2026 FDD Issued Jun 2, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Nov 2, 2026
Paramount Tax & Accounting Franchise Cost (2026)
A Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise costs an estimated $71,200 – $166,000 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $40,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Single Office. Item 6 lists royalty: 10% of Gross Sales, subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $71.2K – $166KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $40KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 10% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Units (2025)
- 102Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 1.4% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about Paramount Tax & Accounting
A few large offices drive the averages. Item 19 reports average gross sales of $541,107 for franchised offices with a full prior tax season, but the median is far lower and only a minority of offices reached the average. The FDD also reports net income after marketing, other expenses and royalties, and its median is likewise much smaller than its average. A new office in its first season would sit in the excluded group.
Percentage charges take a large share of sales. The royalty is 10% of Gross Sales, and owners must spend another share of sales on local marketing every year until annual sales pass a set threshold. Small offices therefore pay the full combined percentage, while the largest ones are exempt from the marketing requirement.
The agreement is long and the territory can be split. The 20-year term is followed by successor terms, and once an office serves a set number of clients the franchisor can require the owner to open a second office, pay a territory division fee and buy another startup package. Growth has been fast, with franchised offices reaching 100 at the end of 2025.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Paramount Tax & Accounting?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $40,000 for Paramount Tax & Accounting. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF pages 12-13): the initial franchise fee is $40,000, paid in a lump sum at signing; honorably separated U.S. veterans get 20% off. A $5,000 refundable binder is paid before signing and credited to the fee. Under a multi-unit development agreement (at least 2 units) the first fee is $40,000 and each additional $25,000, all paid at signing. The fee is refundable, less costs, only if the franchisor terminates after you fail initial training. You also buy a $20,000 to $25,000 startup package (computers, server, software, supplies) from the franchisor. In 2025 one conversion franchisee got 20% off, one founder's associate paid no fee, and one existing franchisee paid over 8 months.
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 12.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Paramount Tax & Accounting, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 17.
Item 7 of Paramount Tax & Accounting’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one single office at $71,200 – $166,000. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Real Estate / Rent | $0 | $12,000 |
| Utilities | $0 | $3,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $0 | $10,000 |
| Initial Marketing | $0 | $5,000 |
| Startup Package | $20,000 | $25,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment | $0 | $5,000 |
| Insurance | $500 | $3,500 |
| Signage | $0 | $3,000 |
| Office Expenses | $0 | $2,000 |
| Additional Supply Inventory | $0 | $2,000 |
| Licenses and Permits | $0 | $1,000 |
| Dues and Subscriptions | $700 | $2,000 |
| Professional Fees | $0 | $3,000 |
| Travel, Lodging and Meals for Initial Training | $0 | $4,000 |
| Additional Funds (First 3 Months) | $10,000 | $45,500 |
| Total | $71,200 | $166,000 |
Other formats
| Format | Total investment |
|---|---|
| Multi-Unit Development (2 Units) | $127,400 – $317,000 |
| Multi-Unit Development (3 Units) | $183,600 – $468,000 |
Item 7 (PDF pages 17-19) prints $71,200 to $166,000 for one office; its 16 lines add to that total. Rent can be $0 for an approved home office. The startup package bought from the franchisor is the largest line after the fee. Multi-unit charts print $127,400 to $317,000 for 2 units and $183,600 to $468,000 for 3.
What ongoing royalties and fees does Paramount Tax & Accounting charge? (Item 6)
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 13.
