A Better Solution Franchise
Audited FinancialsRisk Score
Pending analysis
Investment Range
$106,800 - $219,350
Franchise Fee
$20,000
Min Cash Required
$25,000
Total US Locations
29
Business Summary
Under the A Better Solution In Home Care Brand (or Caring Solutions In Home Care Brand in Washington and Florida), the franchise operates an agency that markets and provides supplemental non-medical and companion care to clients within their homes and to clients who are in assisted living or nursing facilities. A Better Solution In Home Care develops customized non-medical care plans and uses proprietary software to match clients with qualified, pre-screened caregivers. Services offered include medication supervision, bathing and personal care, physical and occupational therapy, transportation, light housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, and companionable activities. After operating for at least one year and with franchisor permission, agencies may be allowed to provide home health or skilled services. Caregivers are employees paid directly by the franchisee, not independent contractors.
Corporate History
ABS Franchise Services, Inc. was incorporated in California on November 5, 2014, and began offering its A Better Solution In Home Care franchises (or Caring Solutions In Home Care Brand in Washington and Florida) in November 2014. The franchise model is built upon the extensive experience of its affiliate, A Better Solution In Home Care, Inc., which established its business in 2000 and has been operating similar home care and home health care services for over 20 years. This affiliate currently runs two company-owned locations in San Diego, California, and Phoenix, Arizona. Additionally, Caring Solutions Management and Staffing Services, Inc. (CSMSS), another affiliate incorporated in 2019, provides enhanced support and management services to non-medical care and home health businesses, including optional services for ABS Franchise Services, Inc. franchisees.
Financial Overview
Investment Range
$106,800 - $219,350
Franchise Fee (Low)
$20,000
Franchise Fee (High)
$55,000
Minimum Cash Required
$25,000
Royalty %
5%
Marketing %
1%
Equipment Costs (Low)
$1,600
Equipment Costs (High)
$10,350
Working Capital
$42,500
Audited Financials
Yes
Offers Financing
No
Audit Opinion
Unqualified opinion
Financial Health Notes
The FDD highlights A Better Solution In Home Care's financial condition as a special risk, noting that the franchisor's financial statements call into question its ability to provide services and support. While the company reported net income of $31,773 in 2024 and $156,707 in 2023, it still carries an accumulated deficit (negative retained earnings) of $90,496 as of December 31, 2024. The company also has significant receivables from its stockholders ($273,263) and notes payable to related parties ($199,200). In 2022, A Better Solution In Home Care incurred a net loss of $95,749, which management attributed to a strategic decision to slow franchise sales to focus on onboarding existing locations. Despite these past losses and current financial condition, management believes the company is in a stronger position to continue as a going concern.
Financing Details
ABS Franchise Services, Inc. does not offer any direct or indirect financing options to its franchisees, nor does it guarantee any notes, leases, or obligations for them. Franchisees will need to secure their own funding.
Performance Metrics
Total US Locations
29
Franchised Units
27
Corporate Units
2
Avg Square Footage
500
Franchising Since
2014
Legal & Compliance Analysis
Recent Litigation
Yes
Bankruptcy
No
Litigation Count
1
Litigation Summary
A Better Solution In Home Care is currently involved in one pending lawsuit. The case, Day Venture Enterprises, LLC, Pamela Day and Kenneth Day vs. A Better Solution in Home Care, Inc., et al., was filed in the Superior Court of California, San Diego County, on May 31, 2024. The plaintiffs, Day Venture Enterprises, LLC and its principals, allege that ABS Franchise Services, Inc. and its affiliates fraudulently induced them to enter a Franchise Agreement and Management Services Agreement with misrepresentations of a 100% passive business model. They claim breach of contract, false advertising, and negligence, seeking to rescind the agreements, unspecified monetary damages, punitive damages, and attorney's fees. ABS Franchise Services, Inc. disputes these allegations and intends to vigorously defend the matter. The case is in the initial pleadings stage, and legal counsel estimates potential losses in the $25,000 - $75,000 range, while believing defenses are strong.
Bankruptcy History
A Better Solution In Home Care has no bankruptcy history to report.
Agreement Terms
Initial Term
10 years
Renewal Term
10 years
Renewal Conditions
To renew their A Better Solution In Home Care franchise, franchisees must be in good standing, with no more than two late payments for which written notice was given in the last three years, and no material breaches of their agreement. They must have substantially complied with all operating standards and met minimum royalty payments during the preceding term. Franchisees are required to give written notice of their intent to renew between 12 and 18 months before the current agreement ends. Upon renewal, they must pay a fee equal to 25% of the then-current initial franchise fee and sign the franchisor's then-current franchise agreement, which may have materially different terms, including new territorial boundaries or economic conditions. Additionally, franchisees must continue to possess their approved premises or secure new approved premises, and remodel or refurbish the location, signs, and equipment to meet current brand standards at their own expense. Franchisees must also not have engaged in any unethical or dishonest business dealings that could harm the brand or the franchisor.
