Terms of Service

By accessing or using the services of Stratum Financial Consultants ("Stratum," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use our services.

These Terms apply to all users of our services, including clients who engage us for tax, accounting, advisory, or other financial consulting services, and visitors to our website.

Stratum Financial Consultants provides professional financial consulting services including, but not limited to:

- Individual and business tax preparation and planning - Accounting and bookkeeping services - Fractional CFO services - Business compliance advisory - Financial planning and advisory services - Audit readiness and representation - Financial training and workshops

The specific services provided to you will be described in a separate Engagement Letter or Service Agreement, which forms part of these Terms.

To enable us to provide our services effectively, you agree to:

Accuracy of Information: Provide complete, accurate, and truthful information. Providing false information to a tax preparer or in connection with tax filing may constitute tax fraud.

Timely Cooperation: Respond to requests for information, documents, and approvals in a timely manner. Delays may affect our ability to meet deadlines.

Document Retention: Maintain adequate records to support the financial information you provide us. We recommend keeping all financial records for a minimum of 7 years.

Review Responsibility: Review all prepared documents (tax returns, financial statements, filings) before authorizing us to submit them on your behalf. You are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of information submitted.

Fee Structure: Our fees are set forth in your Engagement Letter or Service Agreement. By engaging our services, you agree to pay all applicable fees.

Payment Terms: Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices are due within 30 days of issuance. Late payments may incur interest at 1.5% per month (18% annually).

Price Changes: We reserve the right to modify our fees with 30 days' written notice. Continued use of services after notice constitutes acceptance of new fees.

Refunds: We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on most services. Refunds will not be issued for services already rendered or in situations where you have provided inaccurate or incomplete information that required rework.

Both parties agree to maintain the confidentiality of all non-public information received from the other party. We are bound by professional standards of confidentiality under AICPA and applicable state CPA licensing rules.

We may be legally required to disclose client information in response to a valid subpoena, court order, or government request. We will notify you of such a requirement to the extent permitted by law.

Professional Standards: Our services will be performed in accordance with applicable professional standards. We are not responsible for penalties, interest, or other costs resulting from incorrect or incomplete information provided by you.

Limitation: To the maximum extent permitted by law, Stratum's liability to you for any claims arising out of or related to our services shall be limited to the total fees paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim.

Consequential Damages: In no event shall Stratum be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

All content on our website, training materials, templates, tools, and proprietary methodologies are the intellectual property of Stratum Financial Consultants and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our materials without our express written permission. Your work product (tax returns, financial statements) belongs to you; our proprietary processes and methodologies belong to us.

Good Faith Resolution: In the event of any dispute, both parties agree to first attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation.

Binding Arbitration: Any disputes that cannot be resolved through negotiation shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules.

Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Class Action Waiver: You waive any right to participate in class action lawsuits or class-wide arbitration against Stratum.

Either party may terminate the engagement with 30 days' written notice. We reserve the right to terminate immediately if you provide false information, fail to pay fees, or engage in conduct that violates these Terms or applicable law.

Upon termination, you are responsible for fees for services rendered through the termination date. We will provide your work product and return your documents within a reasonable period.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of material changes via email or prominent website notice at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of our services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

For questions about these Terms, contact us at legal@stratumfc.com or +1 (800) 555-5678.