Chama Share Out Calculator: Fair Year-End Payouts

Updated 1 November 2026

Updated November 2026

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This chama share out calculator works out what each member takes home at the year-end share-out. Enter each member’s total contributions, the loan interest and fines they paid, and any loan they still owe. It adds the group’s profit, shares it out fairly, takes off unpaid loans and gives you a payout list that adds up to the shilling. Then send the list to your WhatsApp group or save it as a PDF.

It is free and works on your phone. Nothing you type is saved or sent to us; the sums run in your browser.

How the chama share out calculator works

Most chamas that save and lend to members (table banking) share out the same way. The calculator follows that method:

1. Profit = loan interest paid by members + fines + other income (bank or money market fund interest) − expenses (bank charges, meeting costs).
2. Keep for next year (optional): a percentage of the profit the group agrees to leave in the account as seed money.
3. Each member’s profit share = profit to share × their weight. By contributions, the weight is the member’s contributions ÷ all contributions. Equally, every member gets 1 ÷ number of members. The mixed option averages the two.
4. Payout = member’s contributions + profit share − loan balance they still owe (principal plus any unpaid interest).

The payouts always add up to the cash the group should hold: contributions + profit − money kept back − loans still out with members. Type your actual bank and M-Pesa balance in the optional box and the calculator tells you whether the books match. If they don’t, find the gap before anyone is paid.

Worked example

Press “Load an example” to see it. Four members contributed KSh 90,000 between them. They paid KSh 6,000 in loan interest and KSh 700 in fines, the account earned KSh 650 and bank charges were KSh 1,200, so profit is KSh 6,150. Otieno contributed KSh 24,000, so his profit share by contributions is 24,000 ÷ 90,000 × 6,150 = KSh 1,640. He still owes KSh 15,000 on a loan, so he takes home 24,000 + 1,640 − 15,000 = KSh 10,640. All four payouts total KSh 76,150, which is exactly the KSh 90,000 + 6,150 − 20,000 still out on loan.

Which sharing method should your chama use?

Your constitution or by-laws decide this, not the calculator. Sharing profit by contributions rewards members who saved more, and it’s what most savings groups use. Sharing equally suits groups where everyone contributes the same amount. If members disagree, agree the rule in a minuted meeting before share-out day. Our guide on how to share chama money fairly covers the common disputes.

Where to put your payout

Bookmark this chama share out calculator and run it again before every share-out meeting, so the treasurer and members check the same numbers.

Related chama guides

Frequently asked questions

How is a chama dividend calculated?

Add up the year’s profit (loan interest, fines and other income minus expenses), then divide it between members in proportion to what each contributed, unless your constitution says to split it equally. Each member’s payout is their contributions plus their profit share, minus any loan they still owe.

What happens if a member’s loan is bigger than their share?

Their payout comes out negative. That figure is what they still owe the group. The members decide whether they repay it before share-out or carry it into next year.

Do fines count as profit?

Yes. Fines are group income, so they are added to the profit pool and shared out with the interest. Some groups use fines for welfare or end-year parties instead; if yours does, leave them out of the calculator.

Does the calculator save my chama’s data?

No. The sums run in your phone’s browser. Nothing is stored or sent to Business Radar.

Can I share the results on WhatsApp?

Yes. Press “Share on WhatsApp” to send each member’s payout to your group, or “Save as PDF / print” to keep a copy for your records.