How much does an Assisting Hands Home Care franchise cost?
The 2026 estimated initial investment for one Assisting Hands Home Care franchise is $98,050 to $181,200. That is the Item 7 range for a single Assisting Hands Business operated from a required commercial Office. It is not the price of an Area Representative business, which is offered under a separate Franchise Disclosure Document and is outside this cost analysis.
The 2026 FDD says this single-business range includes $57,400 payable to Assisting Hands Home Care, LLC or affiliates and Additional Funds for the first three months. The Additional Funds estimate includes startup payroll and bookkeeping, but excludes any draw or salary for the owner. Source: 2026 FDD cover and Item 7, pp. 18–20.
Data basis. Legal franchisor: Assisting Hands Home Care, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company. U.S. FDD issuance date: April 17, 2026. Applicable format: one Assisting Hands Business from a commercial Office, with up to three adjoining territories potentially sharing one Office. Cost sources: Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and the cost-relevant opening provisions in Item 11. Information checked July 21, 2026. No matching public copy of the 2026 FDD was located on a franchise-controlled website, so FDD Item and page references are unlinked. The brand’s current public materials are available through its official U.S. franchise information.
The official franchise site separately confirms the current $55,000 single-unit fee and the 5%–4% sliding Percentage Royalty on its investment information page. The FDD supplies the controlling detail, including minimum payments, timing and conditional charges.
What is included in the $98,050 to $181,200 range?
The disclosed total includes the rights fee, premises-related deposits and setup, state and local approvals, training travel, recruiting, launch marketing, compliance materials and a three-month operating allowance. Every line below is part of the official single-business total; the low-end line items sum to $98,050 and the high-end line items sum to $181,200.
Franchise, Office and technology costs
These eight entries cover the rights fee and the physical or digital setup needed before the business opens. Together they explain why a service franchise with no storefront inventory still requires premises, insurance, furniture, signage and operating systems.
| Item 7 category | 2026 range | When paid | Payee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $55,000 | When the Franchise Agreement is signed | Assisting Hands Home Care, LLC |
| Security Deposits | $500–$4,000 | Before opening | Landlord and utility companies |
| Insurance | $3,500–$7,000 | Before opening | Insurer |
| 3-Months’ Lease Payments | $1,500–$6,000 | As incurred | Landlord |
| Leasehold Improvements | $0–$7,000 | Before opening | Landlord or contractors |
| Signage | $700–$3,000 | Before opening | Approved vendor |
| Furnishings | $1,500–$6,000 | Before opening | Suppliers |
| Computer System and Scheduling Hardware and Software | $2,000–$4,500 | Before opening | Suppliers and approved vendor |
Licensing, launch and working-capital costs
These nine entries cover government approval, professional setup, staff preparation, early promotion and cash used after opening. State approval and the first operating quarter account for most of the spread in this group.
| Item 7 category | 2026 range | When paid | Cost note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Licenses and Permits | $150–$500 | Before opening | County, city and state requirements |
| Licensing and Credentialing | $700–$10,000 | Before opening | Varies materially by state |
| Initial Training Expenses | $2,000–$4,000 | As incurred | Travel, lodging, meals and incidental expenses |
| Professional Fees | $2,000–$7,200 | Before opening | Legal, accounting and business setup |
| Convention Fee | $2,400 | When the first Franchise Agreement is signed | Paid to the franchisor |
| Recruiting Expense | $2,500–$6,000 | As incurred | Third-party recruiting costs |
| Compliance Materials | $1,000–$2,500 | As incurred | Approved state-specific documents, manuals and training |
| Advertising, Marketing and Promotion | $2,250–$6,000 | As incurred | Launch-period spending |
| Additional Funds—3 months | $20,350–$50,100 | As incurred | Startup payroll and bookkeeping included; owner pay excluded |
The low endpoint should not be treated as an automatic budget target. It reflects the lower disclosed result across many independent categories, some of which depend on local rules, negotiations and the condition of the chosen premises. A buyer can fall near the lower end in one category and near the upper end in another. Before committing, collect written quotes for the lease, coverage, professional work, approvals, travel and recruiting, then compare those quotes line by line with the disclosure. This preserves the franchisor’s official range while showing which assumptions actually apply to the proposed market.
