DollarOak Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 20, 2026
Last Updated: August 20, 2026

At DollarOak, we believe privacy information should be understandable, not buried in unnecessary legal language.

This Privacy Policy explains how DollarOak (“DollarOak,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you visit DollarOak.com, use our financial calculators, read our articles and guides, submit a contact form, interact with advertisements, or otherwise use our website.

DollarOak is an independent personal finance publication. We provide educational content, financial calculators, comparisons, explanations, and other informational resources for readers.

By using DollarOak, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, you should discontinue use of the website.

1. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with DollarOak.

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, information collected automatically when you use the website, and information received from third-party services that help us operate, analyze, secure, and monetize DollarOak.

Information You Provide Directly

You may provide information to us when you:

Submit a contact form
Report an error or correction
Send feedback about a calculator
Contact us regarding a business inquiry
Make a privacy-related request
Subscribe to a newsletter, if offered
Communicate with us by email or another method

Depending on the situation, this information may include:

Your name
Email address
Message
Subject of your inquiry
Information you voluntarily include in your communication

Please do not send Social Security numbers, banking credentials, account numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, tax identification numbers, or other sensitive financial information through DollarOak forms.

DollarOak does not need this information to respond to ordinary inquiries.

2. Contact Form Information

DollarOak may use WordPress-based form software, including Fluent Forms, to process contact requests.

When you submit a form, the information you enter may be stored in our WordPress database and made available to authorized website administrators so that we can review and respond to your inquiry.

We may retain contact-form submissions for a reasonable period when necessary to:

Respond to your request
Maintain a record of correspondence
Investigate website or calculator issues
Handle privacy requests
Prevent abuse or spam
Comply with legal obligations
Protect our legitimate interests

We do not use information submitted through the contact form to provide individualized financial, investment, tax, legal, or credit advice.

3. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit DollarOak, certain information may be collected automatically by our website, hosting infrastructure, analytics providers, advertising partners, security services, and other technology providers.

This information may include:

Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type and version
Device type
Operating system
Approximate geographic location
Referring website or page
Pages viewed
Date and time of visits
Time spent on pages
Links clicked
Scroll activity
Screen or browser dimensions
Session information
Advertising interactions
Diagnostic and performance information
Cookie and similar technology identifiers

We generally use this information to operate DollarOak, understand how the website is used, improve content and tools, detect technical problems, prevent abuse, measure advertising, and improve the reader experience.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

DollarOak and third-party services used on the website may use cookies, pixels, tags, local storage, scripts, web beacons, device identifiers, and similar technologies.

A cookie is a small piece of data stored on your browser or device.

Cookies may be used for purposes such as:

Keeping the website functioning properly
Remembering privacy preferences
Measuring website traffic
Understanding how readers use DollarOak
Detecting fraud or invalid traffic
Measuring advertising performance
Limiting how often an advertisement is shown
Delivering contextual advertising
Delivering personalized advertising where permitted
Improving website performance and usability

Some cookies are necessary for the website to operate. Others, such as analytics and advertising cookies, may be considered non-essential.

Where required by applicable law, we seek consent before activating non-essential cookies or similar technologies.

You can also control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality or the availability of some features.

5. Google AdSense

DollarOak may display advertisements provided by Google AdSense.

Google and other advertising partners may use cookies, web beacons, IP addresses, device information, and other identifiers in connection with advertising displayed on DollarOak.

Third-party vendors, including Google, may use advertising cookies to serve ads based on a user’s visit to DollarOak and/or other websites.

Depending on your location, consent choices, Google settings, and applicable law, advertisements may be personalized or non-personalized.

Personalized advertising may use information about previous browsing activity or interests to determine which advertisements may be relevant.

Non-personalized advertising is generally based on contextual information, such as the content of the page, general location, or other non-behavioral signals. Even non-personalized advertising may use cookies or similar technologies for purposes such as frequency capping, security, fraud prevention, and aggregated advertising measurement.

Google and its advertising partners may independently process information according to their own privacy policies and advertising practices.

Users can manage personalized advertising preferences through Google’s advertising privacy and Ads Settings controls.

6. Adsterra Advertising

DollarOak may also use Adsterra or its affiliated advertising services to display advertisements.

Adsterra and advertising partners working through its network may collect or process technical and usage information associated with advertisements.

Depending on the advertisement, technology used, your location, and applicable privacy rules, this information may include:

IP address
Browser information
Device information
Operating system
Approximate location
Advertising identifiers
URLs visited
Advertisement impressions
Advertisement clicks
Date and time information
Referral information
Cookie identifiers
Other technical information used for advertising, measurement, security, or fraud prevention

Adsterra and its advertising partners may use cookies or similar technologies to deliver, measure, secure, and improve advertising.

