Terms of Service

1. Agreement to These Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the website located at https://helliotassociates.com and any related pages or subdomains (collectively, the "Site") operated by H. Elliot Associates, LLC ("the firm," "we," "our," or "us"). By accessing the Site, submitting a form, booking a consultation, creating a client portal account, or purchasing any service, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

2. Description of Services

The firm provides tax preparation, tax planning, retirement planning, and IRS representation services under the principal's federal Enrolled Agent (EA) licensure with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The firm does not currently provide investment-adviser services and is not registered as an investment adviser with the SEC or any state securities authority. See the Disclosures page for the full scope of current licensure.

3. Engagement

Personalized tax, retirement, or representation services are provided only under a written engagement letter executed between you and the firm. Use of this Site, submission of a contact or booking form, or creation of a client portal account does not, by itself, create an advisor–client relationship. No such relationship exists until an engagement letter is signed and any required retainer is received.

4. Fees and Payment

Fees for engagements are set forth in each engagement letter. Payment may be accepted by ACH bank transfer, credit or debit card, or other methods the firm makes available from time to time. Online payments are processed by Stripe, Inc., under Stripe's own terms of service and privacy policy. The firm does not store full credit-card numbers on its servers.

Invoices are due on receipt unless otherwise stated. Past-due balances may accrue interest at the lesser of 1.0% per month or the maximum rate permitted by Maryland law.

5. Cancellations & Refunds

Please see our separate Refund Policy for full details on cancellations, rescheduling, and refunds for consultations, retainers, and completed work.

6. Client Portal

If you create an account on our client portal, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at helliotassociates@gmail.com if you suspect unauthorized access.

Do not upload documents that include full Social Security numbers in plaintext file names, plaintext passwords, or any content you are not legally permitted to share.

7. Accuracy of Information You Provide

The firm relies on the accuracy and completeness of information you provide. Inaccurate, incomplete, or untimely information may result in errors on your return, assessments of additional tax, penalties, or interest — for which the firm is not responsible.

8. No Guarantee of Outcome

Tax positions, IRS representation outcomes, and retirement-planning results depend on facts, law, and regulatory discretion that are outside the firm's control. The firm makes no guarantee of any particular refund amount, audit result, penalty abatement, settlement, or financial outcome.

9. Intellectual Property

All content on this Site — text, graphics, logos, and layouts — is the property of H. Elliot Associates, LLC or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international copyright and trademark law. You may view and print content for personal, non-commercial use only.

10. Third-Party Links

The Site may link to third-party websites. We do not control, endorse, or accept responsibility for their content, policies, or practices. Use of any third-party site is at your own risk.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and its content are provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the firm disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the firm's total liability to you in connection with any engagement or use of the Site shall not exceed the fees actually paid by you to the firm for the specific engagement giving rise to the claim. In no event shall the firm be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless H. Elliot Associates, LLC and its principal from any claim, loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your breach of these Terms, your misuse of the Site, or your submission of inaccurate information.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute arising under these Terms or out of any engagement shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Montgomery County, Maryland, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted to this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be directed to helliotassociates@gmail.com or (571) 598-5790. Mailing address: H. Elliot Associates, LLC, 451 N. Hungerford Dr., Suite 119, Rockville, MD 20850.