diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 93b1a00..f29383e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/).
 
 ### Added
 
+- **`ladder.AllocateResult.NetExistingUSDPerHour`:** the net existing
+  commitment (existing minus expiring, summed over layers) that `Allocate`
+  sized the gap against, set on every successful result including the
+  hold-only exits. Callers can report it instead of recomputing a gross
+  figure from the layer states, so a plan's existing figure reconciles with
+  its gap. `Allocate` now checks the snapshot before the baseline-unavailable
+  hold, so expiring above existing is an error there too (#83).
 - **`exchange.WithOfferedInstanceTypes` / `RunAutoExchangeParams.OfferedInstanceTypes`:**
   restrict RI reshape targets to the instance types the region offers.
   `AnalyzeReshaping` and `AnalyzeReshapingWithRecs` take it as a variadic
diff --git a/pkg/ladder/allocate.go b/pkg/ladder/allocate.go
index e3ec56a..9bd26c2 100644
--- a/pkg/ladder/allocate.go
+++ b/pkg/ladder/allocate.go
@@ -103,10 +103,18 @@ type Allocation struct {
 // no-op if and only if Allocations and Reshapes are both empty (see IsNoOp);
 // in that case Holds carries the explanation (baseline unavailable, gap below
 // the minimum threshold, or every split amount below the minimum).
+//
+// NetExistingUSDPerHour is the net existing commitment E that Allocate sized
+// the gap against: the sum over layers of ExistingUSDPerHour minus
+// ExpiringUSDPerHour, in the same on-demand-equivalent USD/hr unit as the
+// inputs. It is set on every successful result, including the hold-only
+// early exits, so callers report the figure the engine used instead of
+// recomputing a gross one from the layer states.
 type AllocateResult struct {
-	Allocations []Allocation
-	Reshapes    []PlannedAction
-	Holds       []PlannedAction
+	NetExistingUSDPerHour *big.Rat
+	Allocations           []Allocation
+	Reshapes              []PlannedAction
+	Holds                 []PlannedAction
 }
 
