# Fund the session ceiling

A monthly budget plan is not the cash you load for one session. Before a live agent spend run, fund only the session or daily ceiling you already set. Leftover balance above the cap is still spendable if tools can reach it — empty or park excess, then fund the ceiling. Agent Lane does not place trades or hold wallets.

Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/fund-session-ceiling/

## Answer first

The monthly budget plan is how much you are willing to risk this calendar month. The money loaded for one session is only the session ceiling you move into the dedicated spend path. Write the plan, empty or park surplus, then fund only that ceiling.

## Monthly plan vs this load

- **Monthly budget plan** — calendar-month risk on paper. Not cash the agent can spend tonight.
- **Session ceiling** — the live cap for this run.
- **Sleeve** — the dedicated wallet or brokerage spend pocket the tools can reach. Load the sleeve to the session ceiling, not to the monthly plan.
- **MCP** — a connector plug-in the agent can call. If it can reach the sleeve, it can spend the balance that is there.

Write the plan. Fund only this session. Refill after receipts, with the tools off.

## Your monthly plan is not the session fund

Your monthly plan is the most this project may cost in a calendar month. The session fund is the cash you load into the sleeve for one run, equal to the session ceiling. Keep the plan on paper; fund one session at a time. Limits: [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md).

Example: monthly plan $400 (on paper) · daily max $80 · session ceiling $40 · session fund $40 in the sleeve. A runaway loop stops at $40. With $400 in the sleeve and a $40 cap only in a prompt, the loop can spend the month.

Sizing: monthly plan ÷ expected live sessions, round down, keep it inside the daily max, fund only that, refill after receipts with tools off.

A monthly AI app plan or usage allowance is not the session fund. It pays for the model, not for broker, wallet, or merchant spend.

## How to fund the session ceiling

1. Separate the monthly plan from this load. Do not move the whole month into the spend path.
2. Write the session max and daily max in code or product settings ([agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md)).
3. Empty or park excess on the sleeve.
4. Fund only the ceiling for this run. No “for later” top-up while tools will be live.
5. Check the balance before you connect.
6. Keep review before place on. Empty again when the run ends ([revoke-before-debug.md](./revoke-before-debug.md)).

## FAQ

**Is my monthly plan the same as the session fund?**
No. The session fund is one run's cash, sized to the session ceiling. Loading the whole plan lets one bad run spend the month.

**Is a monthly bot budget enough?**
No. You also need a session ceiling and daily max in code or settings, and a sleeve funded only to the session ceiling ([agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md)).

**Does my AI app subscription count as the session fund?**
No. Track it apart from the spend sleeve.

**Is a monthly budget plan the same as the money loaded for one session?**
No. Loading the whole monthly plan makes that month spendable in one live run.

**What should I load if the plan is larger than the session ceiling?**
Only the session ceiling, inside the daily max. Leave the rest unfunded until a later session.

**What does fund the session ceiling mean?**
Put only the session or daily max into the sleeve. That load is not the monthly plan. Park leftover above the cap first.

## Related

- [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md)
- [proactive-ping-not-spend.md](./proactive-ping-not-spend.md)
- [dedicated-agent-wallet.md](./dedicated-agent-wallet.md)
- [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md)

## Sources

- Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/fund-session-ceiling/
- Deepened 2 October 2026 ET: monthly plan vs money loaded for one session.
- Deepened 5 October 2026 ET: your monthly plan is not the session fund (worked example, sizing steps, app plan note).

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