Financial Counseling Terms of Service
Financial Counseling Services Agreement | Proofing Dough
This Financial Counseling Services Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between XMLB Products, LLC dba Proofing Dough (“Proofing Dough,” “Company,” “I,” “me,” or “Provider”) and the undersigned client (“Client,” “you,” or “your”) as of the date of signature below.
By scheduling, paying for, or participating in services with Proofing Dough, Client agrees to the terms below.
Purpose of the Agreement
This Agreement is a required condition of receiving financial counseling services from Proofing Dough. It explains the nature of the services, the limits of the services, Client responsibilities, scheduling policies, payment terms, dispute resolution procedures, and other protections for both Client and Proofing Dough.
Nature of Services
Proofing Dough provides financial counseling, financial education, accountability support, and coaching-based guidance. Services may include, depending on the session purchased: budget review and budgeting support, debt review and repayment strategy discussion, credit education and coaching, homeownership readiness education and counseling, financial habit and behavior coaching, financial goal-setting and action planning, review of documents and information provided by Client. Services are educational and counseling/coaching-based only. Proofing Dough does not guarantee specific outcomes and does not promise any particular result.
No Guarantee of Results
Client understands and agrees that financial progress depends on many factors outside of Proofing Dough’s control, including but not limited to: income stability, debt load, interest rates, household responsibilities, emergencies and life circumstances, credit reporting decisions, lender, landlord, insurer, or creditor decisions, Client honesty, effort, and follow-through. Clients often improve budgeting consistency, reduce financial stress, pay down debt faster, and make clearer financial decisions, but results vary.
Proofing Dough does not guarantee: any credit score increase or decrease, approval for credit, financing, rental housing, or homeownership, a specific debt reduction amount, removal of negative credit items, a settlement with any creditor, any refund, savings amount, or timeline, any legal, tax, or investment outcome. Any examples, stories, previous client testimonials, educational illustrations, estimates, projections, or discussions of possible outcomes are for informational purposes only and are not promises or guarantees.
Scope of Services Limitations
Unless expressly agreed in a separate written agreement signed by both parties, Proofing Dough does not: contact creditors, lenders, collectors, landlords, servicers, or government agencies on Client’s behalf, negotiate settlements, payment plans, interest rates, or creditor terms on Client’s behalf, accept or distribute Client funds to creditors, prepare or submit legal pleadings, provide ongoing “on-call” support between sessions, monitor Client finances outside of scheduled appointment times, guarantee review of materials sent outside the agreed process or timeline, provide emergency response services. Any service outside the ordinary scope of a counseling session must be separately agreed to in writing by both parties.
Client Responsibility, Accountability, and Follow-Through
Client understands and agrees that Client is solely responsible for all personal, financial, credit, borrowing, housing, legal, tax, and investment decisions.
Proofing Dough provides education, structure, and strategy. Client remains fully responsible for:
- Deciding whether to follow any suggestion
- Verifying information relevant to Client’s situation
- Implementing the Client agreed action plan
- Communicating honestly and promptly
- Attending sessions on time
- Submitting all required documents by deadline
- Following through on agreed next steps
Client understands that progress requires effort, accountability, and follow-through. Failure to act on the agreed action plan may reduce or eliminate any benefit from services.
Accuracy of Information
Client agrees to provide complete, accurate, and truthful information. Proofing Dough may rely on information and documents provided by Client without independent verification.
Client understands that incomplete, inaccurate, outdated, or misleading information may affect the quality of the session and any recommendations discussed.
Required Documents and Submission Deadline
Client must submit all required documents, forms, and information at least thirty-six (36) hours before the scheduled appointment time.
If required materials are not received by that deadline, Proofing Dough may, at its sole discretion:
- Cancel the session,
- Convert the session to a more limited consultation,
- Reschedule the session, or
- Refuse to proceed until all required materials are received.
If a session is cancelled because required materials were not timely submitted, payment is forfeited and no refund will be issued.
Payment Terms
All payments are due in full at the time of scheduling. A session is not considered booked until payment is received.
