Intuit Global Privacy Statement
Last Updated: July 9, 2021
See previous Privacy Statements
Introduction and overview
Intuit leverages technology responsibly to power prosperity around the world, and we believe that everyone has a right to privacy. At Intuit, we view privacy as a key part of the value that we deliver to our customers. Intuit’s Data Stewardship Principles were developed to describe Intuit’s values regarding the data our customers entrust to us.
Scope of this Privacy Statement and our role
As a financial services and technology company, we’re providing this Global Privacy Statement (which we’ll refer to as “Privacy Statement”) to explain how we collect, use, and share information when you interact with us and our offerings, services and experiences. This Privacy Statement is global in nature, meaning that it is applicable to all websites and offerings in the Intuit group companies, and it describes our privacy practices when we process:
a) Personal information for the purposes of preparing a tax return or in connection with the preparation of a tax return (collectively, “Tax Preparation Information”) as part of providing TurboTax tax preparation services;
b) Personal information for the purposes of providing the benefits of the Intuit platform, which is collectively, all of Intuit’s services, sites, experiences and software (including through our mobile applications and desktop applications) by Intuit Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries other than Tax Preparation Information (the “Intuit Platform”); and/or
c) Personal information as necessary to manage, run and improve our business.
Intuit Inc. determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal information (“Information Controller”). Intuit Inc. may share your personal data with other Intuit group companies to process as joint controllers for the purposes set out in this Privacy Statement. If you have any questions about the processing of your personal data, please contact us in the section “How to Contact Us” below.
This Privacy Statement does not apply where Intuit processes personal information as a service provider on behalf of a customer or entity who acts as the Information Controller, for example, the customers of our professional tax software products. When we act as a service provider, the privacy statement of the relevant Information Controller and our agreements with such business or entity will govern our processing of personal information.
In certain circumstances, there may be more than one Information Controller processing your information. For example, your employer or a financial partner may also act as an Information Controller. In these situations, we act as an independent Information Controller over our processing activities – meaning that we make determinations over how your personal information will be processed independently from the other Information Controller. The other Information Controller may have their own obligations under applicable information privacy law, and you may need to speak with the other Information Controller directly for questions on how they process your personal information.
The Intuit Platform
The Intuit Platform and your information
When we say “platform” we mean that when you choose to share data with us, or bring over information from third parties (like a bank or loan provider), we use that data together, not just within the individual offering(s) you’re using. This means your bookkeeping details from QuickBooks, and recommendations from Credit Karma all live together.
The personal information we use in this centralized way is all the information that Intuit knows about you. It includes your credentials; your name and contact details; payment information; information about your activities, your interests and preferences; insights about your finances or your business; the content you place in our Platform; and information we have collected about you from third-party sources.
Organizational account information
Some experiences and services within the Intuit Platform allow you to interact with an organization (such as your employer). If you are granted access to an organization or household account (for example, a business's account in QuickBooks), the owner of the organization or a designated administrator may control and administer details of your account, for example, by deciding your access rights; making decisions about your personal information (such as details about your payroll); or requiring you to take certain actions (for example, use location tracking to clock in for a shift). If your access rights are amended by the owner or designated administrator, then you may lose access to the information that is in the control of the organization.
Your use of the Intuit Platform as part of an organization’s account may be subject to the organization’s policies, which may be different from this Statement. We are not responsible for the privacy or security practices of other organizations, and you should consider both the organization's policies and whether you are comfortable enabling the organization with access to your information prior to connecting to their services.
Information we collect
Information we receive from you
The personal information that we receive about you depends on the context of your interactions with Intuit, how you configure your account and the choices that you make, including your privacy settings. Personal information that you provide may also depend upon what services or experiences you use, your location and applicable law. Learn more about the personal information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
Learn more about the GLBA notice here.
- Creating an account. We collect information when you create an account, interact with the Intuit Platform or activate a subscription. Personal information may include your contact information (such as your name, address, phone number and email), profile photo, billing information (your payment information), usernames and credentials.
