How missed-chore penalties work

A penalty takes points or money away when a chore isn't done in time. It's set per chore, and it's a premium feature.

Set a penalty

You need to be a Household Manager.

1. Create a chore, or open one, tap the three dots at the top right and tap Edit.
2. Assign the chore to one or more people.
3. Under the reward, enter the Penalty If Missed: points in a points home, or an amount in an allowance home.
4. Tap Save.

The hint under the field says when the chore counts as missed.

Penalties can't be set on rotating chores, or on chores nobody is assigned to.

When a chore counts as missed

• With a time window, the chore is missed if it isn't finished when the window closes.
• Without a time window, it's missed if it isn't finished by the end of the day.

To set a window, see How to set a time window for a chore.

"Finished" means every task is checked off, and the photo is added if one is required.

Who loses points

• Individual chores: each assigned person who didn't finish their own copy.
• Shared chores: everyone assigned, if nobody finished it.
• Only people with Earn Rewards turned on.

A penalty only counts days after you set it. If you change the penalty, the schedule, the people, the tasks, the time window or the photo rule, it starts again from that moment. Nobody is charged for days before a change.

Chore Boss adds a penalty the next time a phone in your home updates after the chore was missed, for example when someone opens the app. Misses older than a week aren't charged.

What kids see

The penalty shows in Recent Activity on their rewards as "Missed:" and the chore name. Kids also get a notification on their phone.

A balance can go below zero. It shows in red, and there's nothing to pay out until it's back above zero.

If a kid finishes a missed chore late (only possible without a time window), they still earn its reward, but the penalty stays.

Excuse a missed chore

You need to be a Household Manager.

1. On the Rewards tab, tap the person.
2. Under Recent Activity, tap the penalty.
3. Tap Excuse.

The points or money are given back, and that day is never charged again.

Troubleshooting

• There's no Penalty If Missed field The chore rotates, nobody is assigned to it, or rewards are turned off in your home.
• A penalty didn't appear The chore was finished on time, the miss was more than a week ago, or the penalty was set after the deadline.
• "... owes ... from missed chores, so there is nothing to pay out yet." The balance is below zero. Wait until they earn more, or use Adjust Balance.