Client authorizes Proofing Dough to rely on the booking and payment records associated with the scheduling platform, payment processor, or invoicing system used for the transaction.
Except where prohibited by law, all purchased sessions, packages, and related services are non-refundable subject to the specific policies in this Agreement.
Cancellations/Late Arrivals
All cancellations less than 24 hours prior to scheduled appointment will cause forfeiture of payment for the reserved session. If Client is late, the session will still end at the originally scheduled time.
If Client is more than ten (10) minutes late, Proofing Dough may treat the appointment as a no-show, cancel the session, and retain the full payment. There are no refunds for missed appointments.
Refund Policy
Because time is reserved specifically for Client, sessions are non-refundable once completed.
There are no refunds for:
- Completed sessions
- Missed appointments
- No-shows
- Late arrivals resulting in cancellation
- Cancellations by Client
- Sessions cancelled due to Client’s failure to timely submit required documents
- Dissatisfaction based on lack of follow-through or lack of a desired outcome
If Proofing Dough cancels a session for reasons solely within Proofing Dough’s control and does not offer a reschedule, Proofing Dough may, at its discretion, reschedule the session or issue a refund for that unused session.
No Legal, Tax, Investment, Mental Health, or Crisis Services
Client understands and agrees that Proofing Dough is not acting as a/an:
- Attorney
- Law firm
- CPA or tax preparer
- Registered investment adviser
- Securities broker or dealer
- Therapist, counselor, psychologist, or crisis professional
Proofing Dough does not provide:
- Legal advice
- Legal representation
- Tax advice
- Tax filing or tax preparation services
- Investment advice
- Recommendations to buy, sell, or hold specific securities or investments
- Therapy, mental health treatment, or crisis counseling
If Client’s situation requires legal, tax, investment, mental health, or other licensed professional services, Proofing Dough may recommend that Client consult the appropriate professional.
Communication Between Sessions
Unless Client purchased a package that explicitly includes between-session support, Proofing Dough does not provide ongoing between-session coaching, on-call support, emergency response, or real-time availability.
Messages sent between sessions may not receive a same-day response and may be limited to scheduling or administrative matters.
Confidentiality and Privacy
Proofing Dough will handle Client information with care and respect and will use reasonable efforts to keep Client information private.
Client understands and agrees that:
- Client controls what Client chooses to share
- Sessions are intended for financial counseling only
- Information may be stored, transmitted, or discussed through standard business tools such as email, scheduling software, document-sharing tools, video platforms, and payment systems
- No method of electronic communication or storage is guaranteed to be completely secure
Proofing Dough may disclose information:
- If required by law
- To comply with a court order, subpoena, or lawful request
- To protect safety where disclosure is legally required or reasonably necessary
- To enforce this Agreement
- To service providers assisting with business operations, under ordinary confidentiality expectations
Zoom, Phone, and Electronic Communications
Client consents to the use of Zoom, phone, email, and other ordinary electronic business tools for scheduling, communication, document sharing, and service delivery.
Client assumes the ordinary risks associated with electronic communication, including delay, interception, technical failure, platform outage, or unauthorized access beyond reasonable control.
Client agrees to join sessions from a reasonably private location and to protect Client’s own device, password security, and internet connection.
Session Boundaries and Professional Conduct
Sessions are for financial counseling only and are not therapy, crisis counseling, or emergency services.
Proofing Dough reserves the right to pause, end, reschedule, or refuse service if Client:
- Behaves abusively
- Harasses, threatens, or intimidates
- Uses discriminatory language or conduct
- Appears impaired or unsafe
- Repeatedly disregards session boundaries
- Attempts to use services for unlawful, fraudulent, or improper purposes
- If a session is ended because of Client’s abusive, discriminatory, threatening, or otherwise inappropriate behavior, there will be no refund.
Records, Notes, and Intellectual Property
Proofing Dough may keep reasonable business records, notes, intake materials, worksheets, action plans, and scheduling/payment records related to services.
Any worksheets, templates, action plans, forms, guides, written materials, presentations, recordings, branding, and educational content provided by Proofing Dough remain the property of Proofing Dough unless otherwise stated in writing.
