diff --git a/src/db/user_state.py b/src/db/user_state.py
index 0091398..06077ce 100644
--- a/src/db/user_state.py
+++ b/src/db/user_state.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 from sqlalchemy import func
 from db import crud, models
 from datetime import datetime
-from shared.user_groups import GroupPermissions
+from shared.user_groups import GroupInfo, GroupPermissions
 from db.schemas import Usage, UsageResponse
 
 
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ class UserState:
         self.email = email.lower()
 
     @property
-    def permissions(self) -> Dict[str, GroupPermissions]:
+    def permissions(self) -> Dict[str, GroupInfo]:
         """
         Returns a dict of all group permissions and a special {"all": read/archive_url/archive_sheet} key
         """
         if not hasattr(self, '_permissions'):
             self._permissions = {}
-            self._permissions["all"] = GroupPermissions(
+            self._permissions["all"] = GroupInfo(
                 read=self.read,
                 read_public=self.read_public,
                 archive_url=self.archive_url,
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class UserState:
             )
             for group in self.user_groups:
                 if not group.permissions: continue
-                self._permissions[group.id] = GroupPermissions(**group.permissions)
+                self._permissions[group.id] = GroupInfo(**group.permissions, description=group.description)
         return self._permissions
 
     @property
diff --git a/src/endpoints/default.py b/src/endpoints/default.py
index ceef172..80921ce 100644
--- a/src/endpoints/default.py
+++ b/src/endpoints/default.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from db import crud
 from db.schemas import ActiveUser, UsageResponse
 from db.user_state import UserState
 from web.security import get_user_auth, bearer_security, get_user_state
-from shared.user_groups import GroupPermissions
+from shared.user_groups import GroupInfo
 
 default_router = APIRouter()
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ async def active(
 @default_router.get("/user/permissions", summary="Get the user's global 'all' permissions and the permissions for each group they belong to.")
 def get_user_permissions(
     user: UserState = Depends(get_user_state),
-) -> Dict[str, GroupPermissions]:
+) -> Dict[str, GroupInfo]:
     return user.permissions
 
 @default_router.get("/user/usage", summary="Get the user's monthly URLs/MBs usage along with the total active sheets, breakdown by group.")
diff --git a/src/shared/user_groups.py b/src/shared/user_groups.py
index d36ab4b..7c04c89 100644
--- a/src/shared/user_groups.py
+++ b/src/shared/user_groups.py
@@ -123,3 +123,8 @@ class UserGroupModel(BaseModel):
             logger.warning(f"These groups are associated to USERS but not defined in the GROUPS section, the users settings may not work as expected: {groups_in_users - configured_groups}")
 
         return self
+
+# for the API return values
+class GroupInfo(GroupPermissions):
+    description: str = ""
+    service_account_emails: list[str] = []
\ No newline at end of file