# Funded-Account Checklists — Jalen Trades > Six operational checklists for funded futures traders. Derived from the 5-layer framework + documented practice running multiple TopStep funded accounts. Free, MPL 2.0 licensed. > > Web version with full context: https://jalentrades.com/learn/funded-account-checklists > 5-layer framework reference: https://jalentrades.com/learn/the-5-layer-framework > Why most funded traders fail: https://jalentrades.com/learn/why-most-funded-traders-fail --- ## 1. Pre-Session Briefing (~5 min, before market open) - [ ] **Account state — drawdown headroom.** Note exact dollars between current equity and trailing drawdown floor. Note daily-loss limit (if firm enforces). Output: "Headroom: $___. Daily-loss limit: $___." - [ ] **Sizing tier for the day.** 1x base / 2x B-grade / 3x A-grade. Below 50% of starting headroom → drop one tier. Below 25% → base only. Output: "Today's tiers: ___ / ___ / ___." - [ ] **Instruments-in-play call.** What's the day's expected highest-edge instrument? Output: "In-play today: ___. Avoid: ___." - [ ] **Framework-grade pre-commit.** Default: B+ or better. After a loss: A only. After two losses: day is over. Output: "Today's minimum grade: ___." - [ ] **Session-window plan.** Live RTH (6:30am-1pm PT) + post-Asia (5pm-9pm PT). 3-5pm PT dead zone = no new entries. Output: "New entries: ___. Dead zone: hold only." - [ ] **Tilt check.** 1-5 self-rating: Focus ___ / Fatigue ___ / Pressure ___. Below 3 → drop one sizing tier or skip. --- ## 2. Pre-Trade Check (~30 sec per entry) - [ ] **Framework grade.** L1 compression ✓/✗ · L2 anticipatory ✓/✗ · L3 trigger ✓/✗ · L4 target declared ✓/✗ · L5 inside session ✓/✗. Count ✓'s: 5=A, 4=B+, 3=C+, less=PASS. - [ ] **Grade clears today's pre-commit?** If no → pass. Override requires explicit log in override-capture journal. - [ ] **Sizing matches the tier.** A=3mc · B=2mc · base=1mc. Adjusted for current headroom. NO sizing up for "conviction" mid-session. - [ ] **Stop placement.** Past structural invalidation (last swing / wick zone / prior-period level). Wide stops > tight stops in noisy futures. - [ ] **Risk math.** Dollar risk on this trade ≤ 33% of remaining drawdown headroom (≤20% = safer). Three consecutive losses at this size shouldn't breach the floor. - [ ] **Exit anchor declared.** HTF structural label OR 2-3R cap. Pre-declared at entry. Climactic range expansion at target = exit signal. --- ## 3. Daily Action Plan (~3 min, midday or per-trade) - [ ] **Where does the day stand.** Net P&L vs daily-loss limit. Trades vs 3-shots cap. Highest-conviction setup taken vs missed. - [ ] **Next bounded action.** One sentence describing the next allowed action. Examples: "Wait for ES compression coil resolution at 1pm PT" · "Day is over — two losses, no more entries" · "Held position rides through dead zone." - [ ] **Spiral check.** Revenge entry? Forced trade against framework grade? Sized up after loss? Re-entered same setup repeatedly? Any yes → day is over. - [ ] **Consistency-rule pacing** (if firm enforces). If you've had a big day this period, today's trades should be SMALLER not larger. Smaller and more sessions; do NOT chase one bigger session to dilute later. --- ## 4. Post-Session Scorecard (~5 min, after session close) - [ ] **Trades taken.** Count · Symbol · Side · Entry · Exit · R captured · Grade-at-entry vs Grade-in-retrospect. - [ ] **Compliance score.** % of trades that met pre-session pre-commit. Above 90% = clean. 70-90% = drift. Below 70% = framework graded but not respected. Below 50% = stand-down day tomorrow. - [ ] **Top rule pressure points.** Which layer got violated most today? Track YOUR personal pressure point over a month. - [ ] **Account-state delta.** Equity start vs end. Headroom delta. If you closed below 50% of starting headroom, tomorrow's tier auto-drops. - [ ] **One-line lesson.** Single sentence the day taught you. Rule reinforced / pattern surfaced / override captured. --- ## 5. Hard Guardrails (configure once, refresh quarterly) - [ ] **block_new_entries** = ON (recommended). When daily-loss limit or trailing drawdown warning hits → automatic block on new orders until session reset. Removes the "make it back" decision from the worst possible state. - [ ] **auto_flatten_on_breach** = OFF (recommended until tested). Manual flatten with practiced muscle memory > untested auto-flatten in most setups. Re-evaluate after 100+ sessions. - [ ] **Daily-loss lock.** Pre-commit a daily loss cap tighter than firm's daily-loss limit (typically 2 base-tier losses or 1 max-tier loss). Lock at session start. - [ ] **Contract cap.** Match firm rule, then tighten for current account state (e.g., 3mc max while framework calibrating; scale up as compliance score sustains above 90%). --- ## 6. Incident Triage (when warnings or breaches fire) ### Warning — daily-loss approaching (75-80% of limit) - [ ] Stop initiating new trades immediately. - [ ] Hold in-flight positions only if structural invalidation is BEYOND the daily-loss math. - [ ] Reduce size on held positions where possible without breaching exit logic. - [ ] DO NOT double up to "make it back" — spiral entry point. ### Warning — drawdown approaching (75-80% of headroom consumed) - [ ] Same as above — stop initiating, hold only if invalidation beyond floor, reduce size. - [ ] Math is most lethal closest to floor; this is when "trade to make it back" must NOT happen. ### Breach — daily-loss limit hit - [ ] Account out for the day. Stop. Don't argue with account state. - [ ] Tomorrow's pre-session starts with new (lower) starting equity + reduced sizing tier. - [ ] Take the loss. Don't break firm rule trying to recover. ### Breach — trailing drawdown floor hit - [ ] Account closed. Take the lesson, not the resentment. - [ ] Most account-blow events are NOT one bad trade — they're an unrealized winner that wasn't closed at the peak (floor advanced) followed by a separate later trade that breached the now-elevated floor. - [ ] Review post-session scorecard from the day; killing trade is usually NOT where the leverage was lost. - [ ] Capture lesson in journal. Buy next eval at firm's current pricing OR pivot firm based on what post-mortem shows about which structure didn't fit you. ### Data-gap or stale-feed signal - [ ] DO NOT assume "safe." - [ ] Pause new entries until fresh state is confirmed. - [ ] Stale interval may have moved the floor or hit a daily-loss threshold without your visibility. - [ ] Resume only when fresh data flows. --- ## License MPL 2.0 (Mozilla Public License 2.0) — copy, modify, redistribute, keep the license attached. © 2026 JalenTrades · https://jalentrades.com ## Risk disclosure Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. Most retail traders lose money. Past performance is not indicative of future results. These checklists are operational templates; nothing here is investment advice. Funded-account rules vary by firm and account type — verify current rules on your firm's site. Operator does not manage customer accounts.