What questions should I ask before I sign a coaching contract?

What do you ask about the price?

Ask for the all-in number. The headline price, the monthly figure and the total can be three different things.

• "What is the total I owe over the full term, including every fee, if I never attend a session?"
• "What are all the fees, the renewal terms and every exit clause?"
• "Is the deposit refundable, in writing, and for how long?"
• "What is the price on Monday, and has anyone paid the list price?"

A "payment plan" is often a full-term obligation. For the total, the federal Cooling-Off Rule counts the purchase price as everything paid or to be paid, including interest and service charges ^[S3]. See Is a coaching "payment plan" really a full-term contract?.

What do you ask about canceling and refunds?

Ask where the answer is written, not just what the answer is.

• "If I change my mind tomorrow, in a week or in a month, what exactly can I cancel, what do I get back, and where is that in the contract?"
• "Does the contract say non-refundable, no cancellation, arbitration or a venue I must travel to?"
• "Was the cancellation notice that covered sales require given to me orally and in writing?" The Cooling-Off Rule requires it for covered sales ^[S4], and whether it covers a coaching program is unresolved. See Can I cancel a coaching contract I signed at a live event?.

What do you ask about payments and financing?

Ask who holds the debt and who collects it.

• "What happens if I miss a payment? Who collects?"
• "Is there a separate financing company? What is the APR, the total and the lender's name, in writing?"
• "Can I stop paying, and what happens if I do?"

Do not open new credit at the event. A third-party lender is a different creditor with different rules; see I financed it through a lender at the event. Can I stop those payments?.

What do you ask about results?

Ask for the paper behind the number.

• "What is the typical result of past buyers, and what share of buyers achieve it?"
• "Where is the written earnings disclosure?"

Federal rules require some sellers to hold written substantiation for earnings claims. The current Business Opportunity Rule requires a reasonable basis for earnings claims, but its scope is limited, and "advertising and general advice about business development and training" does not count as providing locations, outlets, accounts or customers ^[S60]. The FTC proposed in January 2025 to extend the rule to coaching; as of October 2026 that proposal is not final ^[S10]. No document means no claim to rely on.

What do you ask about the person on the stage?

Ask what can be checked. Coaching is largely unregulated in the U.S., and a credential can be a short certificate ^[S31].

• "What training and results can you document, and who verified them?"

Your move: write down the answer, and who gave it, on the spot.

What can you do next after you have your answers?

Compare the answers with the contract, then check the red flags. Use the in-the-room checklist, or tell us what happened.

Who writes this site's guidance on questions to ask?

This site is written by Coached Into Debt, an organization, not a person. It names no company, coach or program and sells nothing. More about the site