Terms of Service
Effective date: November 3, 2026
These Terms of Service form an agreement between FormSignal LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company ("FormSignal," "we," "us," or "our"), and the business accepting them for a W9Finder account ("Customer," "you," or "your").
These Terms also apply to a person or business that separately accepts them when using a free tool. In that context, "you" means the person or business accepting them. Provisions about accounts and paid subscriptions apply only when you use those features.
You accept these Terms by selecting an acceptance checkbox, signing an order that incorporates them, or taking another action expressly identified as acceptance. If you accept for a business, you represent that you have authority to bind it.
"Services" means W9Finder and the free tools covered by these Terms. An "Order" means the checkout summary you accept or a written order agreed by both parties.
If you are submitting a document through a vendor upload link, section 12 explains that process. Uploading a document alone does not make you a subscription customer or subject you to the customer's payment or indemnity obligations.
1. What W9Finder provides
W9Finder is W-9 collection and vendor readiness software for accounting and bookkeeping firms.
It supports vendor CSV imports, record cleanup, private document requests, reminders, review workflows, and reviewed CSV exports for a firm's separate filing process. W9Finder works with vendor CSVs exported from QuickBooks.
W9Finder does not provide 1099 e-filing, IRS submission, IRS TIN Matching, automated verification, W-8 collection, SMS reminders, or QuickBooks or Xero synchronization. Uploaded W-9 documents are reviewed by people at the requesting firm. W9Finder does not automatically extract information from those documents.
Your purchase is based on the functions included in your Order and available when you subscribe. Statements about possible future features do not create a delivery commitment.
2. Eligibility and authorized business use
W9Finder subscriptions are offered to businesses located in the United States.
Account users must be at least 18 years old and authorized to act for the Customer. Individuals accepting these Terms for independent use of a free tool must also be at least 18 years old.
You may use W9Finder for your firm's business and to provide authorized services to your clients. You are responsible for obtaining the permissions needed to act for those clients and to submit or request information on their behalf.
3. Accounts, owners, and staff
Your organization designates an account owner to administer its account. Available permissions determine which users can manage billing, staff access, deletion controls, and sensitive exports.
Each authorized user must use an individual login. You are responsible for managing access, protecting credentials, and promptly removing access when it is no longer appropriate. Two-factor authentication is available, and we encourage its use.
Your users' logins and your organization's account, owner and staff memberships are shared across FormSignal products. They also let authorized users sign in to AuditPrep, which requires two-factor authentication. Signing in to AuditPrep does not start or change a W9Finder subscription.
You are responsible for your authorized users' compliance with these Terms and for actions you authorize through your account. This responsibility does not excuse a breach of these Terms by FormSignal.
We may rely on instructions from an authenticated account owner, subject to reasonable checks for sensitive requests. Contact us when ownership changes or you need help closing an organization.
Notify hello@formsignal.co promptly if you suspect unauthorized account access. Do not include passwords, full taxpayer identification numbers, or W-9 documents in ordinary support email.
4. Subscriptions, renewal, cancellation, and refunds
Fees and billing periods
Your Order identifies the subscription price, billing interval, included features, applicable limits, and any promotional terms.
Prices shown at https://formsignal.co/pricing describe available offers. The Order you accept establishes your purchase terms.
If you purchase a Founding Cohort annual subscription, its promotional discount applies to the first subscription year only. Renewal uses the standard annual price disclosed in your Order, subject to the price-change provisions below.
We will not charge for a different plan or additional paid service without your authorization.
Automatic renewal
Unless your Order expressly states otherwise, your subscription renews automatically for successive periods of the same length until canceled.
You authorize recurring charges for the subscription fees and applicable taxes disclosed to you. We will provide any renewal notices required by applicable law.
Cancellation
An account owner may cancel through the billing settings and Stripe customer portal, or contact hello@formsignal.co for assistance.
Cancellation ordinarily takes effect at the end of the current paid subscription period. You retain access until that date, subject to these Terms, and we do not charge a cancellation fee.
We will acknowledge a cancellation request and identify its effective date. A timely cancellation prevents the next renewal charge.
Stopping use of W9Finder or deleting an individual staff login does not cancel the organization's subscription.
Refunds
Monthly subscription fees are not refundable for a partially used month.
Annual subscription fees are refundable in full when the account owner requests a refund within 14 calendar days after the initial purchase or a renewal charge. After that period, annual fees are not refundable except as expressly provided in these Terms or required by law.
