Privacy Policy
Last updated
The short version
- You don't need an account, and we never ask for your Social Security number, case number, or address.
- When you run a calculator, we save the numbers you entered and the result, so you can share or email it and so we can find and fix calculation errors.
- We use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand how people use the site.
- We don't sell your information, and we don't show ads.
Information we collect
Calculator entries
When you complete a calculator, we store the inputs you entered, such as each parent's income, number of children, parenting time, and childcare or health insurance costs, along with the resulting estimate. If you type parents' names into a calculator, those names are stored too. Names are optional; you can leave the default "Parent 1" and "Parent 2".
Each saved result gets a long, random link. Anyone who has that link can view the result, so share it only with people you trust. Result links are marked so search engines don't index them.
Email address, if you ask us to email a result
If you use "Email Me This Estimate," we store your email address and send you a single message with your result. We don't add you to a mailing list or send you marketing email.
Messages you send us
If you use our contact form or feedback form, we receive what you write plus the name and email you provide, so we can reply.
Approximate location
To suggest the right state's calculator, we look up your approximate state from your IP address using a geolocation service (ip-api.com). If you choose to share your device location when your browser asks, we use it for the same purpose. We store the detected state and, if you shared it, the coordinates. We don't use location for anything else.
Usage and device information
Like most websites, we automatically receive technical information such as your browser type, device type, pages visited, and referring site. We use two analytics services, which set their own cookies:
- Google Analytics 4 measures visits and how people move through the calculators. See how Google uses data from sites that use its services. You can opt out with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
- Microsoft Clarity records anonymized page interactions, such as clicks, scrolling, and heatmaps, so we can find confusing parts of the calculators. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The calculators work without them.
How we use information
- To run the calculators and show, share, or email your result.
- To check our math and find errors. Real-world inputs are how we catch edge cases the official worksheets handle differently.
- To understand which states and features people use, so we know what to build and fix next.
- To reply to messages you send us.
- To protect the site from abuse, for example by rate-limiting automated requests.
Who we share it with
We don't sell personal information, and we don't share it for advertising. We use a small number of service providers who process data on our behalf:
- Hosting and database: Replit hosts the site and stores its database.
- Email delivery: Resend sends the emails you request and forwards contact-form messages to us.
- Analytics: Google (Analytics) and Microsoft (Clarity), described above.
- Location lookup: ip-api.com, described above.
We may also disclose information if required by law, such as a valid subpoena, or to protect the rights and safety of our users or the site.
How long we keep it
We keep calculator results and messages for as long as they're useful for the purposes above, and we delete them on request. Analytics data is kept according to Google's and Microsoft's retention settings.
Your choices and rights
You can ask us to delete a saved calculator result (send us its share link), your email address, or any messages you've sent. You can also ask what information we hold about you. Depending on where you live, including California and other states with consumer privacy laws, you may have additional rights to access, correct, or delete your information. We honor these requests for everyone, wherever you live, and won't treat you differently for making one.
To make a request, use our contact form (choose "Privacy request") or email hello@familylawfinder.org.
Security
The site is served only over HTTPS, and access to stored data is restricted. No method of storage or transmission is perfectly secure, so we suggest leaving parent names at their defaults if you'd prefer not to store them.
Children's privacy
FamilyLawFinder is intended for adults. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us information, contact us and we'll delete it.
Changes to this policy
If we change how we handle information, we'll update this page and the "Last updated" date above.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Reach us through our contact page or at hello@familylawfinder.org.