- Identification information. We collect information to verify your identity, including your name, social security number, social insurance number, driver’s license numbers, government-issued identification details, for example to verify your identity in order to help you file your tax return.
- Customer support, product research, training and feedback. We may collect personal information when you reach out to us for support, give us feedback, participate in optional surveys, product research or training and you choose to share.
- Social and community content. We receive content you post on our social media pages and our community pages.
- Device information. We may collect information about your device such as Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses, log information, error messages, device type, and unique device identifiers. For example, we may collect IP addresses from you as part of our sign in and security features.
- Content. We may receive information about your business, your finances, expenses, invoices, financial statements, details of your financial transactions, payroll details, payment details, tax return details, details about your customers or vendors or employees, income and wage information, and/or investment information.
- Third-party service content. We receive information about you when you sign into a third-party service with your account or when you connect your account to a third-party service. For example, you may choose to connect your account with your bank accounts. To sync your financial account information, we must access your financial account information.
- Usage information. We may collect usage information such as the pages you viewed, the features you use, your browser type and details about any links with which you interact.
- Location information. Certain features in the Intuit Platform may collect your precise location information, device motion information, or both, if you grant permission to do so in your device settings. For example, if you use our time-tracking service.
- Expert advice. The Intuit Platform provides many opportunities for you to connect with live experts, including, for example, accountants or tax preparers. When you interact with these experts, we may receive information about the questions you ask, the details of your accounts and the guidance provided to you.
- Camera and contacts. Certain features may have access to your camera and contacts if you grant permission in your device settings.
- Information from cookies and other technologies. Intuit and our service providers may use commonly used tools such as cookies, web beacons, pixels, local shared objects and similar technologies (collectively "cookies") to collect information about you (“Cookie Information”) so we can provide the experiences you request, recognize your visit, track your interactions, and improve your and other customers' experience. You have control over some of the information we collect from Cookies and how we use it. For full details on how we use cookies and similar technologies please see our Intuit Cookies Policy.
- Information stored locally. Some of our web-enabled desktop services and offerings synchronize with the information on your computer. In doing so, we may collect information such as device information, product usage, and error reports. We may also store personal information locally on your device.
Biometric Information
Certain parts of the Intuit Platform make use of biometric personal information (“Biometric Information“). Biometric Information can be subject to additional laws and regulations.
We collect Biometric Information from you when you enroll in our biometric identity program and automatically as part of our anti-fraud protection, authentication and customer support activities. These identifiers may include facial recognition information, voiceprints and key-stroke information, as well as mathematical representations of your biometric identifier, such as the template maintained for comparison. We use Biometric Information to identify and authenticate you, and for security and similar purposes. We share Biometric Information with third-party service providers who assist with our information technology, security and fraud programs, our professional advisors, and as required by law or regulation. Intuit does not sell your Biometric Information.
When we collect Biometric Information, you will receive a specific notice and consent request at the time of that collection. You are not required to consent to the collection of Biometric Information in order to use our services, although some functionality may not be available if you decline and you may withdraw your consent at any time.
Intuit will retain Biometric Information until the purposes for which it was collected have been satisfied or three years from your or your organizational account manager’s last interaction with Intuit, whichever comes first.
Information provided by others
Our platform is designed to help you connect with other people and organizations. As a result of those connections, others may be able to input information about you. For example, your employer may input information about your salary and work activity in order to process their payroll. You may also be able to input or process information about others, for example, if you are an account administrator. If you input information about others into our platform, you must only do so if you have first received the appropriate rights and permissions to do so, including by getting advanced written consent, if required by applicable law.
Other information sources
We may also get information about you from others where permitted by applicable law. We protect and process information obtained from those parties as described in this Privacy Statement, consistent with any additional restrictions imposed by the source of the information. Our sources may vary over time and depend upon how you use the Intuit Platform. For example, we receive information from:
- Your service providers. If you choose to sync a non-Intuit account/service with your account, we will receive information from that account/service according to your settings with that account/service. For example, if you connect a point of sale application to your account, we may receive details of your business’s sales records.
