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Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. was the subject of a data breach notification filed with the WA Attorney General. The AG filing was recorded on June 23, 2026.
From the AG filing description
Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. operates within the professional financial and tax preparation sector, delivering comprehensive accounting, bookkeeping, corporate tax filing, and individual wealth advisory services. Because of the core nature of their business operations, the firm routinely collects, processes, and stores an extensive volume of highly sensitive financial and personally identifiable information. Clients rely on such institutions to manage not only day-to-day corporate ledgers but also intricate personal tax documents, requiring the transmission and retention of confidential records necessary to complete state and federal filings. The security incident officially reported by Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. to the Washington Attorney General in 2026 underscores vulnerabilities common to the financial services and accounting sector. Incidents affecting firms of this nature frequently involve sophisticated cyber threats such as targeted ransomware deployments, unauthorized intrusion into legacy client-portal databases, or compromised employee credentials that grant malicious actors lateral movement across internal networks. In the context of financial accounting firms, attackers often seek out centralized digital repositories where voluminous financial records and archives are consolidated for administrative convenience. The exposure resulting from this breach compromises data categories that carry severe, long-term risks for affected individuals and corporate entities alike. The compromised records typically include full names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, detailed tax return information, wage and compensation records, and direct deposit account details. Access to this specific combination of data creates an immediate and severe danger of tax fraud, wherein cybercriminals utilize stolen identities to file fraudulent returns and intercept government refunds. Furthermore, exposed financial account and routing numbers leave victims highly vulnerable to unauthorized wire transfers, banking account takeovers, and synthetic identity theft that can take years to detect and resolve. As a professional entity handling sensitive financial and tax data, Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. was bound by stringent legal and regulatory frameworks, including federal guidelines under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and applicable Washington state data privacy statutes. These legal frameworks mandate the implementation of robust administrative, technical, and physical safeguards—such as multi-factor authentication, rigorous network monitoring, and data encryption—to protect consumer financial information from unauthorized disclosure. The occurrence of a significant data breach strongly indicates a failure to maintain these required security baselines, potentially exposing the firm to legal liability for negligence and inadequate data protection practices. Receiving a data breach notification letter from Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. serves as formal legal acknowledgment that your confidential information was compromised due to inadequate security measures. Under established consumer protection and privacy laws, affected individuals possess the legal standing to participate in a class action lawsuit aimed at securing compensation and mandatory improvements to corporate cybersecurity practices. Importantly, individuals do not need to prove that they have already suffered direct financial loss or identity theft to join a class action; the mere exposure of your private data constitutes a legal injury. Our firm evaluates and investigates these data breach claims on a strict contingency fee basis, meaning you pay absolutely nothing out of pocket, and we only recover fees if we successfully resolve the case on your behalf.
Based on the data types reported in this filing:
Your SSN is the master key to your identity. Once exposed, criminals can open new lines of credit, take out loans, or file taxes in your name.
Combined with a name and other leaked data, date of birth helps criminals pass identity verification questions at banks and government agencies.
You may have been affected by the Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. data breach if:
Common categories of compensation in data breach class actions
Courts recognize that the time spent monitoring accounts, placing credit freezes, and dealing with the aftermath of a breach has real economic value. This category of damages is recoverable even without direct financial loss.
Professional credit monitoring services cost $10–$40 per month. Identity theft restoration services, if needed, can cost hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. Courts have awarded these costs as direct damages in SSN breach cases.
Direct financial losses resulting from the breach — unauthorized charges, fraudulent transfers, or fees incurred through fraud — are recoverable as compensatory damages. Banks may reverse some charges; a class action recovers the remainder and associated costs.
Data breach victims regularly report anxiety, loss of sleep, and ongoing fear of identity theft. These non-economic harms are cognizable injuries in data breach litigation, particularly in cases involving SSN or medical record exposure.
Note: an attorney general breach filing does not by itself establish a settlement fund, a payment amount, or a claim deadline. If an official settlement notice is later issued, rely on that notice for payment details and deadlines.
Applicable State Law
This breach was reported under the Washington My Health MY Data Act, which mandates notification and establishes your right to seek damages.
No. Under Washington My Health MY Data Act and federal law, the unauthorized exposure of your personal data — regardless of whether it has been actively misused — can be sufficient grounds for a claim. The breach itself is the injury.
Nothing. The Law Office of David S. Harris handles data breach cases on contingency — you pay zero upfront and owe nothing unless compensation is recovered.
Immediately place a free credit freeze at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). A freeze blocks new accounts from being opened in your name. Then file a complaint with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and contact our office — SSN exposure is one of the most serious breach types.
Banks may reverse fraudulent charges, but they are not obligated to compensate you for time lost, stress, or indirect damages. A class action claim against the breached company can recover those additional categories of harm.
State statutes of limitations for data breach claims typically run 2–4 years from the date of the breach or its discovery. Because this breach was recently disclosed, the window is open — but acting early preserves your options and strengthens the case.
Accepting free credit monitoring from Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. does not waive your right to pursue legal action unless you signed a specific release waiving claims. In most cases, victims who accepted monitoring can still file.
Not necessarily. Many data breach victims are never notified directly. If your personal information was held by Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc. during the relevant period, you may still qualify even without receiving a letter. A free eligibility review can confirm your status.
Received a notification letter from Schmiidt & Battaglino Tax & Accounitng Inc.?
Read our dedicated guide — what the letter means and what to do.
Learn how to participate in the class action and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Join the Class Action →Use our verification tool to confirm your letter matches this official AG filing.
Verify My Notice LetterThis case file references a public filing made with the state filing in WA. This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state government agency.
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