Training & Support Program
Franchisor Assistance
Before opening, ABS Franchise Services, Inc. licenses the Marks and System, designates the territory, and loans the Operating Manuals. The franchisor also provides office layout specifications, reviews proposed leases, offers a $500 Grand Opening kit with marketing materials, and assists with ordering business cards, letterhead, recruiting, and initial marketing materials. Franchisees receive job descriptions, an office supply checklist, access to an intranet, a customized external website, and assistance with financial forecasting and suggested pay/billing rates. Initial training, lasting five days for up to three people (including the franchisee and/or manager and scheduler), is provided at headquarters or an affiliate's business in San Diego, California, with franchisees responsible for travel and living expenses. The franchisor can also optionally assist with obtaining state home care licenses for an additional $3,500 fee. After opening, ABS Franchise Services, Inc. provides ongoing consultation and advice on administrative, operational, and sales issues via phone, writing, electronically, or in person. It offers four days of initial on-site coaching, quality assurance audits, and continuing education within the first 120 days, with ongoing coaching potentially being off-site in subsequent years. The franchisor provides ongoing analysis and recommendations for billing and pay scale rates, administers the Marketing Fund, and approves local advertising. Franchisees receive periodic updates to the Operations Manual and staffing suggestions including organizational charts, job descriptions, and interview guides. ABS Franchise Services, Inc. may hold mandatory annual conferences, for which franchisees pay a registration fee and cover their own travel/living expenses. Optional refresher training courses are available for an additional fee. Franchisees can also opt to use an afterhours on-call staffing service for a weekly fee (currently $500, potentially rising to $1,000). Optionally, franchisees can engage an affiliate, CSMSS, for enhanced administrative, staffing, coaching, and basic management and supervision services for an initial fee of $4,500 and a monthly fee of $2,500.
Initial Training Hours
80
Training Location
San Diego, CA
Ongoing Support
After opening, A Better Solution In Home Care franchisees receive ongoing consultation and advice on administrative, operational, and sales issues through various communication methods. The franchisor provides initial on-site coaching, quality assurance audits, and continuing education for four days within the first 120 days, with the possibility of off-site support in subsequent years. Franchisees benefit from continuous analysis and recommendations regarding billing and pay scale rates, and the franchisor manages the Marketing Fund, including approving local advertising. Updates to the Operations Manual are periodically provided, and staffing suggestions (including organizational charts and job descriptions) are offered. A Better Solution In Home Care may also hold mandatory annual conferences, requiring franchisees to pay a registration fee and cover their own travel and living expenses. Optional refresher training courses are available for an additional fee. Franchisees have the option to utilize an afterhours on-call staffing service for a weekly fee, currently set at $500 but potentially increasing to $1,000. Additionally, franchisees can choose to engage an affiliate, Caring Solutions Management & Staffing Services, Inc. (CSMSS), for enhanced administrative, staffing, coaching, and basic management and supervision services for an initial fee of $4,500 and a monthly fee of $2,500. This affiliate service can be terminated by either party with 60 days' written notice.
Franchise Requirements
Ideal Candidate Profile
A Better Solution In Home Care seeks franchisees who are entrepreneurial and possess strong managerial abilities, with a keen focus on customer service and strict adherence to the franchise's standards and guidelines. While prior experience in the home care industry is not a prerequisite, candidates must be prepared to be actively involved in the management and operation of their agency. This involves either dedicating their full time and effort to the business or actively assisting a designated manager. Franchisees must reserve and exercise ultimate authority and responsibility over their agency's operations, ensuring high standards of quality, appearance, and service consistent with the A Better Solution In Home Care brand.
Industry Experience Required
No
Management Experience Required
No
Sales Experience Required
No
Technical Skills Required
No
Operational Details
Location Type
Hybrid
Owner Participation
Full-Time
Territory Type
Exclusive
Staff Count
2
Territory Size Requirements
A Better Solution In Home Care grants franchisees an exclusive geographic territory, defined by specific zip codes and physical boundaries. The typical territory is designed to include a population of approximately 500,000 people. When determining the original size and boundaries, A Better Solution In Home Care considers various factors such as the number of people in the logical market area, the presence and scale of competitors, local traffic patterns, natural geographic determinants, and economic data. The franchisor does not necessarily give controlling weight to any single factor or combination of factors. Franchisees receive an exclusive territory, meaning ABS Franchise Services, Inc. will not establish a competing company-owned, affiliate-owned, or franchised business within those boundaries, provided the franchisee remains in good standing.
Staffing Notes
A Better Solution In Home Care requires its franchisees to maintain a minimum staffing level of at least one Operations Manager and one Scheduler for the agency office. Both must complete the initial training program and meet the franchisor's minimum standards. Any new Operations Manager must complete training within 60 days of assuming the role, and a new Scheduler within 30 days. Franchisees are solely responsible for all hiring, firing, training, promotion, and wage/hour compliance for their employees. This includes conducting criminal background checks on all prospective employees and caregivers, requiring pre-employment and random drug tests, and active participation in safety training seminars. The franchisor also offers staffing support, including recommended organizational charts for various revenue levels, detailed job descriptions for all office and field positions, and interview guides. A live on-call staffer is mandatory 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with access to phone and email during non-operating hours.