Item 6 of Paramount Tax & Accounting’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 10% of Gross Sales | Every period | 10% of gross sales, paid monthly on the 5th. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Local Marketing | 5% of Gross Sales | Every period | 5% of gross sales spent locally each year; waived while annual gross sales exceed $1,000,000. SEO and website fees and cooperative contributions count toward it. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Marketing, SEO and Website Management | $300 per month | When it applies | Currently $300 per month, paid to the franchisor or a vendor; counts toward the 5% local marketing requirement. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Email Accounts | Varies | When it applies | Currently $5 to $30 monthly, paid annually. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Market Cooperative Contribution | Varies | When it applies | As set by a cooperative, at least 1% of gross sales and generally no more than $1,000 per month; counts toward local marketing (note 2). (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Post-Opening Training | Varies | When it applies | A reasonable fee, currently $1,500 per person, plus travel. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Non-Compliance Fee | $250 | When it applies | $250, then $250 per week while non-compliance continues. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Reimbursement | Varies | When it applies | Amounts the franchisor pays for you plus 10%, within 15 days of invoice. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Late Fee | $100 | When it applies | $100 plus 18% annual interest or the legal maximum. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Insufficient Funds Fee | $50 | When it applies | $50, or the legal maximum if lower. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Costs of Collection | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs, including reasonable attorney fees. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Special Support Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $600 per day plus expenses for requested in-person support. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Interim Management Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $600 per day plus expenses, royalties and fees if the franchisor operates the business, for up to 6 months. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Client Complaint Resolution | Varies | When it applies | The franchisor's expenses in resolving a client complaint. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Records Audit | Varies | When it applies | Actual cost if you failed to report or under-reported gross sales by more than 3% for any 4-week period. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Inspection Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $300 plus costs for an inspection prompted by a report, complaint or non-compliance. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Non-Compliance Cure Costs and Fee | Varies | When it applies | Out-of-pocket and internal costs plus 10% if the franchisor cures a non-compliance for you. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Transfer Fee | Varies | When it applies | 50% of the then-current franchise fee; only legal fees for a transfer of less than 25% that keeps control. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Indemnity | Varies | When it applies | Costs and losses from legal actions related to your franchise (note 4). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Prevailing Party's Legal Costs | Varies | When it applies | The losing party pays the prevailing party's attorney fees and costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Territory Division Fee | $10,000 | When it applies | $10,000 plus a new startup package if, after reaching 3,500 clients or averaging 3,000 over 12 months, the franchisor requires a second outlet and splits your territory. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Conference or Seminar Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $0 to $2,000 per attendee, plus travel; optional for now. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
Start with the recorded Paramount Tax & Accounting inputs, then enter your own operating costs and sales assumptions. The result is a scenario, not an FDD profit forecast.
Paramount Tax & Accounting startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
Item 19 does not supply an average or median sales figure suitable for this model, so we do not estimate annual fees in dollars. For every $100 of sales, an owner pays 15% in percentage fees . Estimate it with your own sales figure · Estimate your payback for Paramount Tax & Accounting.
Item 20: Paramount Tax & Accounting franchised outlet history
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 54.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 100 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 2 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 1.4% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 48 | 26 | 0 | 74 | 0% |
| 2024 | 74 | 20 | 3 | 91 | 4.1% |
| 2025 | 91 | 9 | 0 | 100 | 0% |
Franchised units went from 48 to 100 over 3 years (+52).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare Paramount Tax & Accounting’s exit rate with other brands.
1 units changed owners in 2025.
Item 20 Table 3 totals (PDF page 54) match Table 1 (PDF page 50). Franchised offices roughly doubled from 48 to 100 over the three years, with three terminations in 2024 and no other exits. Two affiliate-owned offices operate in Utah and Florida. Item 19 adds that 15 signed franchises had not opened by the end of 2025.
How much do Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 49.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average Gross Sales, franchised outlets of $541,107 (January 1 to December 31, 2025, 43 of 100 franchised outlets that completed a full tax season before 2025 and operated full time all of 2025; 11 (26%) attained or surpassed the average). Besides sales, Paramount Tax & Accounting’s Item 19 reports “Average Net Income, franchised outlets” and “Median Net Income, franchised outlets”. Each figure follows the franchisor’s own definition in Item 19, which decides which costs are deducted and whether an owner’s salary is one of them. None of them is necessarily an owner’s take-home pay.
See every Paramount Tax & Accounting Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Estimate your payback for Paramount Tax & Accounting using Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret Paramount Tax & Accounting’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise agreement term?
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 41.
The standard Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise agreement runs 20 years, with renewal terms of 5 years.
Item 17 (PDF page 41): 20 years from the date of the franchise agreement, with up to 2 additional 5-year successor terms if you meet the conditions.
How long does it take to open a Paramount Tax & Accounting franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Paramount Tax & Accounting 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 27.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement to opening: 1 to 4 months.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Paramount Tax & Accounting’s $71,200 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Business Services. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Payroll Vault $77K – $114K Business Services
- Painter1 $80.3K – $168K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Weed Man $81.2K – $109K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- The Seals $101K – $147K Business Services
- H&R Block $35.8K – $161K Source review pending Provisional publication Business Services
- Spherion $133K – $301K Business Services
Compare other business services franchises
Sources
Paramount Tax & Accounting Franchise Disclosure Document, issued June 2, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 12
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 13
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 17
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 47
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 54
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 41
Page references for Paramount Tax & Accounting use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- November 2, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- November 2, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued June 2, 2026).
- November 2, 2026: Independently checked against the June 2, 2026 Minnesota Clean FDD: cover, Items 5, 6, 7, 11, 17, 19 and 20. Item 6 now lists all 22 rows (the draft had 6) and keeps the SEO fee out of the annual model because it counts toward the 5% local marketing requirement. Added the opening time, multi-unit totals, Item 19 scope and the affiliate-outlet caveat, and Item 20 notes. Rewrote the analysis.