Privacy Policy — MHA Tracker

Last updated: November 2025

MHA Tracker (“we,” “our,” or “us”) provides a secure mobile and web application that helps pastors and ministry staff track housing allowance expenses and store digital receipts for personal record-keeping and tax reporting.

We take your privacy and data protection seriously. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to operate the MHA Tracker service:

Account Information

Email address and password — used to create and authenticate your account through Amazon Cognito.
Optional name or organization info if provided.

Expense & Financial Data

Expense records you enter (date, amount, description, category).
Optional annual housing allowance value you set for your own reports.
These are stored securely in Amazon DynamoDB and are accessible only to your account.

Receipt Images

Photos or PDFs of receipts you upload.
Stored privately in Amazon S3, visible only to you.
We use Amazon Textract (an AWS service) to extract text from your uploaded receipts so you can view or copy the contents later.

Diagnostic Data

Anonymous technical logs (e.g., error messages or crash reports) to help improve app stability.
These logs do not include personal or financial data.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your data is used solely to provide the features of the app:

To authenticate and keep your account secure.
To store and display your housing allowance records.
To process receipts and extract text for your convenience.
To generate reports showing total expenses vs. allowance.
To send transactional emails related to your account (password resets, security alerts, service updates).
To respond to support requests and maintain the service.

We do not:

Sell, rent, or trade your information.
Use your data for targeted advertising or marketing.
Share your data with third parties, except trusted cloud service providers required to operate the app (see Section 3).
Send promotional or marketing emails without your explicit consent.

2.1 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide the MHA Tracker service you’ve signed up for.
Legitimate Interests: For improving our services, preventing fraud, and ensuring security.
Legal Obligations: When required by law or court order.
Consent: For optional features or communications (which you may withdraw at any time).

3. How We Store and Protect Data

MHA Tracker runs entirely on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure.

All components follow strict security and compliance standards:

Service	Purpose	Security
Amazon Cognito	Authentication and user management	Encrypted, SOC 2 and GDPR compliant
Amazon DynamoDB	Stores expense data	AES-256 encryption at rest
Amazon S3	Stores receipt images	Private bucket; HTTPS enforced
AWS Lambda / Textract	Performs OCR on receipts	Temporary access, no long-term storage

Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest.
Access Control: Each user’s data is isolated by unique Cognito identity.
Regular Security Audits: We conduct periodic security reviews and updates.

MHA Tracker uses only standard encryption and does not contain or use any cryptographic functionality restricted under U.S. export laws.

3.1 Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that may affect your personal information:

We will notify affected users within 72 hours of discovery.
Notifications will be sent via email to your registered address.
We will provide details about what occurred, what data was affected, and steps we’re taking.
We will comply with all applicable breach notification laws.
We maintain incident response procedures to minimize any potential impact.

3.2 Your Security Responsibilities

You play a vital role in protecting your data:

Use a strong, unique password for your account.
Do not share your login credentials.
Log out when using shared devices.
Keep your email account secure (as it’s used for password resets).
Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access at support@mhatracker.com.

4. Data Deletion and Your Rights

You have full control over your data.

You may:

Delete individual expenses or receipts directly in the app.
Export your data in common formats (CSV, PDF) for your records.
Request complete account deletion by emailing support@mhatracker.com.
Access, correct, or update your personal information at any time.

When an account is deleted:

All expense data, receipts, and OCR results are permanently removed from our databases and storage within 30 days.
Backups are purged in the next automated rotation cycle (within 90 days).
Deletion is irreversible – please export any needed tax records before requesting deletion.

You may also contact us anytime to:

Request a copy of all your stored data.
Correct inaccurate information.
Restrict processing of your data.
Object to certain processing activities.
Request data portability (receive your data in a machine-readable format).
Withdraw consent to processing (which may limit or disable account functionality).

4.1 Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our web application uses essential cookies for:

Session management and authentication.
Security features and fraud prevention.
Remembering your preferences within the app.

These are strictly necessary cookies required for the service to function. We do not use tracking, advertising, or analytical cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings, though disabling them may affect app functionality.

