Washington’s College Savings Plans (WA529) adopted this Privacy and Security Policy because protecting your personal information is important. The Program and you both have responsibilities in this regard that are explained below. Therefore, we encourage you to read this Policy in full.
Information sources
We obtain personal information about our Account Owners and Beneficiaries from the following sources:
- Applications or other forms
- User ID and password creation for online account access
- Account transactions
- Web “cookies” that indicate which parts of our site you've visited. This data helps us provide a better service for WA529’s website visitors.
If you visit this website and do not log in to your secure account, we do not obtain any personal information about you. When you log in to a secure area, we obtain your user ID and password to identify you. We use this information to provide you with the services you have requested. We do not collect personal information through WA529’s website unless you willingly provide it to us, either directly by email or in those areas of the website that request information.
If you have set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies, you will receive the warning message with each cookie. You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser. However, doing so may limit your access to certain sections of WA529’s website. We use cookies to help us improve and manage the Plan's website. For example, cookies help us recognize new versus repeat visitors to the site, track the pages visited, and enable some special features on the website.
Data collection and use
Information collected if you only browse this site
When you browse this website, we may gather and store certain information about your visit. We automatically collect and store the following information about your visit: 1. The Internet domain and network address you use to access our site. 2. The type of web browser and operating system you are using. 3. The date and time of your visit. 4. The pages you visit on this website. 5. The last website you visited before coming to ours. 6. Other web traffic statistics (through analytics). The information we automatically collect is saved and used by this agency to improve the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services.
Information collected if you volunteer information
If during your visit to our website you participate in a survey, send us an email, or perform some other transaction online, the following additional information may be collected: 1. Your email address and contents of the email. 2. Information volunteered in response to a survey. 3. Information volunteered through an online form for any other purpose. The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send us. We will not usually ask for or collect this kind of information from the general public through this website. Email you send to us may be used to respond to issues and to further improve our services. We may forward your email to another agency or a vendor for appropriate action. The records retention schedules published by the State Archives require us to keep this information only so long as it is useful, and then destroy it; these schedules change from time to time.
Protection of information
Personally identifiable information (“PII”) as defined in this Privacy Policy, means information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personally identifiable information includes such things as your name, address, and phone number.
Washington’s College Savings Plans (WA529) is committed to protecting your personal information. We do not disclose any individual account information about current or former Account Owners and Designated Beneficiaries to anyone, except as permitted or required by law.
We will not collect PII about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us by sending us email, or completing an online form or survey. You may choose not to contact us by e-mail or to provide any PII using an online form or survey. Your choice to not participate in these activities will not restrict or impair your ability to use our site and read or download any information provided on the site. If you choose to provide PII by emailing us, participating in a survey, or completing an online form, we may store this information. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) governs information gathering online from or about children under the age of 13. We are especially concerned about protecting children's privacy.
Under COPPA, a website must get parental permission before collecting personally identifiable information about a child under the age of 13. If you have questions about how we use your PII, you can contact our agency as shown in the Contact Information section of this statement.
Public access to information
In the State of Washington, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records that serve various needs including the privacy of individuals. Exceptions are provided by both state and federal laws.
As a public agency, all our information is governed by laws such as Washington’s Public Records Act (Chapter 42.56 RCW). Information you send us may become a public record, and it may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law.
Information collected through use of this site may be public information and subject to inspection and copying by members of the public. Each agency, in accordance with published rules, shall make available for public inspection and copying all public records, unless the record falls within the specific exemptions of subsection (6) of this section [RCW 42.56.070(6)], Chapter 42.56 RCW, or other statute which exempts or prohibits disclosure of specific information or records. To the extent required to prevent an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy interests protected by Chapter 42.56 RCW, an agency shall delete identifying details in a manner consistent with Chapter 42.56 RCW when it makes available or publishes any public record; however, in each case, the justification for the deletion shall be explained fully in writing.
In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Policy and the Public Records Act or other law governing the agency’s disclosure of records, the Public Records Act or other applicable law will control.
Consent required
We will not disclose your personal information to unaffiliated third parties (except as permitted or required by law) unless you, the person who provides the information or the person who is the subject of the information gives express written consent to such disclosure.
Correcting personally identifiable information
State law requires agencies that collect personally identifiable information to provide “procedures for correcting inaccurate information, including establishing mechanisms for individuals to review information about them and recommend changes in information they believe to be inaccurate” (RCW 43.105.365). You can access any personally identifiable information we collect about you by using the information in the Contact Information section at the end of this Policy. We will do our best to correct factual errors in your personally identifiable information if you send us a written request that clearly shows the error. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.
