Yearly Fee

[MyJourney]

Dear,

i was initiated in the middle of the November and i paid initiation fee and yearly membership fee. My question is. Is it normal that i paid yearly fee two months after again because new year started? It means i paid yearly fee in full one and a half months before new year and than again? Shouldn’t i pay just a part of it because the first year i was just one month a member and payed fully anyway?

 

[Glen Cook]

Not all grand lodges have the same rules. Even if we knew the name of your grand lodge, we might not know the rules.

 

[Bloke]

What Bro Glen said is correct.

I can tell you what I would have done as Lodge Sec, I would have charged you twice. However that first charge would have been prorata (12 months divided by 12 times full months left).
However, I would have also given you the option of paying once, and for 14 months and collect any small adjustment/debt because of dues rises in the following year - but I would have talked through that with you...

Many lodges here used to have a costly joining fee, that's been done away with.

Again, Bro Glen is correct, each GL will have its own rules.. but where there are no GL rules (and that's often the case to allow flexibility ) the Lodge makes their own..and when they don't have them, the Secretary can just use logic and fairness (one hopes).

Have a look at your bills (and I am assuming they are issued and not just a total supplied, but that does happen). Look if you have a full year of dues, and if in advance or arrears. Look of you have a joining fee (in addition to that initiation fee). I would not be surprised if you had a joining fee of one years dues, which would explain this to me.

But.. just politely ask. There is an explanation and one could be it is fair, and another is the Sec might have made a mistake.

(and if you become a Sec, remember this, and look to avoid the situation and feelings you have, this sort of thing can loose members, but in your journey, also tell you something about yourself)