The two failure modes

Coaches default to one of two refund postures, both of which create downstream problems.

The over-generous posture: "Anytime, anything, no questions." Feels customer-friendly. Attracts a small subset of clients who treat coaching like a 30-day return policy. You end up refunding 3–4 months of work after the client has used everything you delivered.

The over-tight posture: "All sales final." Protects you from abuse but earns you bad reviews from the legitimately mismatched client and kills sign-up conversion. New clients reading the terms close the tab.

The pro-rata principle

Pro-rata is the only refund posture that holds up under both real-world failures.

  • Completed months are not refundable. The work was delivered, the client consumed it.
  • The current month is refundable on a pro-rata basis from the day of cancellation. If they cancel on day 12 of a 30-day cycle, they get 18/30 back.
  • Cancellation is effective at end of pro-rata window or end of current month, your choice as the coach. The contract should let you choose for continuity reasons.

The 30-day "didn't fit" window

Inside the first 30 days a client can cancel with a full refund of any payments made. The clause exists because the first 30 days is where fit becomes obvious, and you do not want a wrong-fit client trapped by your refund policy.

Past 30 days, the standard pro-rata applies. The window is firm: no extensions, no negotiations. Naming the date in the contract removes the conversation.

What to refuse cleanly

Refund requests outside the policy get a single response, written and warm: "Per the contract you signed on [date], refunds apply on a pro-rata basis from the date of cancellation. I will process [exact amount] today. The earlier months were delivered as agreed."

Do not negotiate, do not over-explain, do not apologize. The contract is the contract. Most coaches lose more money on bent refund policies than on every other category of business loss combined.