Understanding Fee-Due vs Overdue: Why the Distinction Matters

Not every unpaid fee deserves the same response. A member whose payment is due soon needs a gentle reminder. A member who's genuinely overdue needs a different, more direct conversation — conflating the two either annoys members too early or lets real problems sit too long.

Due soon: a nudge, not an alarm

A member approaching their renewal date benefits from a heads-up, timed early enough that paying feels routine rather than urgent.

Overdue: a decision point

Once a fee is genuinely overdue, it's worth a direct conversation — is this a payment method issue, a member who's quietly decided not to continue, or a genuine oversight? Each of those needs a different response, but you can't pick the right one without first noticing the fee crossed from due to overdue.

No plan at all is its own category

A member with no active plan isn't overdue — they're simply not currently a paying member. Keeping this as a distinct status avoids sending renewal reminders to someone who was never on a countdown to begin with.