Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

ESA Max ("we," "us," or "our") is an independent tool designed to help Arizona homeschooling families manage their Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) funds. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website at esamax.com and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By using ESA Max, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. ESA Max is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Arizona Department of Education.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly:

• Account information (name, email address) provided during sign-in via OAuth
• Household and student profile information (student names, grade levels, annual budget amounts)
• Expense records, purchase descriptions, and vendor information you enter
• Documents and receipts you upload to the Audit Vault
• Curriculum information and notes you create
• Invoice details you generate for ClassWallet Direct Pay

Information collected automatically:

• IP address and general location (used for rate limiting on the free demo feature)
• Browser type and device information
• Pages visited and features used within the Service
• Session cookies required for authentication

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the ESA Max Service
• Authenticate your account and maintain session security
• Generate AI-powered allowability checks and curriculum outlines using your purchase descriptions
• Store your expense records, documents, and invoices securely
• Calculate and display your budget and quarterly readiness summaries
• Send transactional communications related to your account (if applicable)
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising purposes.

4. AI Processing

ESA Max uses AI language models to power the Allowability Checker and Curriculum Builder features. When you submit a purchase description or shopping list, that text is sent to an AI model for processing. We do not send personally identifiable information (such as your name, student name, or financial account details) to AI models — only the purchase or curriculum description you provide.

AI-generated responses are for guidance purposes only and do not constitute official ADE approval. Always verify allowability with the current ADE ESA Handbook.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored in a secure database and file storage system. Documents and receipts you upload are stored in encrypted cloud storage (Amazon S3). We use industry-standard security practices including HTTPS encryption for all data in transit and secure session management.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your account.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us at [email protected]. We will delete your data within 30 days of receiving a verified deletion request, except where retention is required by law.

7. Third-Party Services

ESA Max uses the following third-party services to operate:

• Manus OAuth — for secure account authentication
• Amazon S3 — for secure document and file storage
• AI language model providers — for processing allowability checks and curriculum generation (purchase descriptions only, no PII)

These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

8. Children's Privacy

ESA Max is designed for use by parents and guardians, not directly by children. We collect student names and grade levels as part of household profiles, but we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate information in your account
• Request deletion of your account and data
• Export your data in a portable format (available on request)
• Opt out of any non-essential communications

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or in-app notice. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at: