Disclosure Policy Notification

November 1, 2002

Under Federal Law (15 U.S.C. 6803) CPAs and other providers of financial services are required to notify clients of their policy with respect to the disclosure of clients’ personal information.

This notice sets forth the privacy policy of Linton Shafer Warfield & Garrett with respect to the disclosure of your personal information.

Like all providers of personal financial services, certified public accounting firms licensed in Maryland are required by a new federal law to inform their clients of policies regarding the privacy of client information. Recently, you may have been receiving privacy notices from banks, brokers, and credit card companies. These same client-privacy rules apply to CPA firms that prepare tax returns and do financial planning. Maryland CPA firms have been, and continue to be, bound by the following laws, regulations, and professional standards that protect, subject to certain exceptions, the privacy of client information.

• First, our code of professional conduct enacted by the Maryland State Board of Public Accountancy forbids disclosure of client information,
  
• Second, Maryland law grants to clients an accountant-client privilege so that Maryland CPA firms cannot be compelled, even in court, to disclose certain client information,
  
• Third, both Federal and Maryland laws have criminal penalties for tax return preparers who disclose client information, and
  
• Fourth, this firm is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and follows their Code of Professional Conduct which prohibits disclosing confidential client information.

Of course, all of the above protections can be waived with your express consent.

Linton Shafer Warfield & Garrett, P.A. has followed these laws, regulations, and standards for the past 37 years. We have always protected your right to privacy.

Examples of sources from which we collect information include:

• Interviews and phone calls with you,
  
• Letters and e-mails from you,
  
• Tax return or financial planning organizers, and
  
• Financial history questionnaires.

As a general rule, Linton Shafer Warfield & Garrett does not disclose personal information about our clients or former clients to anyone. However, to the extent permitted by law and any applicable state Code of Professional Conduct, certain non-public information about you may be disclosed in the following situations:

1. In the course of a review of our firm’s practices under the authorization of a state or national licensing board, or as necessary to properly respond to an inquiry or complaint from such a licensing board or organization.
   
2. In conjunction with a prospective purchase, sale, or merger of all or part of our practice, provided we take appropriate precautions (for example, through a written confidentiality agreement) so the prospective purchaser or merger partner does not disclose information in the course of the review.
   
3. As a part of any actual or threatened legal proceedings or alternative dispute resolution proceeding either initiated by or against us, provided we disclose only the information necessary to file, pursue, or defend against the lawsuit and take reasonable precautions to ensure that the information disclosed does not become a matter of public record.
   
4. To provide information to affiliates of the firm and nonaffiliated third parties who perform services or functions for us in conjunction with our services to you, but only if we have a contractual agreement with the other party which prohibits them from disclosing or using the information other than for the purposes for which it was disclosed. (Examples of such disclosures include using an outside service bureau to process tax returns or engaging a records-retention agency to store prior year records.)
   
5. To ensure that we’re providing the value and service you expect from Linton Shafer Warfield & Garrett. From time to time, there may be products and services, either from our own affiliated companies or from businesses that are not affiliated with us, from which we think you may benefit. To offer such products and services to you, we may need to share your information with our own affiliates or with non-affiliated companies. An example of an affiliate is Maryland Financial Planners. We will not share this information without your expressed consent.

Please call if you have any questions, because your privacy, our professional ethics, and the ability to provide you with quality financial services are very important to us.