- Supplemental information and identity verification providers. Service providers who help us verify your identity, the specifics of your business and/or supplement the information you have provided and ensure the accuracy of your information. For example, we use third-party service providers to validate your mailing address, phone number or provide additional details about your business. These providers may include, for example, your financial institution, telecommunications provider or email provider.
- Customer Support providers. Service providers who provide us with information about you or your interaction with the Intuit Platform for troubleshooting purposes. For example, we may obtain support information or technical issues you have raised with these third parties.
- Credit bureaus and other third parties. Many of our features rely on information about you that we receive from third parties. For example, in some countries we may offer free credit reports and credit scores we request on your behalf from credit bureau partners, like TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Our partners may also provide information such as employment or income data, vehicle or driver information, or information about special offers available based on your credit profile so that we can give you more personalized recommendations.
- Other users. As described above, we may get information about you from other users, such as your accountant, bookkeeper, tax preparer, your spouse, your head of household or your employer. We may also collect such information through features like member referral programs.
- Risk management, cybersecurity & anti-fraud providers. We may receive information from service providers who help us assess risks associated with our offerings, including to help combat fraud, illegal activity and to help protect your personal information.
- Content providers. We may receive information from software providers that make user-generated content from their service available to others, such as local business reviews or public social media posts.
- Communication providers & social networks. If you give us permission, we may collect information from email providers, communication providers and social networks.
- Joint offering partners. We may offer co-branded services or experiences or engage in joint-marketing activities with others, including through our conferences or live events.
- Publicly-available sources. We collect information from publicly available sources, such as open government databases.
- Government agencies. We receive information from government agencies, including from various tax agencies.
- Required information. Some services and experiences in the Intuit Platform require you to provide information for it to function. If you do not wish to provide the required information, you may not be able to use certain features.
How we use personal information
We collect and process personal information from you only where:
- We have your consent to do so;
- We need the personal information to perform a contract with you or provide a service to you;
- Provide you with the benefits of the Intuit Platform and operate our business;
- The processing is in our legitimate business interests in those jurisdictions where legitimate business interest is a legitimate basis for processing; or
- We need to comply with legal requirements, including applicable laws and regulations.
Personal information is used to operate our business for the following purposes that are required to originate and maintain our relationship with you, including but not limited to:
- Provide you with the Intuit Platform and create your account
- Improve our products and services
- Run and manage our business, including resolving billing and financial disputes
- Evaluate your eligibility for financial offers, products and services
- Provide features to you, such as your free credit reports and scores
- Connect you with experts and other users
- Communicate with you, such as sending you electronic notifications concerning your financial privacy
- Advertise and market our services and experiences
- Personalize your experience and tailor recommendations and offers presented to you, including through the development of insights about you and your needs
- Provide you with support and resolve disputes
- Conduct research, including by partnering with academic institutions
- Comply with our legal and regulatory requirements
- Authenticate your identity, including through the use of Biometric Data
- Protect the rights, property, safety or security of the Intuit Platform, our customers, employees or others and prevent fraudulent or illegal activity
- To exercise our rights in the course of judicial, administrative or arbitration proceedings
- To enforce, remedy or apply our Terms of Service or other agreements and/or
- For other purposes that are compatible with the disclosed purposes if and where this is permitted by applicable law.
Automated Processing
To provide you with valuable personalized advice, recommendations and experiences, we may process your personal information using automated and manual (human) methods. Our automated methods include artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of technologies that help our services learn and reason to improve our ability to personalize and enhance your experience in the Intuit Platform.
How we share your information
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
With your consent. In accordance with our Data Stewardship Principles, except for as outlined below, we only share your information with third parties when you have directed us to do so.
When you connect with an Intuit Platform partner. You may be provided with offers, products, and services from third-party companies who integrate with our Intuit Platform (“Platform Partner”). If you choose to interact with a Platform Partner, apply for their services or offerings or otherwise link or sync your account to a Platform Partner’s product or service, you consent and direct Intuit to share your information, including personal information, to the Platform Partner providing the service or offering. For example, when we send your personal information to partners in order to generate offers for you to review, when we send your application information directly to our partners, or when we send you to the partner’s site for you to provide the information directly to them.