When we approve a full subscription refund, we will also cancel the corresponding subscription and confirm when access ends, unless we expressly agree otherwise with you. Data return and deletion remain subject to section 10.
Request a refund at hello@formsignal.co from the account owner's email address.
Payment and taxes
Payments are processed through Stripe-hosted payment services. We do not receive or store full payment-card numbers through that checkout process.
You must provide accurate billing information and maintain an authorized payment method.
Subscription fees exclude applicable sales and similar transaction taxes. We will collect these taxes where required by law. Taxes may apply to future subscription charges and will be itemized on the applicable invoice.
If payment fails, we may retry the charge and notify the account owner. We may suspend paid access if an undisputed amount remains unpaid 7 days after the subscription is marked past due following a failed payment.
Price changes
We may change subscription prices for future renewal periods by notifying the account owner at least 30 calendar days before the first renewal charged at the new price.
A price change does not increase the price of a period you have already purchased. You may cancel before the affected renewal. If we do not provide the required notice, the increase will not apply to that renewal.
5. Acceptable use
You must use the Services for lawful purposes and only with information you are authorized to provide or request.
You must not:
- Request documents or personal information without a legitimate, authorized business purpose.
- Upload unlawful, infringing, malicious, or unrelated sensitive material.
- Access another customer's information, bypass access controls, interfere with the Services, or conduct security testing without written authorization.
- Send unsolicited bulk messages, impersonate another person, or use the Services deceptively.
- Resell or sublicense the software or provide unauthorized third parties with account access.
- Copy or reverse engineer protected software, or scrape nonpublic parts of the Services, except where applicable law permits an activity that cannot be contractually restricted.
Providing accounting or bookkeeping services to your clients through your firm's authorized account is permitted.
Use designated product workflows for documents and taxpayer information. Do not place sensitive information in feedback, ordinary support email, or fields that are not intended to receive it.
6. Customer Data and processing instructions
Rights in your data
"Customer Data" means records, documents, files, and other information submitted to the Services for processing on your behalf, including information supplied by your authorized users or responding vendors.
As between the parties, you and the relevant rights holders retain your rights in Customer Data. These Terms do not transfer ownership of Customer Data to FormSignal or override an individual's rights in their personal information.
You grant us a limited right to host, organize, process, transmit, and display Customer Data to perform the Services and meet the obligations described in these Terms.
Processing purposes and scope
We process Customer Data to import and organize vendor records, identify record gaps, send authorized requests and reminders, receive documents, support review, generate exports, maintain relevant activity records, provide support, and protect the Services.
The information may concern your staff, clients, vendors, and their representatives. It may include identity and contact details, tax classifications, taxpayer identification numbers, signatures, payment context, uploaded documents, notes, and related workflow records.
Processing continues for the applicable service period and the return and deletion periods in section 10. Temporary processing through a free tool follows that tool's disclosed handling and retention practices.
Your use of the product's features, these Terms, and any additional lawful instructions we agree to in writing constitute your processing instructions.
Roles and restrictions
Depending on the circumstances, you may act for your own business or as a processor or service provider for a client. You must have authority to engage us for the processing you instruct.
Where applicable law uses these terms, FormSignal acts as a processor, service provider, or subprocessor for Customer Data. Each party remains responsible for obligations applicable to its actual role.
We will not sell Customer Data, use it for advertising, use it to train AI models, or combine its personal information with other customers' information for our independent commercial purposes.
We will not retain, use, or disclose personal information in Customer Data outside the specified purposes and service relationship, except as applicable law permits or requires.
Responsibilities and assistance
You are responsible for required notices, permissions, lawful collection, and the instructions you give us. You must review records and exports before using them in your professional work.
We will reasonably assist with applicable privacy requests, security obligations, and required assessments concerning our processing. We will notify you if we determine that we cannot comply with an applicable processing obligation or that an instruction violates applicable data-protection law.
We will provide information reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance and cooperate with assessments required by applicable law, subject to appropriate confidentiality and security protections.
Our processing of account administration, billing, website, and marketing information for our own purposes is described in the Privacy Policy at https://formsignal.co/privacy. That policy does not expand our permitted uses of Customer Data.
7. Confidentiality and security
Each party will protect the other's confidential information with reasonable care and use it only to perform or enforce this agreement. Customer Data is confidential information.
Access may be provided to personnel and providers who need it for an authorized purpose and are subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations.
Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information independently developed, lawfully received without restriction, or publicly available without a breach of an obligation. Those exceptions do not override applicable personal-information requirements.
Where disclosure is legally required, the receiving party will disclose only what is required and provide advance notice when legally permitted and reasonably practicable.
We will maintain administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the nature of Customer Data.
These safeguards include private document storage, access controls, encryption of full TINs stored as separate fields, hashed and expiring request-link tokens, HTTPS, activity records, and optional two-factor authentication.
Routine displays of separately stored TIN fields show only the last four digits. An original uploaded document may contain a full TIN visible to an authorized document reviewer. Masking a separate field does not redact that document.
Standard exports exclude full TINs. A separate full-TIN export is restricted to the account owner, requires explicit confirmation, and is recorded in the audit trail.
We may update safeguards while maintaining the overall level of protection committed to during your paid subscription period. No safeguard guarantees that a security incident cannot occur.
8. Service providers and subprocessors
We use providers to operate the Services. Providers processing Customer Data on our behalf are identified at https://formsignal.co/subprocessors.
You authorize those subprocessors subject to this section. We will impose written confidentiality, security, and data-processing obligations appropriate to their services and remain responsible for their performance of our contractual processing obligations.
We will notify account owners at least 14 calendar days before a new subprocessor begins processing Customer Data. You may object within 14 calendar days of notice on reasonable, specific data-protection grounds.
We will discuss a reasonable alternative. If we cannot resolve the objection, you may terminate the affected Services before the new processing begins and receive a prorated refund of prepaid fees for the unused period.
An urgent security issue, unexpected provider failure, or legal requirement may require a faster replacement. In that case, we will provide notice as soon as reasonably practicable and preserve the objection and termination process.
A provider may have a different legal role for information it processes independently, such as certain payment information. The Privacy Policy explains relevant provider relationships.
9. Security incidents
A "Security Incident" is an actual or reasonably suspected unauthorized acquisition, access, use, disclosure, alteration, destruction, or loss of Customer Data processed by us or our subprocessors.
Unsuccessful attempts that do not compromise Customer Data, such as blocked login attempts, do not by themselves constitute a Security Incident.
We will notify the affected account owner without undue delay after discovery and within any earlier period required by applicable law. We will not wait for completion of an investigation before giving notice when notice is required.
We will provide reasonably available information about the incident, affected information, relevant timing, response measures, and a contact for follow-up. We may provide information in stages as the investigation develops.
We will take reasonable steps to investigate, contain, and address the incident and cooperate with your response. Each party remains responsible for notifications and other duties applicable to it.
An incident notice does not, by itself, constitute an admission of liability.
10. Return and deletion of data
During an active subscription, you may use available download and export functions to retrieve Customer Data. Those functions may provide records and original documents separately.
Cancellation, account closure, data export, and data deletion are separate actions. We will explain their effect when processing an account-closure request.
After the subscription actually ends, we will retain remaining Customer Data for 30 days. During that period, an authorized owner may request its return by emailing hello@formsignal.co from the owner's address, and we will re-enable the account's export functions for up to 7 days.
This recovery period begins when paid access ends, rather than when advance cancellation is requested. It does not promise continued access to every application feature.
After the recovery period, we will delete Customer Data from active systems within 30 days, unless earlier deletion is requested or retention is required by law.
When we delete Customer Data, your FormSignal account stays open: your organization, its owner and staff memberships, and its billing records remain until the account owner asks us to close the organization's account, so that you can keep using other FormSignal products. Each user's login is separate and stays until it is deleted.
To close the organization's account, the account owner emails hello@formsignal.co from the owner's address. We first confirm that no AuditPrep account depends on the organization, then delete the organization, its memberships and its billing and Terms acceptance records, subject to the limited records described below. User logins are separate: each user can delete their own login in Settings, unless they are the only active owner of an organization, or ask us at hello@formsignal.co to delete it.
Deleting an individual document does not automatically delete its vendor record, separately stored TIN information, request history, or associated activity records. Deletion from W9Finder does not delete copies previously downloaded by you or other authorized recipients.
Backup copies and prior file versions may remain for 14 days for database point-in-time recovery, counted from each database change, and for 30 days for prior file versions, counted from the deletion or replacement of the file, after which they become eligible for removal by an automated lifecycle process that runs asynchronously, with no maximum time. A retention lock stops the application from deleting a stored version earlier. They remain protected and are not used for ordinary business processing. Before restored data returns to service, we retrieve the deletions recorded after the restore point from the database that was in use and re-apply them.
