Effective and last updated July 29, 2026

Privacy policy

This policy explains how Cited Cents collects, uses, discloses, and protects information when you visit citedcents.com, follow a link, or contact the publication. It does not govern an external website after you leave Cited Cents.

Cited Cents is a general-interest educational publication. It does not offer user accounts, store personalized financial profiles, or intentionally collect account numbers, government identifiers, passwords, precise location, or other sensitive financial information.

Information you provide

If you email Admin@CitedCents.com, Cited Cents and its email provider process your email address, message, attachments, and ordinary message metadata so the inquiry or correction can be reviewed, answered, secured, and documented. Please do not send account numbers, tax identifiers, passwords, medical information, or other sensitive information.

Information collected automatically

When you request a page, hosting, content-delivery, security, analytics, and advertising systems may process device and network information. This can include an IP address, browser and device type, operating system, referring and requested URLs, approximate location derived from an IP address, timestamps, language, page views, outbound-link clicks, ad interactions, cookie or device identifiers, and diagnostic or security events.

The 50/30/20 planning tool performs its calculation in your browser. Cited Cents does not intentionally transmit or store the amount you enter. The site currently has no account registration or newsletter subscription form.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies, local storage, tags, pixels, and related technologies may be used to deliver and secure the site, remember consent choices, distinguish visits, measure performance, limit repeated ads, and, where permitted, select or measure advertising. Browser settings can block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect some features.

Google AdSense

Cited Cents includes Google AdSense code so Google can verify the site and, if the site is approved, serve and measure advertising. Loading that code may send Google ordinary request information such as your IP address, browser or device information, the page requested, and timestamps.

If advertising is activated, third-party vendors, including Google, may use cookies or similar identifiers to serve ads based on a visitor's prior visits to Cited Cents or other websites. Google and its advertising partners may use those technologies to deliver, limit, personalize where permitted, combat fraud, and measure ads. Learn more in Google's partner-sites notice, and manage Google ad personalization in Google Ads Settings.

Google Analytics

Cited Cents uses Google Analytics 4 to understand visits, page views, navigation, outbound-link clicks, general device and browser characteristics, and approximate location derived from an IP address. The site does not intentionally send email addresses, calculator inputs, account numbers, or other sensitive financial information to Analytics.

Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers when the visitor's consent choices permit them. Cited Cents uses Google Consent Mode so Google's measurement behavior can adjust to those choices. When storage is denied, Google may receive limited, cookieless measurement signals rather than placing Analytics cookies. Google Signals and ad-personalization signals are disabled in the Cited Cents Analytics tag.

Visitors can also use the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Affiliate links

Cited Cents has a CJ Affiliate publisher account, but an account alone does not make any advertiser or tracking link active. If a labeled affiliate link is activated, clicking it may allow CJ, the advertiser, and their service providers to process a referral identifier, IP address, device and browser information, referring and destination URLs, timestamps, and transaction or conversion information. They use that information to attribute referrals, prevent fraud, report performance, and calculate commissions. Review the CJ services privacy notice and the linked advertiser's policy for their practices.

How information is used

• Deliver, maintain, secure, and troubleshoot the site.
• Understand readership and improve navigation and content.
• Review and respond to messages and correction requests.
• Serve and measure advertising or attribute labeled affiliate referrals when those programs are active.
• Detect abuse, enforce site terms, protect rights, and comply with legal obligations.

How information is disclosed

Information may be disclosed to vendors that provide hosting, content delivery, security, email, analytics, consent management, advertising, or affiliate-attribution services; to professional advisers; in connection with a merger, financing, sale, or transfer of the publication; or when reasonably necessary to comply with law, enforce terms, investigate fraud, or protect people, property, and rights. Those recipients process information under their own terms or service-provider obligations.

Cited Cents does not sell direct email inquiries or sensitive financial information for money. Some privacy laws define advertising-related disclosures as a "sale" or "sharing" even when no money changes hands; the advertising choices below apply where those laws cover the activity.

Consent and advertising choices

In the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and other locations where required, Google's consent tools may ask whether storage, measurement, personalization, or advertising is permitted. Use the message's privacy or consent controls to make or revise a choice when they are available. You may also use Google Ads Settings, the Analytics opt-out add-on, or browser controls. Non-personalized ads may still use limited information for delivery, frequency control, fraud prevention, and reporting.

Legal bases for EEA and UK visitors

Where EEA or UK data-protection law applies, processing is based on consent for non-essential storage, personalized advertising, or measurement when consent is required; legitimate interests in operating, securing, improving, and defending the publication when those interests are not overridden by your rights; steps taken at your request when you contact us; and compliance with legal obligations. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting processing that occurred before withdrawal.

Retention

Cited Cents keeps direct correspondence only as long as reasonably necessary to answer the message, maintain correction and business records, resolve disputes, secure the publication, and meet legal obligations. Analytics, advertising, hosting, and affiliate providers retain information according to their settings and policies. Cited Cents may keep aggregated or de-identified information that no longer reasonably identifies a visitor.

Security

Cited Cents uses reasonable administrative and technical safeguards, including HTTPS and restricted access where appropriate. No internet transmission, vendor, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Do not use ordinary email to transmit confidential financial information.

International processing

Cited Cents and its providers may process information in the United States and other countries whose laws differ from those where you live. When required, providers use recognized transfer mechanisms or other safeguards for cross-border processing.

Children

Cited Cents is not directed to children under 13 and does not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us so the issue can be reviewed and appropriate deletion steps can be taken.

Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live and subject to legal exceptions, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, or portability; object to or opt out of certain processing, sale, sharing, or targeted advertising; withdraw consent; and receive non-discriminatory treatment for exercising a privacy right. You may also be entitled to appeal a decision or complain to your local supervisory authority.

Submit a request to Admin@CitedCents.com with the subject "Privacy request." Describe the right you want to exercise and the relevant interaction with Cited Cents. We may ask for limited information to reasonably verify the request. An authorized agent may submit a request where applicable, but proof of authority and identity may be required. Do not email a copy of your government ID unless specifically requested through a secure method.

External links

Guides link to government, regulator, program, advertiser, and other external sites. Their privacy practices and terms apply after you leave Cited Cents. A validation link does not mean the external organization endorses Cited Cents.

Policy changes

This policy may change as the publication, vendors, or legal requirements change. The revised policy will be posted here with a new effective date. If a change materially affects how previously collected information is used, additional notice or consent will be provided when required.

Contact

Questions or privacy requests may be sent to Admin@CitedCents.com. For editorial corrections, see the corrections policy.