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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Jackson Hewitt vs Retirement Income Source

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Jackson Hewitt2026 FDDRetirement Income Source2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Jackson Hewitt

    $18,900 – $71,050

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Retirement Income Source

    $100,400

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Jackson Hewitt

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Retirement Income Source

    $25,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Royalty · Item 6

    Jackson Hewitt

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Retirement Income Source

    0%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Before you compare

    • Jackson Hewitt figures come from its 2026 FDD and Retirement Income Source figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Jackson Hewitt discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Jackson Hewitt has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $18,900 – $71,050
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Retirement Income Source

    $100,400
    Total initial investment
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Retirement Income Source

    $25,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Jackson Hewitt

    6%
    Royalty on revenue you receive from your offering of a tax course will be reduced by — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Retirement Income Source

    0%
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $5,000
    vertising and marketing fee of 6.5% of your Gross Volume of Business. You must spend — 5000
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Retirement Income Source

    15%
    Marketing required spending percentage subject to $60,000 annual minimum — 15%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    5,124
    Outlets at end of 2026
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51

    Retirement Income Source

    30
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    +2,884
    Calculated: 2,240 at end of 2024 → 5,124 at end of 2026

    Retirement Income Source

    −1
    Calculated: 31 at end of 2022 → 30 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Retirement Income Source

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Retirement Income Source

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Retirement Income Source

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Jackson Hewitt
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Kiosk franchised CoveredOffices
    $2,121
    other Kiosk
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Standard franchised CoveredOffices
    $167,954
    other Standard
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Retirement Income Source

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Jackson Hewitt vs Retirement Income Source: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Jackson Hewitt or Retirement Income Source?
    Jackson Hewitt: $18,900 – $71,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Retirement Income Source: $100,400 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Jackson Hewitt. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Jackson Hewitt and Retirement Income Source royalties compare?
    Jackson Hewitt: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20); Retirement Income Source: 0% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Jackson Hewitt or Retirement Income Source?
    Jackson Hewitt: 5,124 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51); Retirement Income Source: 30 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Jackson Hewitt and Retirement Income Source disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Jackson Hewitt has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Retirement Income Source makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Jackson Hewitt report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Retirement Income Source report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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