We may retain limited billing, legal, or security records where necessary for a specific lawful purpose. Retained information remains subject to applicable confidentiality and security obligations and is deleted when that purpose ends.
11. Professional review and free tools
The Services, website content, reports, and communications provide workflow support and general information. They do not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice and do not create a professional advisory relationship.
You and your qualified professionals are responsible for reviewing documents and outputs, determining applicable obligations, meeting deadlines, retaining necessary records, and making filing decisions.
A readiness label, completed checklist, or export does not certify a vendor's identity, the accuracy of a document, or compliance with a reporting obligation.
Free tools are subject to their displayed scope, assumptions, and limitations. Their results may depend on the information entered and the rules or methodology identified by the tool.
Free tools do not provide document archiving or the account functions of a paid subscription unless expressly stated. Our applicable privacy and security obligations continue to apply to information processed through them.
12. Vendors submitting documents
A firm using W9Finder may request a document for itself or for a client. That firm determines the purpose of the request and provides instructions concerning the resulting record.
Before uploading, review the requesting firm's identity and the upload-page notice. You must be authorized to submit the document.
FormSignal processes the submission for the requesting firm. Authorized firm users may review, download, or export it. FormSignal personnel and providers may access information when necessary to operate, support, secure, or maintain the service, or meet legal obligations.
A document may contain information, including a full TIN, visible to authorized reviewers. W9Finder does not automatically verify the document or the authority of the person requesting it.
Direct questions about the request, corrections, or retention to the requesting firm. You may also contact hello@formsignal.co for assistance.
You do not need to purchase a subscription to respond to a request. Customer billing and indemnity obligations do not apply to you solely because you submit a document. Your privacy rights are not conditional on accepting a customer's subscription agreement.
The Privacy Policy at https://formsignal.co/privacy explains our handling of personal information.
13. Intellectual property
FormSignal and its licensors retain their rights in the Services, software, design, content, and trademarks.
Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive right to use the Services for your business and authorized client work during your subscription, or while an applicable free tool remains available to you.
You may not transfer this access except as permitted under section 20.
We may use voluntarily submitted product feedback without payment or attribution. This permission does not authorize use of Customer Data or confidential client information for unrelated purposes.
Third-party names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Their mention does not establish an integration, affiliation, or endorsement.
14. Warranties and disclaimers
Our express obligations in these Terms and any applicable signed agreement remain in effect.
Except for those express obligations, and to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided "as is" and "as available." We disclaim implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation, vendor responses, accurate or complete submissions, or any particular business or compliance outcome.
No service-level guarantee applies unless expressly agreed in writing.
Nothing in this section excludes an obligation or remedy that applicable law does not permit us to exclude.
15. Limitations of liability
Excluded damages
To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or lost profits or revenue.
This exclusion does not eliminate amounts payable under section 16 or reasonable direct costs of investigating a Security Incident, restoring Customer Data, or providing legally required notices, to the extent caused by a party's breach of its obligations.
Those amounts remain subject to the applicable liability cap.
General cap
Except as provided below, each party's aggregate liability arising out of or relating to this agreement will not exceed the fees paid or payable by you for the Services during the 12 months immediately preceding the first event giving rise to the claim.
Higher cap
Liability for breach of confidentiality, data-processing, security, incident-notification, or deletion obligations under sections 6 through 10, and liability under section 16, is subject to a higher aggregate cap of two times the general cap.
The general and higher caps are not cumulative. Claims arising from the same or related events do not create separate caps.
For a free-tool user with no paid subscription, the applicable cap is one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).
Exceptions
The damage exclusions and liability caps do not apply to fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence, or liability that applicable law does not permit a party to exclude or limit.
The caps do not reduce your obligation to pay properly due fees or our obligation to provide an expressly required refund.
These provisions allocate liability between the contracting parties. They do not restrict a regulator's powers or the rights of a person who is not bound by this agreement.
16. Third-party claims and indemnification
Subject to section 15, you will defend FormSignal against third-party claims alleging that Customer Data you supplied infringes a third party's rights, that collection or disclosure you instructed was unlawful or unauthorized, or that your use of the Services violated applicable law.
You will pay damages finally awarded and settlements you approve for those claims. This obligation does not apply to the extent a claim results from FormSignal's breach, negligence, or misconduct.
