1. Introduction

Debt Planner ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and financial information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our debt management and financial planning service at debtplanner.ai.

🔒 Your Financial Security is Our Priority

We process your financial data temporarily in memory only and delete it after analysis. No sensitive financial information is stored permanently on our systems.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Financial Information

Bank Statements: Transaction data, account balances, merchant information
Debt Information: Loan balances, interest rates, minimum payments, creditor names
Financial Goals: Payoff preferences, target dates, extra payment amounts

2.2 Personal Information

Account Information: Name, email address, user preferences
Usage Data: Pages viewed, features used, session duration
Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address
Cookies: Authentication, preferences, analytics

2.3 Third-Party AI Processing

⚠️ External AI Processing Disclosure

By using our service, you consent to your financial transaction data being processed by external AI services:

• OpenAI Models: Transaction descriptions, amounts, dates, and merchant names are sent to OpenAI's servers for AI-powered categorization and analysis
• Data Processing: Your bank statement data is temporarily processed by AI models to generate spending insights and debt recommendations
• No Permanent Storage: OpenAI processes this data temporarily and does not store it permanently according to their data usage policies

OpenAI: AI-powered transaction categorization and financial analysis using various GPT models
Clerk: User authentication and account management

3. How We Use Your Information

✅ What We Do

• Analyze your debt situation
• Create personalized payoff strategies
• Generate financial insights and recommendations
• Improve our AI categorization accuracy
• Provide customer support
• Send important service updates

❌ What We Don't Do

• Sell your financial data
• Share data with credit agencies
• Store sensitive data permanently
• Send marketing emails (opt-in only)
• Access your actual bank accounts
• Make transactions on your behalf

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Current Data Handling

Temporary Processing: Financial data is processed in memory and deleted after analysis
No Permanent Storage: We do not store your bank statements or transaction details
Anonymized Analytics: Only anonymized, aggregated data is retained for service improvement
User Preferences: Account settings and debt tracking preferences are stored securely

4.2 Security Measures

🔐 Encryption: HTTPS encryption via Vercel platform
🛡️ Access Controls: Multi-factor authentication via Clerk
🏛️ Platform Security: Using enterprise-grade services (Clerk, Vercel)
🔍 Basic Monitoring: Application logging and platform-level monitoring
📊 Data Minimization: We collect only what's necessary for debt analysis

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third parties who help us provide our service:

🚨 Important: External AI Processing

Your financial data is sent to OpenAI for processing. This includes transaction descriptions, amounts, dates, and merchant information from your bank statements. While this enables our AI-powered insights, you should be aware that your financial data is processed by external AI systems.

OpenAI: Complete transaction data including descriptions, amounts, dates, and merchant names for AI-powered categorization and financial analysis
Clerk: User authentication and account management
Vercel: Secure hosting and application infrastructure

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by:

Valid legal process (subpoena, court order)
Law enforcement requests with proper authorization
Protection of our rights, property, or safety
Prevention of fraud or illegal activities

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the same privacy protections.

6. Your Rights and Choices

🇪🇺 GDPR Rights (EU Users)

• Access your personal data
• Rectify inaccurate data
• Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restrict processing
• Data portability
• Object to processing

🇺🇸 CCPA Rights (California Users)

• Know what data we collect
• Delete personal information
• Opt-out of sale (we don't sell data)
• Non-discrimination for exercising rights

📧 Exercise Your Rights

Contact us through our support channels to exercise any of your rights. We'll respond within 30 days as required by applicable privacy laws.

7. Financial Disclaimers

⚠️ Important Financial Disclaimers

• Debt Planner provides educational tools and general guidance only
• We are not licensed financial advisors, credit counselors, or debt management companies
• Our recommendations are based on mathematical calculations and general principles
• Always consult qualified financial professionals for personalized advice
• Past performance and projections don't guarantee future results
• We are not responsible for financial decisions made using our tools

8. Cookies and Tracking

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and basic functionality
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our service
Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and customizations

8.2 Cookie Management

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of our service.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed by our third-party service providers (OpenAI, Clerk, Vercel) which may operate in different countries. These providers maintain appropriate security measures and comply with applicable privacy laws.

10. Data Retention

Financial Data: Processed temporarily and deleted immediately after analysis
Account Data: Retained while your account is active
Analytics Data: Anonymized data retained for service improvement
Legal Requirements: Some data may be retained longer if required by law

11. Children's Privacy

Debt Planner is not intended for use by individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We'll notify you of material changes by email or through our service.

13. Contact Information

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:

Privacy Requests: Contact us through our support channels
General Questions: Visit our website for contact options
Legal Compliance: We respond to valid legal requests as required