Welcome to the Group Income Program!
Our goal is to provide all participants with economic security, transparency, and community support. This handbook explains how the program works, your rights, responsibilities, and how you can participate safely and effectively.
The Group Income Program ensures every participant receives a stable, livable baseline of income through shared contributions.
Contributions are based on Effective Income (EI) — your monthly income minus certain allowable debt obligations.
Payouts are equal for all participants, maintaining fairness and predictability.
The program is structured as a nonprofit research/education project:
Contributions are tax-deductible.
Payouts are not considered taxable income for participants.
Our platform is designed to support nested or autonomous income-sharing groups, allowing communities to experiment with sharing models safely.
Base Contribution:
A fixed percentage of EI (e.g., 10%) goes into the base pool.
Base payouts are calculated annually and announced ahead of time, with monthly payments distributed according to the estimate.
Windfalls & Wealth Tax:
Windfalls are treated as wealth, not income.
Contributions for wealth are calculated using the 4% rule applied to total assets, at the same base percentage as income.
Debt Considerations:
Certain debt payments reduce your Effective Income (EI).
You may choose which debts count for EI calculation according to program rules.
Total EI cannot be negative; all participants receive the same base payout.
Affinity Groups are optional subgroups where participants can share additional income beyond the base contribution.
Key Points:
Participation is voluntary.
Contributions to affinity groups stack additively on top of the base contribution but cannot exceed 100% of income.
You may belong to multiple affinity groups simultaneously.
Group-managed affinity groups: The group may set internal rules for contribution distribution, but any member can leave at any time without penalty.
Affinity groups may operate collective accounts, exit funds, retirement/nest-egg funds, or other financial mechanisms.
Rules are flexible within each group; base program payouts remain unchanged.
Voluntary Participation: You may join, leave, or rejoin the program or any affinity group at any time.
Exit Rights: Leaving an affinity group immediately stops participation in that group without affecting base pool payouts or other groups you remain in.
Financial Transparency: The program’s overall finances are fully transparent. Individual participant finances remain private and are not shared with the government.
Safety: Affinity groups and nested communities are structured to allow participants to avoid abusive or coercive situations.
Participants and outside groups may create their own income-sharing communities using the program model.
Integration: Communities can nest under the platform while operating autonomously, following their own rules for internal pooling, collective funds, or wealth accumulation.
Voluntary Exit: Individuals can leave nested communities at any time without penalty.
Transparency & Compliance: Communities must operate in alignment with nonprofit goals and IRS regulations if receiving program support or grants.
Base payouts are announced once per year, based on conservative estimates.
Monthly payments are distributed according to the announced schedule.
Affinity group contributions and payouts follow group-specific rules.
Optional bonuses may be distributed if pooled income exceeds projections.
Debt payments may reduce EI for contribution purposes.
The program does not dictate personal spending but encourages responsible management to maximize stability.
Participants may track finances through the platform (e.g., Empower or an equivalent) for accuracy and transparency.
Participants are encouraged to connect with others through monthly conversations, meetings, or activities.
Engagement strengthens mutual trust, improves community decision-making, and provides feedback for program research.
The program operates as a nonprofit research/education project with a Board of Directors.
Participants do not vote on base program operations, but feedback is actively solicited.
Affinity groups and nested communities may set internal governance rules for members.
Participation in the program includes research and data collection on financial stability, community engagement, and outcomes.
Data will be used to refine the program and publish findings.
All personal financial data remains private; only aggregated or anonymized data may be used in research.
Program enrollment and research participation are reviewed annually, aligned with the tax year.
Participants are notified of changes to contributions, payouts, or program rules before the new year begins.
Financial stability and economic security
Participant wellbeing and sense of safety
Cohesion and trust within affinity groups and communities
Growth of the base pool to onboard new participants
Sustainable nested community operation without jeopardizing the core program
Program support is available for questions about contributions, payouts, affinity groups, or nested communities.
Issues of abuse, coercion, or financial mismanagement can be reported confidentially.
Participants may leave the program at any time.
Upon leaving:
You keep any payouts already received.
You stop receiving future payouts immediately.
You are no longer obligated to contribute to the base pool or any affinity groups.
Re-Entry / Joining Rules
Rejoining the program is subject to program capacity; a waitlist may apply.
Contribution Ramp-Up Upon Entry:
Initial contribution starts at 1% of Effective Income.
Duration at 1% increases with the number of times you have joined the program:
First entry → 1% for 1 month, then doubles monthly until reaching base contribution (e.g., 10%).
Second entry → 1% for 2 months, then doubles monthly until reaching 10%.
Third entry → 1% for 3 months, then doubles monthly until reaching 10%.
Doubling continues monthly until the full base contribution is reached.
This system discourages frequent exits and entries while maintaining fairness.
Penalties / Protections
Participants who repeatedly exit and re-enter may be reviewed or denied re-entry to preserve program stability.
Exiting the program carries no other financial penalty beyond stopping contributions and future payouts.
Exit and entry rules are applied consistently and transparently at the program level.
Individual financial information remains private; only the program’s overall finances are fully transparent.