Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We do not collect any personally identifiable information (PII). SalaryWise is designed to respect your privacy completely. Unlike many websites, we:

• ✓ Do not require you to create an account or log in
• ✓ Do not store salary information or calculation results
• ✓ Do not ask for your name, email address, phone number, or any identifying information
• ✓ Do not sell, rent, or trade any data to third parties

All salary calculations happen in real-time within your browser. Your salary data never leaves your device and is never stored on our servers.

2. Log Files (Server Analytics)

Like most websites, SalaryWise automatically collects certain non-personal information through server log files. This is standard practice for all websites and is used for security, performance optimization, and understanding general usage patterns.

Log files may collect:

• Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (anonymized where possible)
• Browser type and version (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox)
• Operating system (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)
• Date and time stamps of visits
• Referring/exit pages (which website you came from)
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Approximate geographic location (city/region level, not street address)

3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

SalaryWise uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites remember your preferences and improve functionality.

Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential/Strictly Necessary Cookies: Required for basic website functionality (e.g., remembering your state selection). These do not track you and cannot be disabled without breaking site features.
• Advertising Cookies: Used by Google AdSense to serve relevant advertisements based on your interests and browsing history. These are third-party cookies.
• Analytics Cookies: We may use anonymized analytics (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand how visitors use our site and improve our content. IP addresses are anonymized.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (e.g., dark mode selection).

Cookie Duration:

• Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
• Persistent cookies: Remain on your device for a set period (typically up to 30 days) or until manually deleted

Managing Cookies: You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View existing cookies and delete them
• Block third-party cookies while accepting essential ones
• Block all cookies entirely
• Set preferences for specific websites

Please note that disabling cookies may affect certain features of our website. For instructions, visit your browser's help section or AllAboutCookies.org.

4. Google AdSense & Advertising

SalaryWise uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense is a third-party advertising service that uses cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other sites on the internet.

How Google Uses Data: Google uses the DoubleClick cookie to serve interest-based ads. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the internet.

Google's Advertising Principles: You can learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services at: Google's Partner Site Policy.

Third-Party Vendors: Google AdSense may use third-party vendors and ad networks that also use cookies to serve ads. You may visit those vendors' websites to opt out of personalized advertising.

5. Data Security & Retention

We take data security seriously. Since we do not collect personal data, our security focus is on protecting our website infrastructure and ensuring the integrity of our tools.

Security Measures:

• SSL Encryption: Our entire website uses HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS) to protect data in transit between your browser and our servers.
• Regular Updates: We keep all software, plugins, and dependencies updated to patch security vulnerabilities.
• Server Security: Our hosting provider (AWS/Cloudflare) implements industry-standard firewalls, DDoS protection, and intrusion detection.
• Limited Access: Only authorized personnel have access to server logs and administrative functions.

Data Retention Policy:

Server log files are retained for a maximum of 90 days and then automatically deleted or anonymized. Aggregated analytics data (which cannot identify individuals) may be retained longer for trend analysis.

Data Breach Notification: In the unlikely event of a data breach affecting any user information, we will notify affected users within 72 hours as required by applicable laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and report to relevant authorities.

6. Third-Party Links & Services

Our website may contain links to external sites, such as IRS resources, state revenue departments, HUD, real estate platforms, or other financial tools. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

Third-Party Services Used:

• Google AdSense: Advertising (see Section 4)
• Tailwind CSS: Styling framework (no tracking)
• Hosting Provider: AWS / Cloudflare (see their respective privacy policies)

SalaryWise does not sell, trade, or transfer your information to third parties. We do not engage in cross-site tracking or share data with data brokers.

7. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR, CCPA, & More)

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your data under laws such as:

For European Economic Area (EEA) Residents (GDPR):

• Right to Access: Request confirmation of whether we process your data
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request deletion of your data
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing for direct marketing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw any previously given consent

For California Residents (CCPA/CPRA):

• Right to Know: What personal information we collect, use, and disclose
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (we do not sell data)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Equal service regardless of privacy choices
• Right to Correct: Correct inaccurate personal information

For Other US States (Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah):

Similar privacy rights apply under state-specific laws. We comply with all applicable state privacy regulations.

How to Exercise Your Rights: Since we do not collect personal data, most requests will result in confirmation that no data exists. However, if you have specific concerns, please contact us using the information in Section 10. We will respond within 30 days as required by law.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

SalaryWise is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under 13. Our content is directed at adults seeking financial and tax information.

In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA):

• We do not knowingly request or collect information from children under 13
• If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with information, we will delete it immediately
• Parents/guardians who believe their child has provided information should contact us immediately

We encourage parents and guardians to monitor their children's online activities and use parental control tools.

9. Do Not Track (DNT) Signals

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not wish to be tracked. SalaryWise respects DNT signals. When we detect a DNT signal from your browser, we will not use tracking cookies or analytics that collect personal data.

For more information about DNT, visit Electronic Frontier Foundation's DNT page.

10. Affiliate Disclosure

SalaryWise may participate in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn commissions on purchases made through links to third-party products or services (e.g., tax software, financial tools). These affiliate links do not cost you extra.

Our commitment: Affiliate relationships do not influence our calculator results, state rankings, or editorial content. We only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our users.

This disclosure is provided in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, our practices, or new features. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.

Material changes (e.g., new data collection practices) will be highlighted on our website or notified via a banner. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. The "Effective Date" at the top of this page indicates when this policy became active.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us: