What does the initial Franchise Fee for Caring Senior Service include?
Caring_Senior_Service Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The initial "Franchise Fee" of $49,000 is payable when you sign the Franchise Agreement.
The Franchise Fee includes your pre-opening requirement of certain computer software, including Tendio™ and MS Office 365 software, and your initial supply of certain forms and materials, including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and brochures.
In the event you are converting an existing in-home care business to a Caring Senior Service franchised business, we offer you a 50% discount on the Franchise Fee for the Territories being converted, as outlined in the Conversion Addendum attached as Exhibit K to the Franchise Agreement.
A 50% discount will be applied to the initial franchise fee if you are an existing Caring Senior Service System franchisee and your office has achieved our GreatCare Master certification, or if you operate multiple offices, one of your offices must have achieved our GreatCare Master certification and your remaining office(s) must have achieved any of our GreatCare office certification levels at the time of your additional purchase of a franchise.
If you are entering into a subsequent Franchise Agreement for an additional franchise Territory, we offer you a 10% discount off of the Franchise Fee for your second Territory, a 15% discount off of the Franchise Fee for your third Territory, a 20% discount off of the Franchise Fee for your fourth Territory, and a 25% discount off of the Franchise Fee for your fifth Territory.
If you qualify for our VetFran military veteran's discount, we will offer you a 20% discount off of the initial Franchise Fee for your first franchise Territory. This discount is available to veterans who have received a discharge (other than dishonorable) as well as any active duty personnel. If the franchisee is an entity, the veteran participant must maintain at least a 51% ownership interest in the entity to qualify for this discount. To apply for the discount, you must provide us with a copy of form DD-214, reflecting your military status, before the Franchise Agreement is signed. In the event you qualify for our VetFran military veteran's discount and you are a conversion franchise, you may only benefit from one of these discounts.
If you qualify for our women-owned and minority-owned program, we will offer you a 20% discount off of the initial Franchise Fee for your first franchise Territory. If the franchisee is an entity, the female owner based on whose ownership you qualify for the discount must maintain at least a 51% ownership interest in the entity, and the minority owner based on whose ownership you qualify for the discount must maintain at least a 51% interest in the entity.
In addition, if you are an existing Caring Senior Service franchisee, or an employee of a Caring Senior Service business, we may offer you financing for a portion of your initial Franchise Fee, up to a maximum of 50% of the total initial franchise fee which would be due to us. As a condition of such financing we may require that you meet certain minimum standards, including that you or your principal owner(s) have
achieved GreatCare® Master certification. See Item 10 for additional information and details on our financing program.
The initial Franchise Fee is uniform for all franchisees and is nonrefundable when paid.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 10–11)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Caring Senior Service's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee of $49,000 includes certain pre-opening requirements. Specifically, this fee covers the cost of computer software, including Tendio™ and MS Office 365. Additionally, the fee incorporates the initial supply of essential forms and materials necessary to begin operations. These materials include business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and brochures.
For a prospective Caring Senior Service franchisee, this means that a portion of the initial investment is allocated to providing the necessary tools and resources to start the business. The inclusion of software and marketing materials in the franchise fee can help reduce the upfront costs and streamline the initial setup process. This is a common practice in franchising, as it ensures that all franchisees have access to the same essential resources and can maintain brand consistency from the outset.
It is important to note that the initial franchise fee is uniform for all franchisees and is nonrefundable once paid. However, Caring Senior Service offers various discounts on the initial franchise fee under certain conditions, such as converting an existing in-home care business, being an existing franchisee achieving specific certifications, purchasing additional territories, or qualifying for the VetFran military veteran's or women-owned and minority-owned programs. These discounts can significantly reduce the initial investment required to start a Caring Senior Service franchise.