Their collection and processing of information is also governed by their own privacy and cookie policies.

Where consent is legally required for advertising cookies or personalized advertising, those technologies should be subject to the applicable consent choices presented to the user.

7. Advertising Partners

In addition to Google and Adsterra, DollarOak may work with other advertising networks, demand partners, measurement providers, or advertising technology companies in the future.

These providers may place or read cookies on your browser or use technologies such as:

Cookies
Web beacons
Pixels
Advertising identifiers
IP addresses
Device information

These technologies may be used to deliver advertisements, measure advertising performance, prevent fraud, limit repeated advertising, provide attribution, or personalize advertising when legally permitted.

DollarOak does not control every cookie or identifier placed by an independent advertising provider.

Third-party advertising providers are responsible for their own privacy practices.

8. Personalized Advertising Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to limit or opt out of certain forms of personalized or targeted advertising.

You may be able to manage advertising preferences using:

Our cookie or consent-management controls, where available
Google Ads Settings
Your browser’s privacy settings
Mobile-device advertising settings
Industry advertising opt-out tools
Privacy rights provided under applicable law

Rejecting personalized advertising does not necessarily mean that you will stop seeing advertisements. You may instead receive contextual or non-personalized advertisements.

9. Consent Management

Privacy and cookie requirements vary by country and region.

Where required by applicable law, DollarOak may use a consent-management platform (“CMP”) or similar privacy-management technology to allow visitors to make choices regarding:

Analytics cookies
Advertising cookies
Personalized advertising
Data processing by advertising partners
Other non-essential technologies

For visitors in the European Economic Area (“EEA”), United Kingdom, Switzerland, and other jurisdictions where consent requirements apply, advertising and analytics technologies may be controlled according to the choices made through the consent interface.

You may be able to change or withdraw your choices later by reopening the website’s cookie or privacy settings.

10. Google Analytics

DollarOak may use Google Analytics, including Google Analytics 4 (“GA4”), to understand how readers use the website.

Google Analytics may collect information such as:

Number of visitors
Pages viewed
Sessions
Approximate geographic location
Device type
Browser information
Operating system
Referral source
User interactions
Engagement information
Events configured on the website

Google Analytics may use a first-party cookie or similar identifier to distinguish browsers, users, or sessions where permitted.

We use analytics information to understand matters such as:

Which articles readers find useful
Which calculators are being used
How readers discover DollarOak
Which devices people use
Whether pages are functioning correctly
How the website can be improved

Analytics information is generally reviewed in aggregated or statistical form.

Where required, Google Analytics storage and related technologies may be controlled by your consent choices.

Google independently processes certain information according to its own privacy policies and product terms.

11. Microsoft Clarity

DollarOak may use Microsoft Clarity to better understand how visitors interact with the website and identify usability or technical problems.

Microsoft Clarity may collect interaction and diagnostic information such as:

Page views
Clicks
Scroll activity
Mouse movements
Page rendering behavior
Browser and device information
Session identifiers
Performance events
Errors and diagnostic information

Clarity may provide features such as session replays, interaction analysis, and aggregated behavior reports.

We use this information to improve website navigation, page design, calculator usability, accessibility, and the overall reader experience.

Microsoft may use cookies or similar technologies in connection with Clarity.

Where applicable law requires consent before these technologies are used, Clarity should be controlled according to the user’s consent choices.

Microsoft processes information according to its own privacy terms and policies.

12. Website Hosting, Security, and Performance Services

DollarOak relies on third-party infrastructure and technology providers to operate securely and efficiently.

These providers may process limited technical information when necessary to:

Deliver website content
Host website files and databases
Prevent fraud
Detect malicious traffic
Block attacks
Improve page-loading performance
Diagnose errors
Maintain backups
Monitor uptime and reliability

Server logs may contain information such as IP addresses, timestamps, requested URLs, browser information, and error information.

This data is primarily used for security, reliability, technical troubleshooting, and website administration.

13. Financial Calculators

DollarOak offers financial calculators and interactive tools.

Information entered into a calculator is generally used to generate the calculation or estimate requested by the user.

Unless specifically disclosed on a calculator, you should not assume that information you enter into a calculator is being reviewed by a human or used to provide personal financial advice.

You should never enter sensitive information such as:

Social Security numbers
Bank account credentials
Credit card numbers
Passwords
Tax identification numbers

into a DollarOak calculator.

Calculator results are educational estimates and should not be treated as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice.

See our Calculator Methodology and Financial Disclaimer for additional information.

