FranFund vs Tenet Financial: ROBS Provider Comparison

FranFund may fit a buyer who wants more public detail before a sales call: published FranPlan setup pricing, a required monthly TPA price, federal tax ID support, corporate checking assistance, annual fair market value support, employee notices, amendments/restatements, and a separately priced Business Loans service.^[3][4]

Tenet may fit a buyer who is comfortable getting pricing by written quote and wants the public materials to emphasize administration access: Tenet says a qualified TPA handles ROBS plan design, installation, and administration; an assigned plan administrator helps with eligibility tracking, contributions, IRS filing requirements, and additional ROBS consulting; and Tenet walks owners through sale or dissolution steps.^[5]

The practical choice should turn on the written engagement letter, not on a broad winner label. Compare exact fees, responsible parties, cancellation rights, data handoff, correction support, valuation scope, and exit charges side by side.

The cost comparison has one computable side and one quote-only side. FranFund publishes the setup and required monthly TPA inputs used below; Tenet does not publish enough price inputs to calculate a responsible total.

Do not compare these totals as equivalent-scope totals. FranFund publishes the required TPA cadence; Tenet does not publish complete setup, recurring, first-year, or three-year inputs on the checked pages. A Tenet quote should separate base ROBS implementation from pass-throughs, add-ons, employee charges, valuation work, amendments, correction work, and exit support.

These cards use the same dimensions for both providers. A published item means the current checked public page names the support. A coordinated item means the provider describes involvement but leaves scope, actor, fee, or final responsibility to the contract. Unknown means the checked public pages do not state the point.

Provider claims remain provider claims. The IRS describes ROBS as a C corporation stock-purchase structure with filing, valuation, participant, contribution, rollover, and operational-compliance issues.^[1] The DOL states plan fiduciaries must evaluate service scope, fees, provider compensation, bundled or unbundled arrangements, participant information, cybersecurity practices, and ongoing monitoring.^[2]

Use these questions to turn the comparison into a written duty file. The goal is to identify the exact fee, actor, signer, deadline, and handoff for each ROBS task before either provider begins work.

• What are the exact setup, recurring, renewal, add-on, participant, state, brokerage, valuation, audit, correction and exit fees?
• Who handles corporation formation, plan documents, EIN, corporate bank or brokerage setup, rollover coordination, stock subscription, stock certificates, and final filings?
• Who signs plan documents, corporate records, Form 5500/5500-EZ, Form 1099-R, Form 945, Form 1120, and any correction filings?
• What happens when employees become eligible to participate, request deferrals, need notices, take loans, or receive distributions?
• What data will be exported if you leave the provider, in what format, and at what cost?
• For Tenet, separate partner/referral language and franchise logos from direct contractual duties. Public partner/referral language and franchise logos are lead signals only; Partner/referral claims do not prove direct Tenet service duties, included lender packaging, lender approval, or lender fees.^[6]
• For FranFund, keep Business Loans separate from FranPlan/TPA ROBS pricing unless the contract specifically combines products and itemizes the combined scope.^[3]

These answers address the choice questions most likely to change a buyer’s next step: whether either provider wins outright, what Tenet pricing can support, and how to treat FranFund loan packaging and Tenet partner language.

All six material sources were re-opened July 31, 2026. The source notes below identify what each source supports and where it stops. Safe schema only: Article, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList, Organization and Person. No Review schema, Product schema, rating summary, score field, capture form, quote form or affiliate ranking is used.

1. IRS ROBS compliance project

   Official boundary source re-opened July 31, 2026: ROBS arrangements use retirement funds to buy C corporation stock; IRS compliance checks focus on plan status, contributions, rollovers/direct transfers, participants, stock valuation and stock purchases, Form 5500/5500-EZ and Form 1120; determination letters do not protect operational failures.

2. DOL: Understanding Retirement Plan Fees and Expenses

   Official boundary source re-opened July 31, 2026: fiduciaries should evaluate complete services, fees, provider compensation, bundled/unbundled arrangements, participant information, cybersecurity practices and ongoing monitoring.

3. FranFund pricing

   Provider-controlled source re-opened July 31, 2026: FranPlan 401(k) Business Funding pricing page displayed $4,995 one-time set-up fee; TPA is $165/month and required to remain in compliance with IRS and DOL regulations; setup includes corporation establishment, organizational documents, federal tax ID, 401(k) plan and corporate checking account assistance, asset transfers, stock certificates and attorney consultation; TPA includes contributions, testing, Form 5500/1099-R/Form 945, annual FMV support, SAR and benefit statements, employee census and enrollment support, amendments/restatements, IRS/DOL audit assistance, transaction documentation and employee notifications; Business Loans are $2,500 one-time standard fee with lender matching, lender coordination and support through closing.

4. FranFund homepage

   Provider-controlled source re-opened July 31, 2026: FranFund says its process explores SBA Loans and FranPlan 401(k)/IRA Rollover Funding, provides a free pre-approval letter based on FranScore, uses in-house teams, offers continued guidance through TPA services, describes Business Loans separately, and describes FranPlan as using ROBS to invest in a business debt-free.

5. Tenet Financial Group ROBS Funding

   Provider-controlled source re-opened July 31, 2026: Tenet says it is an industry-leading Third-Party Administrator specializing in ROBS plan design, installation, and administration; typical funding in 4-5 weeks; requires $50,000 in pre-tax funds; four critical steps include establishment of a C-Corporation and a 401(k) Plan; qualified TPA is responsible for design, installation and administration; employees can participate and Tenet administrator helps track eligibility and contributions; when dissolving or selling, Tenet administrator walks through the process; Tenet helps file annual IRS Form 5500; assigned administrator is available for eligibility tracking, contributions, IRS filing requirements and additional ROBS consulting; ROBS, SBA 7(a) loans, or other types of funding may be assessed; Tenet does not provide tax, legal, or investment advice. No public dollar setup or recurring price was found.

6. Tenet Financial Group Partners

   Provider-controlled source re-opened July 31, 2026: Tenet partners with franchisors, consultants, brokers, funding partners, CPAs and professionals; collaborative partnerships cover financing and business startup processes; page displays 'FRANCHISES WE HAVE FUNDED'; Tenet does not provide tax, legal, or investment advice. Partner/referral claims do not prove direct Tenet service duties, loan approval, or included lender packaging.