2 April 2026
What to put in a DCA pause scenario
A pause rule belongs in every dollar-cost averaging plan — here is how we define length, restart conditions, and calculator inputs so a break does not become an accidental exit.
Price drops are not the only reason people stop contributing. Deposits, medical bills, and job changes pause schedules more often. A plan without a pause scenario leaves you improvising.
Define the trigger in writing
Good pause triggers are boring: “cash buffer below three months of expenses,” “confirmed unpaid leave,” or “renovation invoice schedule overlapping contribution week.” Vague triggers like “when the market feels wrong” invite constant renegotiation.
Length and restart
We usually model a fixed pause length (six or twelve weeks) plus a restart date on the PC calculator. The restart does not “catch up” missed buys in one lump sum unless the client explicitly wants that — and we show the cash-flow hit first.
What the calculator needs
- Contribution amount set to zero for the pause window
- Unchanged asset weights for the resume period
- A note that exchange minimums still apply when buying resumes
After the pause
Book a short contribution schedule review if income changed during the break. Restarting on the old amounts without checking capacity is how plans fray.