Privacy Policy for Budget Planner (Beta)

Effective Date: May 2, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Budget Planner! This Privacy Policy explains how Muhammad Ali Raza ("we," "us," "our"), located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, collects, uses, shares, and protects your personal information when you use our Budget Planner web application and related services (collectively, the "Service"), currently offered in a paid beta phase ("Beta Phase").

Your privacy is important to us. This policy outlines our practices and your rights regarding your data. By purchasing access, registering for, or using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy and our Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to provide and improve the Service, process payments, and communicate with you. This includes:

• a) Information You Provide Directly:

  • Account Information: When you register, we collect information such as your name, email address, and password.
  • Financial Data: To use the core functionality of the Service, you will input financial information, which may include details about your income, expenses, bills, savings goals, budget categories, and potentially names or labels you assign to accounts (e.g., "Salary Account," "Rent Expense"). We do not directly collect or store full bank account numbers, credit/debit card numbers (except potentially the last few digits via our payment processor), or other sensitive financial account credentials within the core budgeting features of the Service.
  • Payment Information: To process your one-time Beta Fee for Lifetime Access, our third-party payment processor will collect payment details such as your name, billing address, and credit/debit card information. We typically only receive confirmation of payment and limited details (like card type or last four digits) from the processor. Please review the payment processor's privacy policy.
  • Communications: If you contact us for support or provide feedback, we will collect the information contained in your communications.

• b) Information Collected Automatically:

  • Usage Data: We may automatically collect information about how you access and use the Service. This can include your IP address, browser type, operating system, device information, pages viewed, features used, time spent on the Service, and referring URLs.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar tracking technologies to operate and personalize the Service, analyze usage, and maintain security. For example, cookies help keep you logged in and remember your preferences. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To Provide and Maintain the Service:To operate the Budget Planner application, perform calculations based on your inputted Financial Data, store your budget information, and allow you to access your account.
• To Process Payments: To facilitate the collection of the Beta Fee via our third-party payment processor.
• To Improve the Service: To understand how users interact with the Service during the Beta Phase, identify bugs, analyze trends (often using aggregated or anonymized data), and develop new features.
• To Communicate With You: To respond to your support requests or feedback, send important service-related notices (e.g., updates to terms, security alerts), and potentially request feedback specific to the Beta Phase.
• For Security and Fraud Prevention: To protect the security and integrity of the Service, our users, and our systems.
• To Enforce Our Terms: To enforce our Terms and Conditions and other policies.
• To Comply with Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, or other legal processes in Pakistan or other relevant jurisdictions.

4. Legal Basis for Processing Your Information

Our legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described above generally depends on the specific information and context, but typically includes:   

• Performance of a Contract: Processing is necessary to provide the Service you have paid for and agreed to use according to our Terms and Conditions.
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., improving the Service, ensuring security, communicating with users), provided these are not overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights.
• Consent: Where required by law, or for specific purposes (like non-essential cookies or optional marketing communications, if any), we will obtain your consent. Agreeing to this Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions upon signup/purchase constitutes consent for the processing described herein.
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with a legal requirement.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with third parties only in the following circumstances:   

• Payment Processors: We share necessary payment information with our trusted third-party payment processor to handle transactions. They have their own privacy policies governing their use of your data.
• Service Providers:We may engage third-party companies and individuals to perform services on our behalf (e.g., cloud hosting providers, analytics providers, customer support tools). These providers have access to your information only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.   
• Legal Requirements:We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court, government agency, or law enforcementin Pakistan).
• Business Transfers:If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing due diligence, reorganization, bankruptcy, receivership, sale of company assets, or transition of service to another provider, your information may be transferred as part of thattransaction, subject to standard confidentiality arrangements. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information.   
• Protection of Rights:We may disclose information where we believe it necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of our Terms and Conditions,or as evidence in litigation.
• Aggregated/Anonymized Data: We may share aggregated or anonymized information (which does not directly identify you) with third parties for research, analysis, or reporting purposes.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information with other third parties when we have your explicit consent to do so.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include encryption (e.g., SSL/TLS for data in transit, encryption for certain data at rest where feasible), access controls, and secure development practices.   

However, please remember that the Service is currently in a Beta Phase. While we strive to protect your data, no internet transmission or electronic storage method is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security, especially against unforeseen vulnerabilities common in beta software. You are also responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account password.   

7. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations (e.g., financial record-keeping laws in Pakistan), resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward for administrative or legal purposes.
• Financial Data You Input: Retained while your account is active. Upon account deletion request, this data will be removed from our active systems, subject to backup retention cycles.
• Usage Data: May be retained in an aggregated or anonymized form for longer periods for analytical purposes.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location (including Pakistan), you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. These may include the right to:

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Rectification:Request correction of inaccurateor incomplete personal information (you can often update much of your account and financial data directly within the Service).   
• Erasure (Deletion): Request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal retention requirements).
• Restrict Processing: Request that we limit the processing of your personal information under certain conditions.
• Data Portability:Request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format (where technically feasible). 
• Object: Object to the processing of your personal information based on our legitimate interests.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on consent as the legal basis for processing (this will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal).

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the "Contact Us" section below. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.   

9. International Data Transfers

Our Service may be hosted on servers located outside of Pakistan (e.g., if using international cloud providers). If we transfer your personal information outside of Pakistan, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data, such as by using service providers that adhere to recognized data protection frameworks or employ standard contractual clauses approved for data transfers. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection rules than your country.   

10. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for or directed at individuals under the age of 18 (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child, please contact us.   

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for purposes such as enabling core functionality, remembering user preferences, analyzing site traffic (analytics), and ensuring security. You can typically manage cookie preferences through your web browser settings. Disabling certain essential cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. If we make material changes, we will notify you either through the email address you provided, by posting a notice within the Service, or by other reasonable means prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.   

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, or if you wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at: support@budgetplanner.pro