In some cases, if you click through to go to a Platform Partner’s site, you will automatically be sending your personal information to that Platform Partner. When this happens, you will still have to submit your application on the Platform Partner’s site. Remember that any information you provide to a Platform Partner, whether through us or on your own, will be subject to their privacy practices and terms and conditions.
When you connect to your social media account. Some of our features enable you to connect to a social media account or share information on social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. Any information you choose to share on social media may potentially be visible to a global audience and will be subject to the social media provider's privacy policies (not this Privacy Statement). You should take care only to share information on social media that you are comfortable sharing.
For research. With appropriate controls, we may share information with third-parties, such as academic institutions, government and non-profit organizations, for research purposes or to publish academic or policy-related materials. We only share information in a way that would not allow any individual to be identified.
For joint features, sales, promotions and events. We may share your information with third-parties companies who are jointly providing features, sales initiatives, promotions or events with us.
With financial services providers. We may share personal Information with collection agencies, credit bureaus and loan service providers, and payment card association members. We may also share your personal information with other companies, lawyers, credit bureaus, agents, government agencies, and card associations in connection with issues related to fraud, credit, defaults, or debt collection.
When you publicly post the information. We may provide opportunities for you to publicly post reviews, questions, comments, suggestions or other content, which may include personal information, such as your name or user name. Anything you share in a public forum is public, and you should think carefully before you decide to share.
With service providers or agents. We share personal information with our service providers or agents who provide services on our behalf for the purposes described in this Privacy Statement. Service providers or agents are required to implement reasonable privacy and information protection controls to maintain the privacy and security of information provided to them consistent with the privacy practices outlined in this Statement. Service providers or agents may include companies that assist us with our advertising, marketing and sales efforts, help us with our technology offerings (such as a hosting, security or anti-fraud providers) and help us run our business.
For mergers and acquisitions. If we are involved with a merger, asset sale, financing, liquidation, bankruptcy, or the acquisition of all or part of our business to another company, we may share your information with that company and its advisors before and after the transaction date.
No sale of personal information to third parties. We do not and will not sell personal information to third parties. We do share personal information with third parties for the business purposes described in this Statement.
With our affiliates and subsidiaries and your right to limit information sharing. We may share your information with our affiliates and subsidiaries for everyday business purposes as described in this Statement, including for marketing purposes. Certain laws may provide you with the right to limit our information sharing activities in certain circumstances. Please review these rights in the “Country and Region-Specific Terms” section below.
Cookies and other tracking technologies. You can find information on changing your browser settings to opt-out of cookies in your browser settings. In certain countries, you may also be able to make changes to your cookies settings by using our cookie preferences tool. If you disable some or all of the cookies the service, or parts of the service may not work. For more information, please see Intuit’s Cookies Policy.
For advertising and analytics. Intuit may use advertising networks and other providers to display advertising on our Intuit Platform or to manage our advertising on other sites. Our advertising partners may place cookies on unaffiliated websites in order to serve advertisements that may be relevant to you based on your browsing activities and interests and determine the effectiveness of such advertisements. See also the “Country and Region-Specific Terms” section below for additional pages.
The Intuit Platform is not currently configured to respond to browsers’ “Do Not Track” signals because at this time no formal “Do Not Track” standard has been adopted.
For legal reasons. We may share your information with third-parties for legal reasons without your consent, and as permitted by law, including:
- When we reasonably believe disclosure is required in order to comply with a subpoena, court order, or other applicable law, regulation or legal process
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of Intuit, TurboTax, the Intuit Platform, our customers or others
- To protect or defend against attacks
- To enforce, remedy, or apply our Terms of Service or other agreements
- To prevent fraud, cybersecurity attacks or illegal activity
- For debt collection
- With regulatory agencies, including government tax agencies, as necessary to help detect and combat fraud and/or protect our customers, users and/or the Intuit Platform, or in required institutional risk control programs.