Client receives a limited personal-use license only. Client may not copy, publish, distribute, sell, share, train AI systems on, or commercially use Proofing Dough materials without prior written permission.
Client may not record sessions without prior written consent from Proofing Dough.
Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Client agrees to release, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless XMLB Products LLC dba Proofing Dough and its owner, contractors, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, demands, damages, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or related to:
- Client’s decisions, actions, or inaction
- Client’s use or misuse of information provided during services
- Inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by Client
- Client’s failure to follow through on recommendations or action plans
- Disputes between Client and any creditor, lender, landlord, servicer, collector, agency, employer, family member, business partner, or third party
- Client’s violation of law or third-party rights
- Client’s breach of this Agreement
This section does not require Client to indemnify Proofing Dough for claims finally determined by a court or arbitrator to have resulted solely from Proofing Dough’s gross negligence, fraud, or willful misconduct.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Proofing Dough will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost opportunities, emotional distress, reputational harm, data loss, or business interruption, arising out of or related to services or this Agreement.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Proofing Dough’s total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to services or this Agreement will not exceed the amount actually paid by Client to Proofing Dough for the specific service giving rise to the claim.
Dispute Resolution; Mandatory Arbitration
Please read this section carefully. It affects how disputes are resolved.
Good-Faith Informal Resolution
Before filing arbitration, either party must first send written notice of the dispute to the other party and allow thirty (30) days for good-faith efforts to resolve the matter informally.
Binding Arbitration
Except for matters that may be brought in small claims court, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the services, scheduling, payment, communications, confidentiality, or alleged breach shall be resolved by final and binding individual arbitration.
Governing Arbitration Law
The arbitration agreement in this Section is governed by applicable federal law and the laws of the State of Washington, including Washington arbitration law to the extent not preempted.
Arbitration Location
The arbitration hearing shall take place in the Washington county where Proofing Dough’s principal place of business is located, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.
Individual Claims Only
To the fullest extent permitted by law, disputes must be brought only on an individual basis and not as part of any class, collective, consolidated, representative, or private attorney general action.
Small Claims Option
Either party may choose to bring an individual claim in small claims court instead of arbitration if the claim qualifies and remains within that court’s jurisdiction.
Court Relief Related to Arbitration
Either party may seek temporary, preliminary, or injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction as needed to preserve rights, protect confidential information, or enforce the arbitration obligation pending completion of arbitration.
Arbitrator Authority
The arbitrator may award any remedy available under applicable law and this Agreement, including enforcement of this Agreement and, where allowed, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
Survival
This arbitration section survives cancellation, completion of services, nonpayment, termination of services, and termination of this Agreement.
Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Washington, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except to the extent federal law controls.
Entire Agreement; No Other Promises
This Agreement is the entire agreement between Client and Proofing Dough regarding the services covered here.
No statement, promise, representation, warranty, expectation, advertisement, social media post, FAQ, oral discussion, email, text message, or other communication shall modify or supersede this Agreement unless the change is in a written document signed by both Client and Proofing Dough.
No other promises, express or implied, supersede this Agreement.
Amendment
Proofing Dough may update its forms and business policies from time to time, but the version of this Agreement signed or accepted by Client will control the purchased service unless both parties agree in writing to a change.
Severability
If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent allowed by law. Any invalid or unenforceable provision shall be interpreted as narrowly as necessary to make it enforceable if possible.
No Waiver
Failure by either party to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of future enforcement of that or any other provision.
Assignment
Client may not assign or transfer Client’s rights or obligations under this Agreement without prior written consent from Proofing Dough.
Proofing Dough may assign this Agreement to a successor entity, purchaser, or affiliated business in connection with a business transfer, merger, sale, or reorganization.
Electronic Signatures and Copies
The parties agree that this Agreement may be signed electronically and in counterparts. Electronic signatures, electronic acceptance, and electronic records shall be treated as originals and as legally enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Acknowledgment
By signing below, Client acknowledges that Client has read this Agreement, understands it, has had the opportunity to ask questions, and agrees to be bound by it before receiving services.