Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

Introduction

Fiscal Word ("we," "us," or "our") operates fiscalword.com. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our site, how we use it, and what choices you have. We believe privacy matters, so we've written this in plain English rather than dense legal language.

This policy was last updated in May 2025. If we make significant changes, we'll update the date at the top of this page.

Information We Collect

Information you provide

The only information you voluntarily give us is your email address — and only if you choose to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter through Beehiiv. We never ask for your name, address, phone number, or any financial information.

Information collected automatically

When you visit Fiscal Word, certain technical information is collected automatically through Google Analytics 4. This includes:

  • Your approximate location (country and city level — not your exact address)
  • Your browser type and operating system
  • The pages you visit and time spent on each page
  • How you arrived at our site (search engine, direct, social media, etc.)
  • Your device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

This data is aggregated and anonymized — we cannot identify you personally from it. We use it only to understand what content is helpful and to improve the site.

Cookies and tracking technologies

We use cookies for analytics (Google Analytics 4), ad serving (once ads are active), and newsletter functionality (Beehiiv). You can control cookie preferences using our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. See our Cookie Policy for full details.

Calculator inputs stored locally: When you use our financial calculators (budget allocator, debt payoff calculator, emergency fund calculator, compound interest visualizer, credit utilization calculator, and net worth tracker), your inputs are saved in your browser's localStorage so they persist between visits. This data never leaves your device and is never transmitted to our servers or any third party. You can clear this data at any time by clearing your browser's localStorage or site data.

How We Use Your Information

  • Improve site content and experience — Analytics data tells us which articles are most helpful so we can write more of what you need.
  • Send the weekly newsletter — Only if you subscribed. Every email includes a clear unsubscribe link.
  • Serve relevant advertisements — Ad networks use cookies to show ads that are relevant to your interests. You can opt out of personalized ads in your browser settings.
  • Measure site performance — We monitor page load speed and technical performance to keep the site fast.

Third-Party Services

We use several third-party services to run Fiscal Word. Each has their own privacy policy that governs how they handle your data:

  • Google Analytics 4 — We use GA4 to understand site traffic and visitor behavior. All data is aggregated and anonymized. Google's Privacy Policy →
  • Google AdSense — When ads are active, Google AdSense serves advertisements. Google may use cookies to show ads relevant to your interests. Google Ads Privacy →
  • Beehiiv — We use Beehiiv to manage our email newsletter. If you subscribe, your email address is stored by Beehiiv. Beehiiv's Privacy Policy →
  • Vercel — Fiscal Word is hosted on Vercel. Vercel may log standard server data like IP addresses for security and performance monitoring. Vercel's Privacy Policy →
  • Affiliate partners — When you click an affiliate link to a partner (such as Chase, Capital One, Robinhood, or others), you leave our site and enter theirs. Their privacy policies govern what data they collect from that point forward. We are not responsible for third-party data practices.

Affiliate Links

Fiscal Word participates in affiliate programs. This means we earn a small commission when you click one of our affiliate links and complete a qualifying action — like signing up for a credit card, opening a bank account, or subscribing to a service.

This is at no additional cost to you — you pay exactly the same price whether you use our link or navigate directly to the company's website.

Affiliate partners may use cookies to track that a referral came from our site. Once you click an affiliate link and leave fiscalword.com, the partner company's privacy policy governs your data. See our full Affiliate Disclosure for more information.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored in your browser. We use them to make the site work, to understand how visitors use it, and to serve relevant ads.

You can control cookies in two ways:

  • Our cookie consent banner — Click "Decline" when the banner appears at the bottom of the page to opt out of non-essential cookies.
  • Your browser settings — All major browsers let you block or delete cookies. Note that blocking essential cookies may affect how the site functions.

See our Cookie Policy for a full list of the cookies we use and instructions for every major browser.

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

For everyone

  • Right to access — You can request a copy of whatever personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to delete — You can request that we delete your data. For newsletter subscribers, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.

For EU and UK residents (GDPR)

  • Right to access, correct, or delete your personal data
  • Right to restrict or object to processing
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

For California residents (CCPA)

  • Right to know what personal information is collected
  • Right to delete personal information
  • Right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@fiscalword.com. We'll respond within 30 days.

Data Retention

  • Analytics data — Retained per Google Analytics 4's default retention settings (up to 14 months).
  • Email data — Your email address is retained by Beehiiv until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
  • Server logs — Vercel may retain standard server logs for a limited time for security purposes.
  • No other personal data — We do not store personal data on our own servers beyond what's described above.

Children's Privacy

Fiscal Word is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 years of age. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at hello@fiscalword.com and we will delete it promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we'll make a reasonable effort to notify newsletter subscribers. Your continued use of Fiscal Word after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data? We're happy to help.

Email: hello@fiscalword.com