw requires this information to carry out our duties to you as a client.

Who does Jigsaw collect information about?

Jigsaw generally collects and hold information about:

• Individual clients
• Their spouses/partners
• Their dependent children
• Business clients including:
  • Companies
  • Partnerships
  • Trusts
  • Superfunds
• Related persons & entities of clients.

How does Jigsaw collect personal information?

Our collection of information varies with the purpose of our relationship, however Jigsaw collects most personal information directly from our clients. This information is often collected through the submission of forms, information provided through telephone calls and emails, face to face contact, information provided through documents to be used in tax returns/other services, or information from a third party such as a bank, insurance agency, or mortgage broker.

Where required or reasonably practicable, Jigsaw will obtain your consent before collecting information from a third party.

Another primary source of information for Jigsaw is the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Through our correspondence with the ATO, Jigsaw may obtain information to assist in the completion of a tax return. The ATO has very high standards of privacy, and we are only able to obtain this information once we have been engaged by you and you have provided various details for our use.

What information does Jigsaw collect?

Jigsaw collects only the information necessary to carry out our duties to you as a client. Depending on the purpose of our relationship, Jigsaw may collect:

Information used to identify you, including your name, date of birth, and gender.

Information used to contact you, including phone numbers, mailing and physical address, and email address. We may also use your mobile number to help us identify you in the case of two factor identification. See below for more.

Information necessary to complete a tax return, activity statement, or other service, this can include Tax File Numbers*, ABNs, ACNs, financial information including annual payment summaries, other sources of income, mortgages and other debts, and previous tax returns from other accountants. This information is only gathered from the client, from the client’s previous accountant with consent from the client, or from the ATO.

​Please note this list is not exhaustive.

*Tax File Numbers (TFN)

As a TFN Recipient under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015, Jigsaw is subject to collection, storage, use, and disclosure requirements concerning TFNs. Jigsaw collects your TFN to communicate with the ATO, access ATO information and lodge tax returns in your name, all of which require a TFN. Be assured that Jigsaw does not disclose your TFN to any third parties

What does Jigsaw do with my information?

Due to the sensitive nature of this information, Jigsaw has taken extensive steps to ensure the security of our data. Below is an outline of some of the steps taken to secure your data:

1. No client information is stored on our premises except for information currently being used or archived information*. All client information is stored either in our online database, which is powered by Xero, or our online filing system which is powered by Google Drive. Both Xero & Google Drive store their information on secure servers located in the United States of America using SSL/TSL encryption for any information exchange.
2. Any physical information that is no longer needed is either:
   • If it is an original document, it will be stored at our office and you will be notified to collect it.
   • If it is not an original document, it will be disposed securely by shredding.
3. We will, in some cases, scan and save your documents to our secure filing system. We will do this in cases where we need to refer back to the documents for preparation of a later job.

*Note: Jigsaw stopped using a physical archiving system in 2016. We will store any documents in our archive until 2021, at which point they will be securely destroyed. Any material archived past 2016 is done so via secure online filing.

Does Jigsaw disclose my information to third parties?

Jigsaw will only disclose your information to third parties in limited circumstances. As of writing, your information will only be disclosed to two parties:

• Audit Shield Accountancy Insurance – Some of your information including names, business names and related entities, and income bracket, will be disclosed to our Audit Shield partners. This is to provide you with a specialised insurance offer suited to your business.
• Jigsaw Financial Pty Ltd – Similarly, names, business names, related entities, income bracket and other financial information will be available to Jigsaw Financial Pty Ltd. Jigsaw Financial is the arm of Jigsaw that offers tailored financial services to our clients. To achieve this, we have partnered with RFE Group, a network of financial planners and advisors. As Jigsaw Financial is a joint venture, some RFE Group representatives may have access to this data for the provision of financial services. Be assured that access to this data is controlled by Jigsaw Taxation & Advisory Pty Ltd, and not used beyond this service. In this case, your information is used to offer you tailored financial services such as insurance, leases, and financial advice that suit your needs.

Other information may be disclosed to third parties with your consent. For example, banks or mortgage brokers who require information from a tax return. If one of these organisations requests your information, we will contact you before any other action is taken.

Accessing your Personal Information

You may access your personal information at any time, contact us on 02 4821 7069 if you wish to do so. Please note that sensitive information like financial information, tax file numbers, etc. may require an identity confirmation before we are able to disclose it.