Privacy Policy

Boots to Benefits is a veteran-owned website that provides free, plain-English education about VA disability claims, along with optional tools. We are not the VA and are not affiliated with the VA. This policy explains what information we collect, why, and what we do and do not do with it.

The short version

We collect only what we need to run the site and the tools you choose to use. We do not sell or rent your data. We do not run ad-tracking pixels. The VA letter you paste into the decoder is used to generate your explanation and is not saved on our servers. You can unsubscribe, clear your data, or ask us to delete your information at any time.

What we collect

Your email address, if you join our newsletter or create a Copilot membership. That is the only personal detail we ask you for directly.
What you type into the tools. If you use the free decoder or the VA Claims Copilot, you provide the text of your VA letter and any case details you choose to enter. This is covered in its own section below because it matters most.
Payment information, only if you subscribe to the paid Copilot. Payments are handled by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
Basic technical data. Like almost every website, our host records standard server information such as your IP address and browser type to keep the site secure and working. We do not use this to build an advertising profile of you.

Your VA letter and case details

This is the part veterans care about most, so we are specific.

The free decoder. When you paste your letter, the text is sent to our processing service to generate the plain-English explanation, and then it is returned to you. We do not save the letter to our servers, and we do not keep a copy after your explanation is generated.
The VA Claims Copilot. To remember your case between visits, the Copilot stores your case details in your own web browser, on your own device, using local storage. That information stays on your device. You can erase it any time by clearing your browser data for this site.
AI processing. Both tools use a third-party AI service (Google) to read what you provide and generate a response. Your text is sent to that service only to produce your result. Do not paste anything you are not comfortable sharing for that purpose, and you never need to include your full Social Security number or VA file number to use the tools.

How we use what we collect

To send you the newsletter or resources you asked for.
To provide and remember your Copilot membership, and to process your payment if you subscribe.
To generate the explanations and documents the tools produce for you.
To keep the site secure, fix problems, and understand which guides are useful so we can improve them.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We do not share it with advertisers.

The services that help us run the site

We use a small number of trusted providers, each for a single job. When you use a feature that involves one of them, your information is shared with that provider only to do that job:

Cloudflare hosts the website and its tools.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) manages our email newsletter.
Stripe processes membership payments.
Google provides the AI that powers the decoder and Copilot.
Resend sends transactional emails, such as a welcome message when you subscribe.

Each of these companies has its own privacy practices. We do not control them, and we encourage you to read their policies if you want the full picture.

Cookies and local storage

We keep cookies to a minimum. The main thing we store on your device is the Copilot's local storage described above, which remembers your case and your membership on your own browser. We do not use third-party advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. You can clear this data through your browser settings at any time.

How long we keep your information

Newsletter email: until you unsubscribe, which you can do from the link in any email.
Membership email and status: while your membership is active, and for a reasonable period afterward to handle billing and support.
Your letter text: not retained on our servers, as described above.

Your choices and rights

You are in control of your information. You can:

Unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.
Clear the Copilot's stored data by clearing your browser data for this site.
Ask us what information we hold about you, or ask us to delete it, by emailing [email protected]. Depending on where you live, you may have specific legal rights to access or delete your data, and we will honor reasonable requests.

Children

This site is meant for adults dealing with VA claims. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 16.

Security

We use reasonable measures to protect your information, including serving the entire site over an encrypted connection. No website can promise perfect security, but we work to keep what you share safe and to collect as little as possible in the first place.

Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle your information, we will update this page and the date at the top. Meaningful changes will be reflected here, so it is worth checking back if you are a regular user.

Contact us

Questions about your privacy, or a request about your data, can go to [email protected] or through our contact page. We read every message.

This policy is written in plain language to be genuinely useful, and it reflects how the site actually works today. It is not legal advice, and privacy laws vary by location. If you operate a similar site, have your own counsel review your policy for your jurisdiction.

This is general information, not legal advice, and not from the VA. For advice on your specific situation, work with a free VA-accredited representative or a Veterans Service Organization. We are not the VA and are not affiliated with the VA.