The high endpoint is also not a contractual ceiling. Delays can extend rent, payroll or professional work beyond the periods embedded in the table, and the document expressly says actual startup expense may be higher. The practical use of the table is therefore reconciliation: identify which listed amounts are fixed, which are third-party estimates, which are time-limited allowances and which remain unresolved until a state agency, landlord, insurer or vendor responds.
The bars use a $0 to $60,000 scale. A short bar does not mean the item is optional; it only shows the disclosed low-to-high amount.
Interpretation: the Initial Franchise Fee is the largest fixed line item, while Additional Funds create the widest disclosed range. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 18–20. Values are official ranges; no midpoint or “typical” budget is implied.
The required premises cannot be home-based. The disclosure assumes a professional work environment, generally estimated at 800 to 1,500 square feet, with three months of rent in the range. Local rent, buildout condition, insurance history and state licensure are the main disclosed reasons the total can move toward the high end.
When is the money paid?
The capital requirement is not paid as one lump sum. Two charges are tied to signing, most premises and licensing costs are paid before opening or as incurred, and the operating allowance is consumed during the first three months.
The Franchise Rule generally requires delivery of the FDD at least 14 calendar days before a prospect signs a binding agreement or pays the franchisor or an affiliate. The FTC Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise explains the review period and why buyers should request any updated disclosures before signing.
How does buying a second or third territory change the startup cost?
Assisting Hands permits a buyer to purchase up to two additional franchises at the same time as the first. The Initial Franchise Fee is $50,000 for the second and each subsequent territory purchased in that initial transaction. The disclosure note says the only added cost for the second and third adjoining business is that discounted fee, because up to three adjoining territories may share one site.
Derived capital range for one shared site serving adjoining territories
The chart adds the disclosed $50,000 charge for each additional territory to the official single-business range. These are arithmetic calculations, not separate franchisor-published Item 7 ranges. They apply only to the simultaneous purchase structure and shared-site assumption described in the disclosure.
Vertical scale: $0 to $300,000. Each group shows the calculated low and high amount.
Formula: official single-business range + $50,000 for each additional territory. Source inputs: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 9–10, and Item 7, pp. 18–20. The two- and three-territory figures are derived calculations.
The recurring royalty and advertising-fund contributions are calculated per shared site because the revenue base is reported collectively. One annual convention charge generally applies even when the site serves multiple businesses. Most other charges apply to each territory. This arrangement is a cost contract, not a separate Area Representative format.
When multiple territories are purchased together, operations in the second territory must begin within six months after the first opens, and the third must begin within six months after the second. A 10% rights-fee discount is available to honorably discharged U.S. veterans and current firefighters or police officers who are majority owners and submit the request before the franchise documents are prepared. At the current $55,000 fee, the discounted amount is $49,500. The multi-territory and service-member/public-safety discounts reduce only the rights charge; they do not reduce premises, licensing, payroll or other opening categories. The official franchise frequently asked questions also confirms that qualified buyers may own more than one franchise.
Which fees continue after opening?
The recurring cost structure combines percentage fees, minimum payments and required marketing spending. The Percentage Royalty is calculated weekly; the National Advertising Fund Contribution and Convention Fee are billed monthly; the Local Advertising Requirement is a franchisee spending obligation measured by calendar period.