Internet security
To protect your own privacy, confidential and/or personal information should be communicated via email only when you are advised that you are using a secure website. As a security measure, we do not include personal or account information in nonsecure emails, and we advise you not to send such information to us in non-secure emails. We do not guarantee or warrant that any part of the Plan's website, including files available for download, are free of viruses or other harmful code. It is your responsibility to take appropriate precautions, such as use of an antivirus software package, to protect your computer hardware and software.
All transactions are secured by TLS and 256-bit encryption. The Transport Layer of Security (TLS) uses cryptographic protocols that provide security and data integrity for communications between your computer and our servers.
You can exit WA529’s website’s secure area by either closing your browser, or for added security, you can use the log out button before you close your browser.
Other security measures
We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal account information. Our employees have access to that information only so that they may assist you when responding to your account questions.
Third party content, products and services (including links)
We permit links from other websites, and may permit links to this website, as a service to current GET or DreamAhead account owners or as a promotion to potential future customers. The existence of a particular link does not indicate an endorsement by us of the linked site. Unless otherwise indicated, the linked sites are not under our control and we are not responsible for the content of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. We make no representations about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained on any linked sites and assume no liability for the content or presentation of linked sites.
We are not responsible, and assume no liability for content displayed on this website that may be provided by another party. We are not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of any such content.
You must obtain permission to link to this website and can make a request by contacting us at WA529Communications@wsac.wa.gov. Requests to link to our site must include the URL of your site and an explanation for the link to our site.
Permissible use of materials
You may download or print a copy of the information or materials contained on this website provided that the copy retains all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials. Any other copying, republication or redistribution, reproduction, uploading, posting, or transmittal of the text or graphics of this website, including, without limitation, linking or framing, is expressly prohibited without our prior written permission.
You may not include our corporate name or logo or any variation of them, as a metatag, hidden textual element, or any other indicator that may create an impression of an affiliation, relationship, or endorsement between any other party and us without the express written permission of WA529 and DreamAhead management.
No legal, financial, or tax advice
The information on this website is provided for informational purposes. It is not intended and should not be construed as legal, financial or tax advice. The information is not a substitute for investment advice from a licensed financial or tax advisor.
Limitation of warranties
To the extent allowed by law and except as otherwise specifically provided elsewhere on this website, all information presented here is furnished "as is" without any express or implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of intellectual property rights, or freedom from errors, viruses, bugs or other harmful components. WA529, GET, and DreamAhead are not responsible for any damages arising out of the use of or inability to use this website or any of its content, even if WA529, GET, or DreamAhead have been advised or should have been aware of the possibility of such damages.
Account transactions
Through use of a user ID and password, you are able to access account information on this website. In doing so, you are transmitting personal information. By using this website to gain access to your account information, you consent to the electronic transmission of that personal information to WA529, GET, and DreamAhead.
You are solely responsible for the confidentiality and use of your user ID, password and account number(s). You accept full responsibility for all transactions entered through your user ID and password. You agree to immediately notify us if your user ID and password are lost or stolen, if you become aware that your user ID, password and/or account number(s) is/are being used in an unauthorized manner, if you receive any confirmation of a transaction that you did not enter, or if you receive confirmation or a statement containing conflicting or inconsistent information regarding your account.
Failure to notify us of one of the above conditions will release us and our employees, agents, affiliates and subsidiaries from any responsibility or liability to you or any other person or entity resulting from the management or loss of any transaction.
We reserve the right to discontinue electronic access to your account at any time. We further reserve the right to modify the information contained on this website or modify the availability of any transactions at any time. We may immediately and without notice terminate your ability to access your account information if you violate the conditions of use stated herein or if you endanger the use of the services provided through this website.
Trademark and copyright notices
WA529, the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program, the DreamAhead College Investment Plan, or the Washington Student Achievement Council shall be considered owners of all text and graphic images contained on this website, unless otherwise indicated. Content on www.wastate529.wa.gov is protected by applicable copyright laws. No permission is granted to copy, distribute, modify, post or frame any text, graphics, photos, software code, user interface design or logos.
Subject to change
Our Privacy and Security Policy may be changed from time to time. We recommend that you review these notices periodically for changes. If you have any questions about this Privacy and Security Policy, you can find out contact information by visiting the Contact Us page of this website.
How you can help
You can also do your part to keep your account information private and to prevent unauthorized transactions. If you obtain a user ID and password for your account, do not allow it to be used by anyone else. Also, take special precautions when accessing your account on a public computer or data network.
Disclaimer
Neither the State of Washington, nor any agency, officer, or employee of the State of Washington warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published by this system, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity who relies on any information obtained from this system does so at their own risk.