Privacy policy

Abstract

This document records what data Empirical Finance collects, how it is handled and to whom it may be disclosed. It covers page visits, the calculators and the request form used to ask for a match with a licensed financial advisor. Each item is stated with its limits.

Highlights

Calculator inputs are not transmitted to the site.
A request may go to up to three licensed advisors, who may pay for it.
Analytics and advertising tags load only after consent.
Global Privacy Control is treated as an opt-out.

1 Collection, handling and disclosure

Sections follow the life of a record, from collection to deletion.

1.1 Data collected

Page requests are routed through Cloudflare, so requests and IP addresses are visible to it. The request form collects a full name, email address and phone number (all required); a state or region; the help sought; net worth, income and investable assets, each as a range; a main goal; a timeline; current advisor status; a contact preference; and a consent checkbox. Calculator inputs are processed in the browser and are not transmitted to the site or linked to an identity.

1.2 Handling

Form data is stored on cloud infrastructure and forwarded to us by an email-delivery provider. Submissions are screened with a hidden honeypot field, rate limiting and Cloudflare Turnstile, a bot check. A request is retained for as long as needed to complete the match and to satisfy legal record-keeping requirements; a deletion request is honored unless the law requires retention.

1.3 Disclosure to advisors

A member of our team reviews each request and contacts the sender to confirm the need. The request is then offered to no more than three licensed advisors. Advisors pay for introductions, so this disclosure may count as a sale or sharing under some privacy laws. Before purchase an advisor receives only an anonymous summary (region, ranges, need); name and contact details follow after purchase. The consent checkbox authorizes contact by phone or email and this disclosure.

1.4 Instrumentation and consent

No analytics or advertising tag loads before consent, and Google Analytics is held in a denied, cookieless mode until then. After consent, tags for Google Analytics 4, Google AdSense and the Meta Pixel (advertising and social measurement; visit information may pass to those companies) and for Yandex Metrica (page-visit counts that let Yandex Search find the pages; session recording disabled) may load. A Global Privacy Control signal counts as a request to opt out of sale and sharing, suppresses Yandex Metrica and marks any request submitted at that time as do-not-sell. Controls are on the Do not sell or share my personal information page and are stored in the browser only.

1.5 Advisor records

Advisor sign-up records a name, a work email address and a CRD number. The CRD number is then compared with the public SEC investment adviser record on three tests: the number is found, the registration is current and the name matches. Personal email addresses and reported disclosure events are routed to manual review. Card payments are processed by a payment provider; card numbers are not stored here.

1.6 Limitations and rights

No method of storage or transmission is free of risk. California residents may request access, correction or deletion, or an opt-out of sale or sharing, under the CCPA and CPRA, and exercising those rights is not penalized; comparable rights may exist in other states. The site is not intended for anyone under 16 and does not knowingly collect their data. Requests are made through the contact page.