| Continuing obligation | Amount or basis | Timing | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | Greater of 4%–5% of weekly Gross Revenue or Minimum Royalty | Wednesday for the prior week | 5% below $48,000; 4.5% from $48,000 to $95,999; 4% above $96,000 in prior-week Gross Revenue |
| Minimum Royalty | $50/week Year 1; $100/week Year 2; $200/week thereafter | Weekly when applicable | Starts 90 days after Initial Training, or later when state licensure timing applies |
| National Advertising Fund Contribution | Greater of 0.5% of Gross Revenue or $150/month | First day of each month | Percentage starts with Gross Revenue; minimum follows the delayed start rule and may be raised; percentage may rise to 3% on 30 days’ notice |
| Convention Fee | Currently $2,400/year in $200 monthly installments | First day of each month | Maximum $3,000/year; fee is generally due regardless of attendance, although the stated refund can be up to $600; travel and independent activity costs are separate |
| Local Advertising Requirement | $1,500/month average per Office, then 2% of prior 12-month Gross Revenue | First partial and full calendar year; then annual measurement | Any shortfall is payable to the National Advertising Fund |
| Technology Fee | Not currently charged; up to $1,000/month | First day of each month if imposed | Covers required technologies designated for the Assisting Hands Business |
- Percentage Royalty
- The applicable percentage of the prior week’s disclosed revenue base. It starts as soon as the business generates billable activity within that definition.
- Minimum Royalty
- The floor that applies after the delayed start date, even if the percentage calculation is lower.
- Gross Revenue
- The broad Item 6 base for services, products and other operating income, subject to the disclosure’s stated exclusions for collected sales taxes, refunds, valid discounts, coupons and credits.
- Per Office versus per Business
- The first three continuing obligations in the table are generally handled per shared site; most other charges apply to each business.
The Royalty Fee and National Advertising Fund Contribution can be due at their stated minimums even when percentage-based amounts are lower. The 2026 FDD’s special-risk page expressly warns that minimum royalty, advertising and other payments may apply regardless of sales levels. Source: 2026 FDD special risks and Item 6, pp. 10–18.
Which fees are triggered by non-routine events?
Item 6 also creates charges that arise only after a reporting failure, payment problem, transfer, relocation, default or other specified event. These amounts should not be added to the opening range, but they remain part of the long-term cost contract.
Administrative, payment and compliance triggers
These charges generally arise when information is late, a payment fails, required coverage lapses or records do not support the amounts reported.
$100 per violation plus $100 per week until the report is submitted, after the stated grace-period treatment.
$500 per occurrence, payable to the National Advertising Fund on demand.
If the franchisee fails to maintain coverage, the franchisor may obtain it and charge actual premium cost plus a 20% administrative fee.
Up to 4% of a charge when a required payment to the franchisor or affiliate is made by credit card.
Late balances accrue the lesser of 18% per year or the highest lawful commercial-contract rate; an unsuccessful check or EFT can trigger a $100 fee.
Estimated at $1,000 to $12,000, plus understated amounts and related accounting and legal expense, if Gross Revenue is understated by more than 2% or required reports are not submitted.
Support, supplier and default-related triggers
Extra support is priced when it goes beyond the included program, while breach-related intervention can create open-ended reimbursement obligations.
Currently about $150 per attendee per day plus expenses, capped at $500 per attendee per day plus expenses.
Estimated at $100 to $500 for an inspection or evaluation requested by the franchisee, capped at $1,000 per proposed product, service or supplier.
Currently $500 per day plus costs and expenses if the franchisor manages the operation after a breach, for up to 90 consecutive days per default.
The franchisee may owe all covered losses, attorney fees, accounting fees and enforcement expense related to the operation, a breach, termination or an incomplete transfer. Item 6 does not cap this exposure.
Renewal, transfer, relocation and termination triggers
Ownership changes and early exit can produce some of the largest non-routine obligations because several formulas reference the then-current rights fee or future monthly payments.
10% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee for one business, plus applicable attorney fees, when the successor franchise agreement is signed.
50% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee plus training cost. A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is due with the transfer application; the balance is due at the approved transfer.
Actual brokerage commissions, finder’s fees or similar charges incurred by the franchisor in a third-party transfer.
