Are You Properly Protecting Your Clients?

All businesses face consequences if they do not follow compliance laws when it comes to protecting their client’s personal information. CPA firms and similar companies are no exception. In fact, accountants and accounting firms stand to lose more than their reputation if they are not compliant and a breach occurs. There are numerous privacy mandates that can lead to violations and hefty fines if you are found to be non-compliant.

Retention, Storage & Disposal of Records

As an accountant, you have access to your client’s most sensitive information, including bank statements, income and tax documents, real estate, will and trust information, social security numbers and much more. In addition to the GBLA (The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act), there are regulations that set forth requirements for how long you can and should retain certain records, how you should store them and how they should be disposed of. These laws not only protect your clients, but also help ensure that your business remains compliant and doesn’t suffer the losses associated with a breach.

Secure Shredding Solutions for Accounting Professionals

The top way to protect your client’s confidential information is to securely shred documents after they have passed their retention period. Professional shredding is the only way to ensure that all documents have been permanently destroyed–retail office shredders can not achieve this and should not be used for highly sensitive records. Depending on how many clients you serve and the size of your accounting firm, it’s recommended you set up a regular shredding schedule with a reputable shredding and destruction company. CPAs and accounting/financial firms should partner with a trusted shredding provider and choose the best service option for their company. Your shredding and destruction company should provide the following options:

• Regular onsite shredding– shreds are performed onsite at your business on a regularly scheduled basis. Because they are performed onsite at your workplace, you are able to witness the entire process.
• Document purges-done on an as-needed basis, businesses typically need this type of service if they are moving locations or have large amounts of files that have reached the end of their retention period.
• Secure shredding bins- your shredding and destruction provider should provide secure shredding bins that have a locking lid or mechanism.
• Certificate of destruction- your shredding partner should provide you with a certificate of destruction with every shred. This gives you additional peace of mind that all of your documents have been permanently destroyed.

All Points Mobile Shredding has been serving South Florida accountants and financial businesses since 1994. We have earned the trust of our customers for providing NAID AAA shredding, the highest quality shredding and destruction certification, ensuring adherence to the highest industry standards. Find out more and learn how we can serve you by filling out this form or giving us a call today.