4.2 Data Retention

We retain your data according to the following schedule:

Active Account Data: Retained while your account is active.
Deleted Account Data: Permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion.
Backup Data: Purged within 90 days through automated rotation.
Support Communications: Retained for 2 years or as required by law.
Security Logs: Retained for 1 year for security and fraud prevention.
Tax-Related Records: We recommend you maintain your own copies as required by IRS guidelines (typically 3-7 years).

Important Note: As this app helps with tax documentation, you should export and maintain your own records before deleting your account. We are not responsible for maintaining records to meet your tax obligations.

5. Children’s Privacy

MHA Tracker is intended for adult use by clergy and ministry staff.

We do not knowingly collect information from children under 16.

If you believe a child has provided data, please contact us immediately at support@mhatracker.com so we can remove it promptly.

6. Third-Party Services

MHA Tracker uses only the following third-party processors to deliver its core functionality:

Amazon Web Services (AWS) — hosting, authentication, database, storage, and OCR.
Expo / Google Play / Apple App Store — to distribute and update the mobile app.
Email Service Provider — for transactional emails only (password resets, security alerts).

These services operate under their own privacy and security policies but do not use your data for their own marketing or profiling. We have data processing agreements in place with all third-party processors.

We do not integrate any social networks, analytics SDKs, or advertising tools.

7. Data Transfers

All servers are hosted in the United States (AWS us-west-2 region).

If you access the app from outside the U.S., your data may be transferred and processed in the U.S., where it receives the same level of protection described in this policy.

For EU/UK/EEA Residents: We use Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission for data transfers to the U.S. We also implement additional safeguards including encryption and access controls to protect your data during international transfers.

7.1 California Residents’ Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: What personal information we collect, use, and share.
Right to Delete: Your personal information (subject to certain exceptions).
Right to Opt-Out: Of sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information).
Right to Non-Discrimination: For exercising your privacy rights.
Right to Correct: Inaccurate personal information.

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@mhatracker.com. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

8. Contact Information

If you have any questions, privacy concerns, or data requests, please contact:

MHA Tracker Privacy Officer

Email: support@mhatracker.com
Mail: 409 Kaimake Loop, Kailua, HI 96734 USA

We aim to respond to all privacy requests within 30 days (or 1 month for GDPR requests). For complex requests, we may need up to 90 days but will notify you of any extension.

8.1 Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your information when required by law, including:

In response to valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders, warrants).
To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public.
To prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activities.
To comply with applicable laws and regulations.
In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (we will notify you via email and prominent notice in the app before your information is transferred).

We will attempt to notify you of legal demands for your information when appropriate, unless prohibited by law or court order.

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as our app evolves or to meet new legal requirements.

We will post any updates on this page with a new “Last updated” date. For significant changes, we will notify you by:

Email notification to your registered address.
Prominent notice within the app.
Requesting renewed consent where required by law.

Your continued use of the service after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes relating to this Privacy Policy will be:

Governed by the laws of the State of Hawaii, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.
Resolved first through good faith negotiations.
If negotiations fail, through binding arbitration in Honolulu, Hawaii, under AAA rules.
Subject to individual arbitration only (no class actions or class arbitrations).

For EU/UK/EEA Residents: This does not affect your rights under local consumer protection laws. You may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

11. Accessibility

This Privacy Policy is available in alternative formats upon request. Contact us at support@mhatracker.com for assistance.

We are committed to ensuring our privacy practices are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

12. Additional Rights for International Users

European Economic Area (EEA), UK, and Switzerland

If you are located in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you have the right to:

Lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent).
Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Request restriction of processing while we verify or investigate your concerns.

Other Jurisdictions

We respect privacy rights under all applicable laws. If your jurisdiction provides additional rights not mentioned here, please contact us to exercise those rights.

Summary

✅ We collect only what you enter (account, expenses, receipts).
✅ Your data stays private, encrypted, and under your control.
✅ No ads, tracking, or data sales.
✅ You can delete your data or account anytime.
✅ We comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.
✅ We notify you promptly of any data breaches.
✅ You have extensive rights to control your personal information.

Effective Date: This Privacy Policy is effective as of November 7, 2025.

Version: 2.0