Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

BenefitNow AI ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website (collectively, the "Service").

We understand that the information you share with us is sensitive, including financial and personal details needed to assess benefits eligibility. We take this responsibility seriously and have implemented robust security measures to protect your data.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

To assess your eligibility for government benefits, we may collect:

• Personal Information: Name, date of birth, Social Security Number (optional), email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Household Information: Number of household members, relationships, ages, and dependent status
• Financial Information: Income sources, employment status, wages, assets, and expenses
• Housing Information: Current living situation, rent or mortgage payments, and utility costs
• Health Information: Insurance status, disability status, and healthcare needs (when relevant to benefits)
• Documentation: Copies of documents you upload, such as pay stubs, identification, or benefit letters

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Service, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers
• Usage Information: Features used, pages visited, actions taken, time spent in app
• Location Information: State and county (necessary for determining available benefits)
• Log Data: IP address, browser type, access times, and referring URLs

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Assess your eligibility for government benefits programs
• Provide personalized benefit recommendations and estimates
• Guide you through the application process
• Generate and store documents related to your applications
• Track the status of your benefit applications
• Send you notifications about application updates and deadlines
• Improve and optimize our Service
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Comply with legal obligations

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Your Consent

We only share your information with government agencies or third parties when you explicitly authorize us to do so, such as when submitting a benefit application on your behalf.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service, including cloud hosting, payment processing, and customer support. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of BenefitNow AI, our users, or others.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any change in ownership or use of your information.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
• Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can view your data
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and penetration testing
• Secure Infrastructure: Our systems are hosted on SOC 2 compliant cloud infrastructure
• Employee Training: All employees receive regular security and privacy training

While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to promptly addressing any security incidents.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. Specifically:

• Active account data is retained while your account is active
• Application-related data is retained for 7 years to assist with renewals and appeals
• You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 8)
• Some data may be retained longer if required by law

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Request a portable copy of your data
• Opt-out: Opt out of certain data uses, such as marketing communications
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@benefitnow.ai or through the app settings. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. State-Specific Rights

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act, including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete, the right to opt out of sale/sharing, and the right to non-discrimination for exercising these rights.

Other States

Residents of Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and other states with privacy laws may have similar rights. Please contact us to exercise your state-specific rights.

10. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, including government agency websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we will provide additional notice through the app or via email.

12. Contact Us

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

13. Data Protection Officer

For data protection inquiries, you may also contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@benefitnow.ai.