All pool members have a one-year grace period in which they can receive distributions without meeting the minimum earnings threshold.
Pando is - by design - here to smooth out income volatility. In a second consecutive year of not meeting the minimum earnings threshold, a member will be “benched” from receiving distributions until they meet the threshold again.
Put simply - if someone in your pool earns less than the minimum for two years, let’s say because they become a scuba instructor, they are no longer eligible for pool distributions until they again earn above that amount.
Further, Pooling only works if contributions and distributions occur as promised. This is the central flaw with similar “handshake deals” among friends.
Every Pando pool is governed by a legally binding and enforceable contract, which lays out the rules for the pool. The contract clearly outlines when and how people pay, the penalties if payment is late or missed, and the intention to use legal remedies to enforce the obligation to pay.
And remember, Pando only gets paid when the pool does, so we have ensured that there is no way for pool members to “game” the system.