Subject to section 15, FormSignal will defend you against third-party claims that the Services, as supplied and used as authorized, infringe a United States patent, copyright, or trademark. We will pay damages finally awarded and settlements we approve.
Our obligation excludes claims arising from Customer Data, unauthorized modifications, or combinations outside the authorized use of the Services where the claim would not otherwise exist.
If an infringement claim affects continued use, we may obtain continued-use rights or modify or replace the affected function without materially reducing its functionality. If a reasonable solution is unavailable, we may terminate the affected Services, refund prepaid fees for the unused period, and provide data return under section 10.
The party seeking protection must give prompt notice and reasonable cooperation. Delayed notice reduces the obligation only to the extent it materially prejudices the defense.
The defending party controls the defense through qualified counsel. It may not agree to a settlement requiring an admission, payment, or nonmonetary obligation from the protected party without that party's written consent.
17. Term, suspension, and termination
This agreement begins when accepted. Paid subscriptions continue for their agreed periods and renew under section 4 unless canceled.
Either party may terminate for a material breach that remains uncured 10 calendar days after written notice. A material breach that cannot reasonably be cured may permit immediate termination.
We may suspend access immediately where reasonably necessary to address an active security threat, unlawful activity, serious misuse, or a legal requirement. We will limit the suspension where practicable, provide notice when appropriate, and restore access when the grounds are resolved.
Nonpayment is handled under section 4.
If you terminate for our uncured material breach, or we terminate a paid subscription for convenience, we will refund prepaid fees for the unused period.
Termination for your breach does not create an additional refund right beyond section 4 or applicable law.
Termination does not end obligations concerning retained information, data return, deletion, confidentiality, accrued payments, required refunds, or other provisions that by their nature continue.
18. Changes to the Services or these Terms
We may maintain and improve the Services. If a change materially reduces the core import, request, review, or export functions during a paid period, we will provide notice and a reasonable alternative or allow termination with a prorated refund for the unused period.
Security or legal requirements may require faster changes. We will provide notice as reasonably practicable and preserve applicable contractual remedies.
Material changes to these Terms will ordinarily apply at the next renewal after at least 30 calendar days of notice to the account owner.
Earlier application requires your agreement or a legal requirement. Where legally permitted, you may terminate and receive a prorated refund if a legally required earlier change materially adversely affects your use.
We will obtain affirmative acceptance when required. Changes do not retroactively alter the terms governing an existing claim.
Free-tool users will receive notice of material changes through the affected tool or another appropriate method.
19. Governing law and disputes
New Jersey law governs this agreement, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
Disputes will be brought in state courts with jurisdiction in New Jersey or the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Each contracting party consents to those courts' jurisdiction.
Before filing a claim, the parties will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute for 30 calendar days after written notice. Send notices to FormSignal at hello@formsignal.co. We will use the account owner's contact details for notices to you.
This process does not prevent urgent relief, a filing needed to preserve a deadline, communication with a regulator, or action required to protect personal information.
These Terms do not impose mandatory arbitration or a contractual jury-trial waiver.
20. General
Agreement and precedence
This agreement consists of these Terms, your accepted Order, and any additional agreement expressly accepted by both parties.
A separately agreed data-processing addendum controls conflicts concerning its data-protection subject matter. An Order controls the commercial details it expressly establishes. Other departures from these Terms must be expressly agreed in writing by both parties.
The Privacy Policy remains applicable to our handling of personal information. It does not authorize us to disregard our contractual data-protection obligations.
The Subprocessors page identifies providers and is updated through section 8. Updating that page does not independently reduce our obligations.
Additional terms in a purchase order do not amend this agreement unless expressly accepted by FormSignal.
Assignment
You may assign this agreement with our written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld.
We may assign it in connection with a merger, reorganization, or sale of the relevant business or assets if the successor assumes our obligations. An assignment does not reduce the protections applicable to Customer Data.
Other provisions
The parties are independent contractors. This agreement does not create an agency, partnership, or employment relationship.
Failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. If a provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply.
A party is excused from delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control to the extent those events prevent performance, provided it takes reasonable steps to mitigate the effects. This provision does not eliminate applicable confidentiality, data-protection, notification, or refund obligations.
Contract notices may be delivered to the account owner's email address or to FormSignal using the details below. Keep account contact information current. This notice provision does not replace legally required service of court documents.
Contact
FormSignal LLC
725 River Rd, Suite 32, Edgewater, NJ 07020
United States
Email: hello@formsignal.co