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Franchise owners

The franchise fee and how it is amortized, reading the FDD for tax, multi-unit structures, royalties, working capital, leasehold improvements, and selling or transferring a franchise.

19 guides, each written by a CPA licensed in the US and Canada.

US Tax

Cost Segregation for Franchise Build-Outs: QIP, Tenant Allowances, and First-Year Depreciation

Franchise build-out costs are split across several depreciation categories. Qualified Improvement Property (QIP), meaning.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Bookkeeping: Chart of Accounts, Royalty Tracking, and Franchisor Reporting

Franchise bookkeeping must satisfy the franchisor's audit rights and reconcile royalties to POS data.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Cash Flow and Working Capital: Tax Planning That Keeps the Money Moving

How franchise owners manage estimated tax payments, choose accounting methods, handle inventory, and time deductions to protect working capital.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Entity Structure: Sole Prop vs LLC vs S-Corp for Single and Multi-Unit Owners

A franchise comes with a contract that may dictate the entity type, restrict ownership changes, and require franchisor approval before you restructure.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Exit Strategy: Selling, Closing, and Retirement Planning for Franchise Owners

Every franchise agreement has an end date. Whether you're fifteen years into a twenty-year term and starting to think about what comes next.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise FDD Tax Review: What the Disclosure Document Tells You About Your Tax Picture

The Franchise Disclosure Document contains raw financial data that determines your cost structure, deduction schedule, and capital expenditure plan.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Fee Amortization: How IRC 197 Works and Why You Can't Deduct the Fee in Year One

You paid $45,000 to open a franchise. You wrote the check, signed the agreement, and started building out the location. Covers industry-specific.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Initial Fee Amortization: IRC 197 Intangibles, Anti-Churning Rules, and First-Year Startup Costs

The initial franchise fee is a Section 197 intangible amortized over 15 years. The initial franchise fee is a Section 197 intangible.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Payroll Tax Management: FICA, FUTA, Tip Credits, and Multi-Location Strategies

Franchise owners face layered payroll tax obligations across locations and states. Franchise owners owe employer FICA of 7.65% on every dollar of wages.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Resale Tax Treatment: Purchase Price Allocation, Capital Gains, and Installment Sales for Buyers and Sellers

How the IRC 1060 residual method allocates a franchise resale price across seven asset classes, what the seller owes.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Startup Costs: Pre-Opening Expenses, the IRC 195 Election, and What to Capitalize

Franchise startup costs range from $100,000 to $500,000. Opening a franchise is one of the most capital-intensive ways to start a business.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Tax Deductions: Royalties, Advertising Fees, and What You Can Write Off

Yes, nearly every fee a franchisor charges you after opening day is deductible in the year you pay it. Royalties. Includes IRS rules, documentation.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Franchise Territory Rights: Exclusive Areas, Development Fees, and the Tax Treatment of Territory Protection

Territory fees, area development rights, and exclusivity payments are Section 197 intangibles amortized over 15 years. Covers industry-specific.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Multi-Unit Franchise Tax Planning: Holding Companies, Separate LLCs, and Consolidated Strategy

The moment a franchisee signs a second franchise agreement, the tax picture changes in ways that a single-unit operator never has to think.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Restaurant Franchise Tax Rules: Meals, Tips, Smallwares, and Industry-Specific Deductions

Restaurant franchises face tax rules that other businesses never encounter. Restaurant franchises benefit from a unique set of tax provisions.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Retirement Plans for Franchise Owners: SEP-IRA, Solo 401(k), and Defined Benefit Options

Franchise owners have retirement plan options that shelter $23,500 to $200,000+ per year from taxes. For single-unit franchise owners with no employees.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Selling a Franchise: Tax Treatment of Transfers, Resales, and Goodwill Allocation

Selling a franchise triggers capital gains, depreciation recapture, and a purchase price allocation under IRC 1060. Covers industry-specific deductions,.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Tax Deductions for Franchise Owners: Royalties, Fees, and What Gets Missed

Ongoing royalty payments, advertising fund contributions, technology fees, and training costs are deductible.

Sep 4, 2026
US Tax

Tax Planning for Multi-Unit Franchise Operators: Cost Segregation, Section 179, and Structural Strategy

Multi-unit franchise operators can stack cost segregation, Section 179 deductions, and intercompany structures to reduce tax across an entire portfolio.

Sep 4, 2026

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