The franchisor’s actual costs and expenses associated with an approved or required Office relocation, in addition to the franchisee’s own relocation cost.
$2,000 per incident plus 20% of Gross Revenue from the incident and the franchisor’s costs and expenses. The FDD describes a 15% Gross Revenue consequence for qualifying self-reported infringement.
Following early termination, the formula uses average monthly Royalty Fees and National Advertising Fund contributions multiplied by the lesser of 36 or the full months remaining, with a minimum of $30,000.
Source for the conditional fee amounts and triggers: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 12–18. Fixed-dollar fees may be adjusted under the Consumer Price Index provisions, generally subject to a maximum 20% annual increase calculated cumulatively, and specified third-party increases may be added where applicable. The advertising, convention, training, technology and payment-service charges have the separate limits stated above.
Does Assisting Hands disclose a liquid-capital or net-worth minimum?
The 2026 FDD does not state a fixed Liquid Capital or Net Worth minimum for the single-business offer. The official franchise FAQ instead says a franchisee will need to invest approximately 40% to 50% of the investment from the buyer’s own capital. That percentage is a public qualification statement, not a disclosed dollar threshold and not a promise that the remaining capital will be financed.
Item 10 says Assisting Hands Home Care, LLC does not regularly offer financing, but may choose in certain situations to finance only part of the Initial Franchise Fee. Typical disclosed terms require a 60% to 70% down payment on that fee, 10% interest calculated monthly on the unpaid balance, repayment within up to one year and no prepayment penalty. The Assisting Hands Franchise and business assets secure the note, and owners and their spouses or domestic partners must provide personal guarantees. The FDD says it does not arrange other financing. The disclosed repayment period also cannot extend beyond the months remaining in the calendar year in which the agreement is signed.
The own-capital statement should be used as a screening indicator rather than a substitute for a complete funding plan. It does not state which assets qualify, whether borrowed funds are acceptable, how much liquidity must remain after opening or whether a lender will require additional collateral. Those questions must be resolved with the franchisor and lender in writing. A complete plan also needs enough personal liquidity for household obligations because the operating allowance does not pay the owner.
The current public FAQ says the brand does not provide financing directly and may refer candidates to major banks, while Item 10 preserves discretionary franchisor financing for part of the rights fee. Treat direct franchisor financing as exceptional, not standard. Obtain written terms before relying on it and budget for all other opening costs without franchisor financing. Compare the official financing FAQ with the current FDD and proposed Promissory Note.
What can push the required capital above the disclosed range?
The Item 7 range is a franchisor estimate, not a cap. The largest unresolved issues are local licensing, the Office contract, insurance history, the time needed to obtain approvals, owner living expenses and any costs tied to special circumstances.
An official Wisconsin page published July 6, 2026 describes a broader state-specific startup amount of $150,000 to $200,000 or more. That marketing-page figure is not the national Item 7 range and does not reproduce the FDD cost table. For this article, the controlling verified disclosure remains $98,050 to $181,200 for the 2026 single-business offer. Buyers evaluating Wisconsin should ask why the official Wisconsin cost page uses a higher local figure and request a written reconciliation.
What capital figure should a buyer use before signing?
Use $98,050 to $181,200 as the verified 2026 FDD Estimated Initial Investment for one business under the single-unit offer, then separately account for owner living expenses, unresolved local charges and continuing minimum payments. The rights fee is $55,000, and a first agreement also requires the $2,400 convention charge at signing. The $20,350 to $50,100 three-month operating allowance is already inside the disclosed total and excludes owner compensation.
For two or three adjoining territories purchased with the first franchise, the disclosure supports adding $50,000 for each extra rights fee under the shared-site structure; the resulting $148,050 to $231,200 and $198,050 to $281,200 amounts are derived calculations, not separate official Item 7 ranges. Before committing capital, reconcile the exact territory count, premises lease, state licensing path, financing terms, minimum royalty and advertising-fund start dates, and any state-specific amendment in the current disclosure package.
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