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Privacy Policy

Last updated: {{LAST_UPDATED}}

DebtFreeStart.com ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our resources.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use our site.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

The primary way we collect personal information is through our lead magnet forms. When you request a free guide or checklist, you provide:

  • Email address - used to deliver the requested resource and follow-up educational content
  • State (optional) - used to personalize the resource to your location

You are never required to provide personal information to browse our site. All guides and informational content are freely accessible without registering.

Information Collected Automatically

Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information when you visit:

  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • Referring URL (how you found our site)
  • IP address (anonymized where possible)

This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies, and is used only in aggregate to understand how our site is being used and to improve it.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • To deliver the free guide or resource you requested
  • To send follow-up educational emails related to bankruptcy and debt relief topics (you can unsubscribe at any time)
  • To understand which content is most helpful so we can improve our guides
  • To maintain the technical operation of our website

We do not use your information for any purpose beyond what is described in this policy without your explicit consent.

3. Third-Party Services

Brevo (Email Marketing)

We use Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) to manage our email list and send guides to subscribers. When you submit your email address, it is transmitted to and stored by Brevo. Brevo's privacy policy is available at brevo.com/legal/privacypolicy.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics collects anonymized usage data using cookies. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. Google's privacy policy is available at policies.google.com/privacy.

Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager to manage tracking scripts on our site. By itself, Google Tag Manager does not collect personal information.

4. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser. We use cookies for the following purposes:

  • Analytics cookies - set by Google Analytics to track aggregate site usage
  • Functionality cookies - used to remember your preferences on our site

Most browsers allow you to control or delete cookies through browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our site.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your email address with third parties for their own marketing purposes. We may disclose information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • To our service providers (Brevo, Google) who process data on our behalf and are bound by confidentiality agreements
  • If required by law, court order, or government request
  • To protect the rights, property, or safety of DebtFreeStart.com or others

6. Your Rights

All Users

Regardless of where you live, you have the right to:

  • Unsubscribe from our emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send
  • Request that we delete the personal information we hold about you
  • Ask what personal information we have stored about you

To exercise these rights, contact us at the email address listed in the Contact section below.

California Residents (CCPA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents have additional rights including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your California rights, contact us below.

European Residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right of access, rectification, erasure, and data portability. Our lawful basis for processing your email address is your consent, which you may withdraw at any time. To exercise your GDPR rights, contact us below.

7. Data Retention

We retain your email address in our mailing list until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Analytics data is retained according to Google's retention policies (default 26 months).

8. Children's Privacy

Our site is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us so we can delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your rights, you can reach us at:

DebtFreeStart.com
Email: [email protected]