Trading Tools › Prop Firm Payout Cycle Planner

Prop Firm Payout Cycle Planner

Q: Why does the per-day target rise in later cycles?

Each max payout removes more profit than you keep, so once the account reaches steady state you must rebuild the whole cap amount every cycle over the same number of winning days.

Q: Can the account go to zero in the Coast scenario?

Payouts alone cannot take it to zero because each payout is a percentage of remaining profit, but real losing days can - that is what the cushion risk meter warns about.

Enter your funded account balance and payout rules. It tells you whether you can request now, what each winning day must earn to hit the max payout every cycle, when each payout lands, and what the whole stream adds up to — after costs.

Account & payout rules

Starting balance ($)Current balance ($)Winning days done this cycleWinning days requiredMin P&L for a winning day ($)Payout % of profitMax payout per request ($)Your profit split (%)Cycles to projectAvg losing days per cycleAvg loss per losing day ($)Payout cadence (calendar days)Buffer you refuse to trade below ($)Eval cost ($)Activation / reset fees ($)

This cycle

Steady state

Once your profit settles at the level that allows a max payout, every cycle looks the same:

Cushion risk meter

Most firms reset the Maximum Loss Limit to $0 profit after a payout — whatever profit you leave in the account is your entire cushion.

Projection

Gross payoutCushion left after payoutOther scenario (comparison)

Plan my week

Net of costs

Counts the eval and activation/reset fees you entered against everything you receive across the projection.

Cycle by cycle

Cycle	≈ Date	Profit at start	Days to trade	Target / winning day	Cycle target	Profit at request	Payout	You receive	Cushion after	Cumulative received

How the math works

Max-payout target

If you may withdraw P% of profit capped at C, you need profit of C ÷ P% at request time to get the full cap. At 50% and $2,000 that is $4,000.

Per-day target

(Max-payout target − profit left after last payout + expected losses) ÷ winning days required, never below the minimum winning-day amount. If you model losing days, the money they cost is built into this number.

Cushion

Firms like Topstep reset the Maximum Loss Limit to $0 profit after a payout, so whatever profit you leave in the account is your entire cushion. The cushion column is that amount; the risk meter divides it by a typical losing day to show how many red days you are from a breach.

Coast scenario

You only book the minimum winning days. Taking a percentage each time never drains the account to zero by payouts alone, but the payouts shrink toward (days × minimum day) and the cushion shrinks with them — and modeled losing days can push it lower.

Payout rules change and vary by firm and account type. Always confirm the current rules on your firm’s own dashboard before trading or requesting a payout. This planner is an educational model, not financial advice.

FAQ

How do prop firm payouts actually work?

Most futures prop firms let funded traders withdraw a percentage of account profit (often 50%), capped per request, and only after a minimum number of qualifying winning days. You request, the firm approves, and your share is paid according to your profit split.

Why does my cushion shrink after every payout?

Because the Maximum Loss Limit typically resets to $0 profit after a payout. Whatever profit you left in the account is now the entire distance between you and a blown account — withdraw more, keep less protection.

Why does the per-day target rise in later cycles?

Each max payout removes more profit than you keep. Once the account settles into steady state, you must rebuild the whole cap amount each cycle over the same number of winning days — that is why the target per winning day climbs and then flattens.

Standard vs Consistency payout path — which is better?

Consistency-style paths usually need fewer qualifying days and allow a bigger cap, but demand more even daily results. Standard paths qualify faster per dollar on big days. Model both by changing the winning-days and max-payout inputs and compare the total received line.

Can the account go to zero in the Coast scenario?

Payouts alone cannot take it to zero, because each payout is a percentage of remaining profit. But real losing days can — that is exactly what the cushion risk meter is warning you about.

Want to pass the challenge and keep the payouts coming?

Learn the exact risk framework Ndemazeah uses on funded accounts inside the Godlove University prop-firm course & community.

Join Godlove University →