“The balance is refundable” does not mean every amount paid can be returned. A media service payment may contain usable advertising funds, consumed media, service fees, bank charges, taxes, promotional credits and work already completed. Each line can follow a different rule.
Review refunds charge by charge, not as one yes-or-no promise. For every amount, record who holds it, when it becomes earned or consumed, what evidence proves the amount, and how a refund is requested and paid.
| Charge or value | Question to resolve before payment | Evidence after payment |
|---|---|---|
| Unused media funds | Who holds them and under what billing arrangement? | Platform or supplier balance and reconciliation |
| Consumed media | Which report and timezone define consumption? | Final media-spend report |
| Supplier service fee | When is it earned and is any part prorated? | Invoice and delivered scope |
| Bank / payment charges | Are sender, intermediary and receiver fees recoverable? | Transfer records |
| Taxes | Can they be adjusted or credited under the relevant invoice rules? | Tax invoice or credit note |
| Promotional credit | Can it be transferred, refunded or converted to cash? | Platform terms and credit ledger |
Google states that a canceled Google Ads account may receive any refundable credit remaining in the account, typically through the original payment method, while the exact handling depends on the account and billing situation. That platform process is not automatically the same as a refund from a third-party supplier. Your contract should explain the chain.
Write the status next to each ledger line. Avoid relying on messages such as “we can return it later” without a calculation method, timing, payee and required documents.
Assume, for illustration only, that a buyer pays $10,000 for media funding plus a separately invoiced $400 onboarding service. By the closing date, the agreed report shows $7,500 of consumed media and $2,500 unused. A $30 payment-chain charge applies to the return. If the written agreement says the onboarding service is earned once completed, the fictional refund calculation is:
$2,500 unused media funds − $30 return charge = $2,470 potential cash refund
The $400 onboarding fee is not included under this fictional agreement because the defined work was completed. These values are not YC terms, a market benchmark or a customer result. Change the result whenever the actual agreement treats fees, taxes, credits or currency conversion differently.
A stated “30-day refund” is ambiguous unless the starting event is defined. Ask whether platform adjustments, invalid-traffic credits or late invoices can change the final amount after the first calculation.
Supplier / contract version: [ ]
Payment amount and currency: [ ]
Media-funding amount: [ ]
Supplier fees: [ ]
Bank / payment charges: [ ]
Taxes: [ ]
Credits or incentives: [ ]
Refundable status of each line: [ ]
When each line becomes earned / consumed: [ ]
Balance report and cut-off: [ ]
Refund trigger: [ ]
Request documents: [ ]
Approval owner and dispute window: [ ]
Refund currency and FX method: [ ]
Return charges: [ ]
Expected processing window and start event: [ ]
Treatment after account restriction or policy violation: [ ]
Pair this review with the two-ledger reconciliation worksheet and the cross-border FX comparison.
Send YC Global Tech your platform, website, target markets and expected monthly spend to request a written account-services quote. Refundable balances, service fees, processing time and policy-related exceptions are confirmed before payment.
Sources checked 11 October 2026. The refund model and checklist are original buyer tools.
Need help with an ad account, fees or funding terms? Talk to YC about your requirements.
Get a Quote on WhatsApp