The key is not whether to pay, but first telling a penalty deposit from a refundable booking payment, then deciding the amount and the written terms.
What This Question Is Really Asking
Many transfer the money as soon as they hear the word deposit without checking which term the contract uses, only to find it is non-refundable when they change their mind, or not knowing they can claim double return when the other side breaches.
The Underlying Logic
A deposit is a form of guarantee, often appearing when the Wealth Palace is activated together with the property or career deal, marking an upfront sum that binds the later contract.
A penalty deposit carries rules: if the paying party breaches, the deposit is kept; if the receiving party breaches, it must be returned double. A booking payment is usually treated as an advance and is refundable without special terms.
The deposit amount is agreed by the parties but cannot exceed a set share of the main contract value, and the excess does not carry deposit effect.
When the Wealth Palace stars are steady and the written terms are clear, the deal tends to proceed as agreed; with Hua Ji and malefics, put the term, amount and refund conditions in the contract rather than relying on words.
A Step-by-Step Way to Read It
- Confirm whether the contract says penalty deposit or refundable booking payment, as the rules differ
- Check whether the amount is within the legal ratio, since the excess does not carry the deposit penalty
- Put the amount, timing and refund conditions in the contract and keep proof of payment
- Read the annual Wealth Palace and the deal palace to judge whether the guarantee is sound
- If you may change your mind, weigh the cost of a non-refundable deposit before paying
- When the other side breaches, claim double return on the written terms, with the law and contract as the basis
Three Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Ignoring the difference between the two deposit terms and finding it non-refundable after paying
Mistake 2: Not checking an excessive amount, leaving the excess unenforceable
Mistake 3: Relying on verbal terms without a written contract and payment proof
Back to Your Own Chart
A deposit appears as the Wealth Palace moving first to bind a deal, not something you cannot pay, but the term and penalty must be clear first. Put the amount and refund conditions in writing, accept the cost if you back out, and claim double return if the other side breaches, with the contract and professional legal advice as the basis.
Reading Order
- Cast the natal chart first and locate the palaces and major stars tied to deposit clauses and refunds before judging anything
- Open the triple-direction of those palaces and count the auspicious, malefic and assistant stars separately
- Check where the natal Four Transformations land to set the chart's baseline tone
- Read the decade-limit transformations to see whether the deposit clauses and refunds line is activated in this stage
- Then read the annual transformations and the year's palace to pin down this year's trigger and timing
- Layer natal, decade and year before concluding, then decide how to act rather than labeling good or bad