14. Newsletter and Email Communications

If DollarOak offers an email newsletter and you voluntarily subscribe, we may collect information such as your email address and related subscription preferences.

Our email service provider may also process information relating to email delivery or engagement, such as whether an email was successfully delivered.

We will use subscription information to provide the communications you requested.

You may unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter communications at any time by using the unsubscribe option provided in those messages.

Administrative, privacy, or transactional correspondence may still be sent when necessary.

15. Affiliate Links

DollarOak may participate in affiliate or referral programs.

If affiliate links are used, those links may contain identifiers or tracking parameters that allow an affiliate partner to determine whether a visitor reached its website through DollarOak.

An affiliate partner may also use cookies or other technologies after you visit its website.

DollarOak does not control the privacy practices of third-party merchants, banks, financial platforms, retailers, or other organizations you visit through an external link.

Please review the privacy policy of the applicable third party before providing personal information.

For additional information about commercial relationships, see our Affiliate Disclosure.

16. How We Use Information

We may use information collected through DollarOak to:

Operate and maintain the website
Provide articles, guides, and financial calculators
Respond to contact requests
Review corrections and feedback
Improve website content
Improve calculator functionality
Understand website traffic
Analyze reader behavior
Detect technical problems
Prevent abuse, spam, or fraud
Protect website security
Measure website performance
Display and measure advertisements
Comply with legal obligations
Protect our rights and the rights of others
Maintain records where reasonably necessary

We do not use information submitted through DollarOak to make lending, credit, insurance, employment, or other decisions about individual users.

17. Legal Bases for Processing

Where laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) or UK GDPR apply, our legal basis for processing personal information depends on the circumstances.

It may include:

Consent
Where you have given permission for particular processing, such as certain analytics technologies, advertising technologies, personalized advertising, or email communications.

Legitimate Interests
Where processing is reasonably necessary to operate, improve, secure, or protect DollarOak and those interests are not overridden by your rights.

Legal Obligations
Where information must be processed or retained to comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.

Establishing or Defending Legal Rights
Where processing is reasonably necessary to protect our legal rights or respond to claims.

Where consent is the legal basis for processing, you may withdraw that consent where applicable.

18. How We Share Information

We may share information with third parties when reasonably necessary to operate DollarOak.

These parties may include:

Website hosting providers
Analytics providers
Advertising networks
Consent-management providers
Security and anti-fraud providers
Content-delivery providers
Form-processing services
Email service providers
Technical service providers
Professional advisers
Government agencies or law-enforcement authorities where legally required

Third-party service providers may process information only for their own permitted purposes or according to their agreements, policies, and applicable legal obligations.

We may also disclose information if reasonably necessary to:

Comply with legal process
Enforce our policies
Investigate suspected fraud or abuse
Protect DollarOak
Protect users
Protect the rights, safety, or property of others

19. Sale or Sharing of Personal Information

DollarOak does not sell personal information for money.

However, some U.S. state privacy laws define terms such as “sale,” “sharing,” or “targeted advertising” broadly.

The use of third-party advertising technologies, cookies, pixels, or identifiers for interest-based or cross-context behavioral advertising may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information under certain laws even when no money is exchanged for the information.

Where applicable law provides an opt-out right, eligible users may exercise that right through the privacy or cookie controls available on DollarOak or by contacting us.

20. U.S. State Privacy Rights

Residents of certain U.S. states may have privacy rights under applicable state law.

Depending on where you live and the law that applies, these rights may include the right to:

Know what personal information is collected
Request access to personal information
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of certain information
Obtain a portable copy of certain information
Opt out of certain targeted advertising
Opt out of certain sales or sharing of personal information
Limit certain uses of sensitive personal information
Appeal a decision regarding a privacy request
Receive equal service and pricing after exercising privacy rights

Not every right applies in every jurisdiction or situation.

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against you because you exercised a privacy right.

21. California Privacy Rights

If applicable to DollarOak and your interaction with the website, California residents may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”).

These may include rights to request information regarding certain categories of personal information collected, disclosed, sold, or shared and to request access, correction, or deletion subject to applicable exceptions.

California residents may also have rights relating to cross-context behavioral advertising or the sale or sharing of personal information as those terms are defined under California law.

DollarOak does not sell personal information for monetary compensation.

If our use of advertising technologies is treated as “sharing” or a “sale” under applicable California law, eligible users may exercise applicable opt-out rights through our privacy controls or by submitting a privacy request.

22. European, UK, and Swiss Privacy Rights

If the GDPR, UK GDPR, or similar law applies to you, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, these may include the right to:

Access your personal information
Correct inaccurate information
Request deletion
Restrict certain processing
Object to certain processing
Request data portability
Withdraw consent
Lodge a complaint with an appropriate data-protection authority

These rights are subject to applicable exceptions and legal requirements.

