At Coco Accounting & Financial, we take privacy seriously. As a registered tax and accounting firm, we are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015, and the Tax Practitioners Board Code of Professional Conduct, including Code Item 6 on confidentiality.

This policy outlines how we manage personal information, what we collect, how it’s stored, and what to do if you have any questions or concerns.

What Information We Collect and Hold

Personal Information

In the course of providing our services, we may collect and hold a variety of personal information such as:

• Your name, contact details and address

• Financial and banking details

• Date and place of birth

• Employment details and work history

• Tax information and your Tax File Number (TFN)

• Investment, shareholding or business structure information

• Credit-related information (e.g. payment history or business risk data)

• Any other details required to provide accounting, taxation or advisory services

We collect only the information needed to support the work we’re engaged to do.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information is a type of personal information with extra protections. We may collect sensitive details only when they are relevant to our services and with your express consent, unless otherwise allowed by law. This may include:

• Health-related information (e.g. for Centrelink or tax offsets)

• Family, relationship or hardship circumstances (if relevant to your affairs)

Tax File Numbers

As lawful TFN recipients, we comply with the Privacy (TFN) Rule 2015. TFNs are collected strictly for tax-related purposes and handled securely, with access limited to authorised staff only.

How We Collect Information

We generally collect personal information directly from you through forms, emails, phone calls, meetings or password-protected documents. In some cases, we may collect information:

• From government agencies (e.g. ATO, ASIC, Centrelink)

• From financial institutions or other professionals acting on your behalf

• Through referrals or trusted third-party services you have approved

How We Store and Protect Your Information

We have a number of measures in place to protect the personal information we hold, including:

• Password-protected files for email transmission of sensitive data

• Secure computer systems with antivirus, firewalls and multi-factor authentication

• Staff access controls – only authorised team members can access personal information

• Secure disposal of physical records (e.g. locked bins and shredding services)

• Permanent deletion of electronic records when no longer required

Why We Collect and Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Deliver accounting, tax and advisory services

• Communicate with the ATO or other relevant authorities on your behalf

• Meet legal obligations under tax and corporations law

• Respond to queries, update you on matters, or provide compliance reminders

• Conduct internal administration and manage our relationship with you

We may also disclose information to trusted external parties, but only:

• Where you have authorised it (e.g. financial planners, finance brokers)

• Where required by law (e.g. a notice issued under s.353-10 of the Tax Administration Act)

• To support services like IT providers who help us securely manage client data

We do not sell or trade your personal data under any circumstances.

Overseas Disclosure

We do not routinely disclose your information overseas. If we use software with offshore servers or service providers outside Australia, we take reasonable steps to ensure their privacy protections meet Australian legal standards.

Access, Corrections and Complaints

You can request access to your personal information at any time or ask us to update or correct inaccurate records. We may ask for identification before granting access.

If you wish to make a complaint or raise a concern about how your personal information is handled, please contact us:

Luke Crockford
Coco Accounting & Financial
7/18 Allowrie St, Jamberoo, NSW 2533
Ph Number: 02 4297 7098
Email address: luke@cocoaf.com.au

We’ll respond to your concerns promptly. If we cannot resolve the matter, you may refer it to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) or the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB).

Complaints Procedure

1. How to make a complaint:
You may contact our Complaints Manager, Luke Crockford, at (02) 4297 7098 or luke@cocoaf.com.au. Complaints may be made verbally, but we encourage you to put your complaint in writing.

2. What happens next:
- We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days.
- We aim to resolve all complaints within 10 business days where possible.
- We will keep you informed of progress and outcomes in writing.

3. External escalation options:
- Tax Practitioners Board (TPB): www.tpb.gov.au/complaints | 1300 362 829
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints | 1300 363 992
- Chartered Accountants ANZ: www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/member-services/complaints-process
We will maintain records of your complaint and how it was resolved. These records are kept confidential and used to improve our services.

Policy Updates

We review and update this privacy policy as required. The most current version will always be published on our website.

Last updated: 26 June 2025

Privacy Policy Complaints and Enquiries

If you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy please contact us at:

The Privacy Officer

PO Box 20, Jamberoo, NSW 2533