FAQ
Short answers. The privacy page and terms are the longer ones.
Does TaxCloak upload my tax document?+
The website does not. Pasted text, PDFs, and photos are read in the browser tab. There is no account and no route whose job is to receive a return. The tool page loads the PDF and OCR programs from this same site when it opens. Those downloads are the programs, not your file. The privacy meter shows the requests it observed during a redaction.
Does it work offline?+
Yes, after the tool page has loaded. Turn off wifi and pasted text still redacts. A PDF or a photo also works offline once the PDF and OCR programs from this site have finished loading into the tab. If you disconnect before that, paste the text. You can confirm there is no upload in the browser’s Network tab.
Will it catch every Social Security number, name, and account?+
No. It catches most common patterns and labels used on W-2, 1099, 1040, Schedule K-1, and 1098 layouts, and it misses some. An identifier in an unexpected place can be missed. A photograph can be misread. Review every page before sharing.
What is left in the document on purpose?+
Dollar amounts, the tax year, filing status, form names, and box or line labels stay, so an assistant can still talk about the return. The same detected person or account is replaced with one placeholder, such as [NAME_A] or [SSN_1].
What is the mapping key?+
It is a JSON file that pairs each placeholder with the original value. You download it and keep it. The website does not store it. Do not upload it, email it, or paste it into a chatbot. If you paste an assistant’s answer back into TaxCloak, the placeholders can be restored on your device from that key.
Is TaxCloak HIPAA or SOC 2 compliant?+
No. TaxCloak does not claim HIPAA, SOC 2, or any other certification. Running in your browser is not a compliance program. Review every page before you share a document.
Is this tax, legal, or security advice?+
No. TaxCloak does not prepare a return, tell you what to file, or promise that a redacted file is safe to publish. It is a review tool for making a copy you can stand to show an assistant.
Which forms can I try?+
The detector is aimed at text from W-2, 1099, 1040, Schedule K-1, and 1098 forms, including a pasted transcript or a text-based PDF. The tool includes fictitious samples of those forms. A form with a different layout may need more manual marks.
Are the sample documents real?+
No. Every name, TIN, address, and account number in the samples is invented. Each sample says so in a banner. Do not replace them with a real return in the repository.