Do unused virtual assistant hours roll over?
It depends on the provider. At Peachtree VA, hours do not roll over to the next month and have to be used. Our packages are monthly and can flex week to week within reason. Time Etc, by contrast, states that unused hours roll over. Always check the policy before you sign.
| Question | Peachtree VA | Time Etc |
|---|---|---|
| Do unused hours roll over? | No, hours must be used in the month | Yes, per its pricing page |
| Can hours flex week to week? | Yes, within reason | Plans renew monthly and can change |
| Term | Month-to-month, 30 days notice | Cancel or change plans at any time, per its page |
Terms checked on October 29, 2026 from our own FAQ and the Time Etc pricing page. Providers can change terms, so confirm the current policy.
Why do some plans not roll over?
Fixed monthly hours usually make it easier to plan an assistant’s schedule. The assistant holds that time for you. That is a trade-off, not a trick.
The upside is lower entry cost and a clear monthly rhythm. The downside is that idle hours are wasted. That is why a plan for spare time matters. If you want rollover, ask for it up front, and see how providers compare in our price comparison.
What is the evergreen-project method?
Keep one long-term project in the background so spare hours always have a use. Our FAQ recommends this exact approach. If a few extra hours appear in a month, your VA shifts focus to that ongoing initiative, and all hours are used productively within the month.
A good evergreen project has four traits:
- No hard deadline. It never blocks urgent work.
- Clear steps. The assistant can restart it without asking you.
- Lasting value. Each hour improves something you keep.
- Easy to pause. You can stop mid-way and lose nothing.
Write the project down as a short standard operating procedure so your assistant can pick it up in any week.
Which projects make good evergreen work?
Choose work that builds a lasting asset. The list below fits many small businesses. Each item matches the kind of work in our task list, such as CRM updates, document writing and inbox systems. Pick one, not all of them.
| Evergreen project | What you end up with |
|---|---|
| CRM clean-up | Fewer duplicates, current contacts, clear tags |
| Process documents | A binder of written steps for repeat tasks |
| Email template library | Ready replies for common questions |
| File and folder tidy-up | One naming rule and a shared folder map |
| Onboarding checklist | A repeatable onboarding plan for new hires or clients |
| Prompt library | Saved prompts for your own AI tools |
| Vendor and subscription list | One sheet of renewals and owners |
Not sure which fits? Read our guide to virtual assistant SOPs for ways to document work.
How should you right-size your hours?
Use the hours report. Your Peachtree VA tracks and reports your hours regularly, so you can see where the time went. After two or three months, you will know your real pattern. Then match the package to it.
Use this simple rule:
- Hours left over three months in a row: hand over a bigger project, or lower the package.
- Hours run out every month: add hours.
- Hours match your plan: keep going.
Because agreements are month-to-month with 30 days notice, you can adjust without a long contract. If you are unsure where to start, the hourly rate calculator helps you compare the value of your time with the package size. For a starting-point example, see what 25 hours a month gets you.
What if the hours go unused because work is slow?
A slow month is a signal, not a failure. Use it to build assets that save time later. Keep the evergreen project small and easy to restart. Then look at the pattern across two or three months before you change the package.
Ask yourself three questions:
- Is the slow period seasonal? If so, an evergreen project fills the gap and you keep the same assistant.
- Did I forget to hand work over? Review your task list against the delegation matrix.
- Is the package simply too large? If yes, lower it. Because the agreement is month-to-month with 30 days notice, the change is simple.
Your assistant also helps. Peachtree VAs track and report your hours, so you can share the report with your Relationship Specialist and plan the next month together.
How do you start an evergreen project?
Start with a one-page brief. A short brief lets your assistant work without waiting for you. Keep it to five lines and store it where your assistant can find it.
- Goal: the lasting result, in one sentence.
- Steps: the first five actions in order.
- Done when: a clear finish line for the first pass.
- Pause rule: how to stop and leave notes mid-way.
- Where it lives: the folder, sheet or tool.
Next step
Read how our virtual assistant services work, or book a free strategy call and we will help you plan an evergreen project.
Frequently asked questions
Do unused virtual assistant hours roll over at Peachtree VA?
No. Peachtree VA packages are monthly, and the hours do not roll over to the next month and have to be used. Packages can flex week to week within reason. We suggest you keep a long-term evergreen project in the background.
What is an evergreen project?
An evergreen project is a long-term task with no hard deadline that your assistant can pick up whenever spare hours appear. Examples are cleaning your contact list, writing process documents or building an email template library. It turns idle hours into lasting value.
Do other VA companies let hours roll over?
Some do. Time Etc states that hours you do not use roll over into your next month. Terms differ by company and plan, so read the current policy on each provider's site and ask for it in writing before you sign.
How do I stop paying for hours I do not use?
Review the monthly hours report. If you leave hours unused for two or three months, lower the package or give the assistant a bigger standing project. Peachtree VA agreements are month-to-month with 30 days notice, so you can adjust.