We may request reasonable information necessary to verify your identity before completing a privacy request.

23. Global Privacy Control and Browser Signals

Some browsers and extensions can transmit privacy preference signals, including Global Privacy Control (“GPC”).

Where applicable law requires us to recognize a valid browser-based opt-out preference signal, we will handle that signal as required by applicable law and the technologies available on DollarOak.

Traditional “Do Not Track” signals are not interpreted consistently across the internet, and our response to such signals may depend on applicable legal requirements and available technology.

24. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods may depend on:

Why the information was collected
Whether we need it to respond to an inquiry
Security and fraud-prevention needs
Legal obligations
Dispute-resolution requirements
Technical requirements
Applicable limitation periods

Aggregated or de-identified information that no longer identifies an individual may be retained for statistical, analytical, or operational purposes.

Third-party providers may maintain their own retention schedules according to their respective policies and settings.

25. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect information against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

However, no website, internet transmission, database, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

For this reason, you should avoid sending sensitive financial information or confidential credentials through DollarOak.

26. International Data Transfers

DollarOak is accessible internationally, and some of the service providers we use may process or store information in countries other than the country where you live.

As a result, personal information may be transferred to jurisdictions with different data-protection laws.

Where applicable law requires safeguards for international data transfers, the relevant service provider or data controller may rely on approved contractual protections, adequacy decisions, consent, or other legally permitted transfer mechanisms.

27. Third-Party Websites and Services

DollarOak contains links to websites and services operated by third parties.

These may include:

Government websites
Banks
Financial institutions
Investment platforms
Retailers
Advertising partners
Social-media platforms
Research sources
Affiliate partners
Other publishers

Once you leave DollarOak, the privacy practices of the third-party website apply.

We are not responsible for the privacy, security, accuracy, or data practices of websites or services that we do not control.

We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

28. Social Media

DollarOak may maintain profiles on social-media platforms such as Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or other services.

If you interact with DollarOak through a social-media platform, the platform may independently collect and process information about you.

Your interactions with those services are governed by the respective platform’s privacy policy and account settings.

DollarOak does not control how an independent social-media platform processes your information.

29. Children’s Privacy

DollarOak is a general-audience personal finance publication and is not directed to children under the age of 13.

DollarOak is also not designed primarily for minors.

We do not knowingly request personal information from children under 13.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information to DollarOak without appropriate authorization, please contact us so that we can review the situation and take appropriate action.

30. Sensitive Personal Information

DollarOak does not ask readers to provide sensitive personal financial information through ordinary website forms or calculators.

Please do not submit information such as:

Social Security numbers
Full bank-account numbers
Credit or debit card numbers
Account passwords
Authentication credentials
Tax identification numbers
Medical information
Government identification documents

If sensitive information is submitted unnecessarily, we may delete it where reasonably possible.

31. Automated Decision-Making

DollarOak does not use information collected through its website to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning individual users.

Advertising and analytics providers may use automated systems for activities such as advertising selection, fraud detection, measurement, audience analysis, or personalization according to their own policies and applicable law.

32. Your Choices

You may have several ways to control information collection on DollarOak.

Depending on your location and the technologies available, you may:

Adjust cookie or privacy settings
Reject certain non-essential cookies
Withdraw previously provided consent
Disable cookies through your browser
Manage Google advertising preferences
Use advertising-industry opt-out tools
Use browser privacy controls
Submit an applicable privacy-rights request
Unsubscribe from optional marketing emails

Some website functions may operate differently if certain technologies are disabled.

33. Privacy Requests

If you wish to exercise a privacy right or ask a question about this Privacy Policy, please contact DollarOak through our Contact page.

Please choose Privacy Request when that option is available.

To protect users, we may request information reasonably necessary to confirm your identity or authority to make a request.

Authorized agents may be required to provide appropriate proof of authorization where required by law.

We aim to respond within the time required by applicable privacy law.

34. Changes to This Privacy Policy

DollarOak may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:

Website features
Advertising providers
Analytics tools
Technology
Privacy practices
Applicable laws
Regulatory requirements
Business operations

When we update this Privacy Policy, we will revise the Last Updated date at the top of this page.

Material changes may also be communicated through additional website notices when appropriate.

We encourage readers to review this page periodically.

35. Contact DollarOak

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, the information DollarOak collects, or your privacy rights, please contact us through our Contact page.

For general information about our publication standards, you may also review:

DollarOak

Built for Americans who want every dollar to count.