If a Focus Cfo franchisee elects not to renew the agreement, will the Franchise Fee be refunded?

According to the 2025 Focus Cfo Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee elects not to renew the franchise agreement, the franchise fee will not be refunded. This policy is explicitly stated in Section 5.5 of Item 23, which deals with refunds. This means that upon the natural expiration of the initial term, typically ten years as indicated in Section 2.1, a franchisee choosing not to continue with Focus Cfo will not receive any portion of their initial franchise fee back.

This policy is standard in the franchise industry, as the initial franchise fee is generally considered payment for the right to operate under the Focus Cfo brand, access their systems, and receive initial training and support during the term of the agreement. The FDD specifies in Section 4.1 that the franchise fee consists of $17,000 to obtain the franchise and $18,000 for the one-time initial training fee, totaling $35,000. This fee compensates Focus Cfo for authorizing the franchisee to join the Focus Cfo system and receive initial training.

It is important for prospective franchisees to understand that the franchise fee is non-refundable under most circumstances, including non-renewal. The only exception noted in Section 5.1 is if the agreement terminates due to an unsuccessful background check, in which case the franchise fee will be refunded in full. This policy underscores the importance of carefully considering the decision to invest in a Focus Cfo franchise, as the initial fee represents a sunk cost that is not recoverable if the franchisee chooses not to renew or extend the agreement.