business owners and consumers are nothing alike. Does the contract you present your ISOs bind you to paying your ISOs on renewals? If so, it doesn't matter if they don't do any work after the initial advance.

"The same cannot be said for some brokers/brokerages, who only seek to make as much up front commission as possible and stack the Merchant's into a hole that is virtually impossible to get out of. "

I don't know what brokers you work with, but you are obviously working with the wrong ones.

If your contract says the ISO gets paid, you pay the ISO. You were happy to get the deal, but now that it's old news you're upset that they continue to make money on it. You either pay on renewals or you don't. You either use brokers or you don't.