Free tool
See what negative carryover costs you
Enter six months of net results to compare payouts with and without negative carryover and put a number on what losing months take out of your total.
Try a scenario
When on, losing months roll into the following months before anything is paid.
Results, six months
Total paid out, with carryover
$9,500
| Month | Net result | No carryover | With carryover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 |
| 2 | -$1,500 | $0 | $0 |
| 3 | $2,500 | $2,500 | $1,000 |
| 4 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| 5 | -$2,000 | $0 | $0 |
| 6 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $1,500 |
| Total | $13,000 | $9,500 |
Carrying losses forward holds back $3,500 over these six months, paying $9,500 instead of $13,000 under a reset deal.
Illustrative math only. This is not a projection of earnings and no outcome is guaranteed.
How the math works
Each month starts from your net result, commissions earned minus the deductions your agreement applies. Without negative carryover, a losing month is reset to zero and the next month starts fresh, so every positive month is paid in full.
With negative carryover, a losing month creates a balance that rolls forward. Following months first repay that balance, and you are only paid on what remains above zero. The simulator runs both regimes on the same six numbers, so the difference between the totals is the exact cost of the clause.
Agreements vary on how long losses roll forward and whether balances reset quarterly or annually. The mechanics here show the direction and size of the effect, not the terms of any specific program.
Questions, answered
What is negative carryover?
A clause that rolls a negative monthly balance into the following months. You earn nothing until the accumulated loss is repaid from future positive results.
Is a deal without negative carryover always better?
All else equal, yes, because losing months are forgiven instead of repaid. In practice terms are priced together, so weigh the carryover clause against the rate and the rest of the agreement.
Do losses roll forward forever?
It depends on the agreement. Some programs carry losses indefinitely, others reset the balance quarterly or yearly. The duration changes how much the clause costs, so read the terms.
Related tools and terms
Page updated July 22, 2026.
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