Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using The Path Out ("the Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Service.

These Terms apply to all users, including:

• Visitors who view the website
• Users who utilize the debt calculator
• Subscribers who provide email addresses
• Anyone who accesses our content or tools

2. Description of Service

The Path Out provides:

• Debt Payoff Calculator: A free, client-side tool that calculates debt repayment schedules using Snowball and Avalanche methods
• Budget Planner: Tools to help you calculate available funds for debt repayment
• Educational Content: Tips and information about debt management (optional email subscription)
• Data Export: Ability to export your debt plan as PDF or CSV
• PWA Functionality: Offline access via Progressive Web App technology

The Service is provided free of charge and is supported by optional affiliate partnerships (see our Affiliate Disclosure).

3. No Financial Advice

The debt calculations and recommendations provided by The Path Out:

• Are mathematical projections based on the information YOU provide
• Do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice
• May not account for your unique financial circumstances
• Should not be your sole basis for financial decisions
• Do not guarantee specific results or debt-free dates

You should consult with qualified professionals before making significant financial decisions.

4. User Responsibilities

When using The Path Out, you agree to:

4.1 Accurate Information

• Provide accurate debt amounts, interest rates, and payment information
• Verify all calculations with your actual creditors
• Update your information as your financial situation changes
• Understand that "garbage in, garbage out" - inaccurate inputs yield inaccurate results

4.2 Appropriate Use

• Use the Service for lawful purposes only
• Not attempt to hack, reverse engineer, or exploit the Service
• Not use automated tools to scrape or abuse the Service
• Not impersonate others or provide false information
• Not upload viruses or malicious code

4.3 Professional Guidance

• Consult with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) for personalized advice
• Consult with a CPA for tax implications of debt repayment strategies
• Consult with an attorney for legal matters related to debt collection or bankruptcy
• Contact a credit counselor for debt negotiation or hardship assistance

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Our Property

The Path Out and all content, features, and functionality (including but not limited to code, design, text, graphics, logos) are owned by The Path Out and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute our code without permission
• Reverse engineer the application
• Create derivative works based on The Path Out
• Use our name, logo, or branding without written consent
• Claim our work as your own

5.2 Your Data

You retain all rights to the financial data you input into The Path Out. Since calculations happen client-side (in your browser), we never claim ownership of your data.

5.3 Open Source

Portions of The Path Out may use open-source libraries. Attribution and licenses for these libraries can be found in our code repository (if publicly available).

6. Disclaimers & Limitations of Liability

6.1 "As-Is" Service

The Service is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Warranties of merchantability
• Fitness for a particular purpose
• Non-infringement
• Accuracy of calculations
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation

6.2 No Guarantee of Results

We do not guarantee that:

• You will become debt-free by the calculated date
• The calculations are 100% accurate for your situation
• Following the plan will improve your credit score
• You will save the calculated amount of interest
• Your creditors will accept the payment plan

6.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• The Path Out shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Our total liability shall not exceed $100 USD
• We are not responsible for decisions you make based on information from our Service
• We are not liable for data loss due to browser issues or user error

6.4 Third-Party Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (Google Analytics, Firebase, etc.). We are not responsible for:

• The content or accuracy of third-party sites
• Privacy practices of third-party services
• Products or services offered by third parties
• Availability or reliability of external services

7. User-Generated Content

If we add features allowing user comments, reviews, or feedback:

7.1 Your Submissions

By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

• Display your content on the Service
• Moderate or remove content that violates these Terms
• Use your feedback to improve the Service

7.2 Prohibited Content

You may not post content that is:

• Illegal, harmful, or fraudulent
• Hateful, discriminatory, or harassing
• Spam or commercial solicitation
• Infringing on others' intellectual property
• Contains personal information of others without consent

8. Privacy & Data Protection

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Key points:

• Financial data: Stored locally in your browser only, never transmitted to our servers
• Email addresses: Collected only if you opt-in, used solely for sending debt tips and your plan
• GDPR/CCPA compliance: You have the right to access, delete, or export your data
• No data selling: We will never sell your information to third parties

9. Termination

9.1 By You

You may stop using the Service at any time. To delete your data:

• Clear your browser's localStorage (deletes your debt plan)
• Use our GDPR deletion tool to remove your email
• Unsubscribe from emails via our unsubscribe page

9.2 By Us

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to the Service if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in abusive or illegal activity
• Attempt to exploit or harm the Service
• Use automated tools to abuse the Service

We may also discontinue the Service at any time with or without notice.

10. Changes to the Service

We reserve the right to:

• Modify or discontinue features at any time
• Change the Service's functionality or design
• Add or remove third-party integrations
• Implement new features or pricing (currently free)

We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of material changes via:

• Email notification to subscribers
• Announcement on the homepage
• In-app notification

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date.

Material changes will be communicated via:

• Email notification (if you're subscribed)
• Prominent notice on the homepage
• In-app banner or modal

Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Path Out, its owners, employees, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use or misuse of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Content you submit or post
• Financial decisions you make based on the Service

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of [Your State], without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through:

• Informal Negotiation: Contact us at support@thepathout.com to resolve the issue amicably
• Binding Arbitration: If informal resolution fails, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration
• Small Claims Court: Either party may pursue claims in small claims court instead of arbitration

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

15. Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Path Out regarding the use of the Service.

16. Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by us.

17. Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

18. Contact Information

Questions about these Terms? Contact us:

• Email: support@thepathout.com
• Subject Line: "Terms of Service Inquiry"
• Response Time: Within 48 business hours

19. Acknowledgment

By using The Path Out, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understood these Terms
• You agree to be bound by these Terms
• You are at least 18 years old (or have parental consent)
• You understand the Service is for educational purposes only
• You will seek professional advice for important financial decisions

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