 // IsNoOp reports whether the result proposes no state-changing actions:
@@ -121,7 +129,10 @@ func (r *AllocateResult) IsNoOp() bool {
 // arithmetic; float64 inputs are converted at the boundary via ratFromFloat.
 //
 // Steps (see inline comments):
-//  1. Validate config, layers (enums + topology), and layer states.
+//  1. Validate config, layers (enums + topology), and layer states, then
+//     compute net existing commitment (reported on every result as
+//     NetExistingUSDPerHour; an inconsistent snapshot is an error even when
+//     the baseline is unavailable).
 //  2. Detect under-utilized buffer layers (reshape, or informational hold
 //     when utilization is unknown on a non-empty buffer layer). This runs
 //     INDEPENDENTLY of the purchase gap: an over-committed account is exactly
@@ -148,6 +159,23 @@ func Allocate(in *AllocationInput) (*AllocateResult, error) {
 	if err := validateAllocateInput(in); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	nets, existingTotal, err := computeNetExisting(in.Layers, in.LayerStates)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	result, err := allocate(in, nets, existingTotal)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	result.NetExistingUSDPerHour = new(big.Rat).Set(existingTotal)
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+// allocate runs steps 2-8 of Allocate on validated input. nets and
+// existingTotal are the per-layer and total net existing commitment from
+// computeNetExisting, computed by Allocate before any early exit so every
+// result can report the E the gap is sized against.
+func allocate(in *AllocationInput, nets map[LayerType]*big.Rat, existingTotal *big.Rat) (*AllocateResult, error) {
 	rates, err := parseCommitmentRates(in.CommitmentRates)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -160,10 +188,6 @@ func Allocate(in *AllocationInput) (*AllocateResult, error) {
 	if in.Baseline.LowWaterUSDPerHour == nil {
 		return withMaintenance(baselineUnavailableHold(in), reshapes, maintHolds), nil
 	}
-	nets, existingTotal, err := computeNetExisting(in.Layers, in.LayerStates)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	lowWater, target, err := computeBaselineAndTarget(in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/pkg/ladder/allocate_net_existing_test.go b/pkg/ladder/allocate_net_existing_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e60520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/ladder/allocate_net_existing_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+package ladder
+
+import (
+	"math/big"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// netExistingStates returns AWS layer states with $10/hr existing on the
+// ComputeSP layer, $4/hr of which expires this cadence window, plus $2/hr on
+// the EC2InstanceSP layer with nothing expiring. Gross existing is $12/hr and
+// net existing (what Allocate subtracts from the target) is $8/hr.
+func netExistingStates(layers []LayerSpec) map[LayerType]LayerState {
+	states := zeroStates(layers)
+	states = withExisting(states, LayerComputeSP, 10.0)
+	states = withExpiring(states, LayerComputeSP, 4.0)
+	return withExisting(states, LayerEC2InstanceSP, 2.0)
+}
+
+// TestAllocate_ReportsNetExisting verifies the result carries the net
+// existing commitment (existing - expiring, summed over layers) that Allocate
+// used to size the gap, on every successful return path, so callers can
+// report the same figure instead of recomputing a gross one (go#83).
+func TestAllocate_ReportsNetExisting(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	cases := []struct {
+		lowWater  *float64
+		name      string
+		wantAlloc bool
+	}{
+		// target $20 > net $8: purchases are planned.
+		{name: "allocation", lowWater: ptr(20.0), wantAlloc: true},
+		// target $8 == net $8: target-met hold, nothing bought.
+		{name: "target met hold", lowWater: ptr(8.0)},
+		// no baseline: baseline-unavailable hold.
+		{name: "baseline unavailable hold", lowWater: nil},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			layers := awsLayers()
+			result, err := Allocate(&AllocationInput{
+				Config:          validConfigAWS(),
+				Layers:          layers,
+				Baseline:        UsageBaseline{LowWaterUSDPerHour: tc.lowWater},
+				LayerStates:     netExistingStates(layers),
+				Now:             nowFixed(),
+				InFlight:        noInFlight(),
+				CommitmentRates: unitRates(),
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+			}
+			if result.NetExistingUSDPerHour == nil {
+				t.Fatal("NetExistingUSDPerHour is nil; want the net existing commitment Allocate used")
+			}
+			ratEq(t, "NetExistingUSDPerHour", result.NetExistingUSDPerHour, 8, 1)
+			if got := len(result.Allocations) > 0; got != tc.wantAlloc {
+				t.Fatalf("allocations present = %v, want %v (holds: %+v)", got, tc.wantAlloc, result.Holds)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAllocate_NetExistingReconcilesWithGap verifies that the reported net
+// existing figure is the E the gap was sized against: with unit rates and
+// 100% coverage, target - NetExistingUSDPerHour equals the sum of the
+// planned on-demand-equivalent gaps. A gross figure ($12/hr here) would not
+// reconcile, which is the approval-email inconsistency go#83 describes.
+func TestAllocate_NetExistingReconcilesWithGap(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	layers := awsLayers()
+	result, err := Allocate(&AllocationInput{
+		Config:          validConfigAWS(),
+		Layers:          layers,
+		Baseline:        UsageBaseline{LowWaterUSDPerHour: ptr(20.0)},
+		LayerStates:     netExistingStates(layers),
+		Now:             nowFixed(),
+		InFlight:        noInFlight(),
+		CommitmentRates: unitRates(),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if result.NetExistingUSDPerHour == nil {
+		t.Fatal("NetExistingUSDPerHour is nil")
+	}
+	planned := new(big.Rat)
+	for _, a := range result.Allocations {
+		planned.Add(planned, a.OnDemandEquivalentUSDPerHour)
+	}
+	reconciled := new(big.Rat).Add(planned, result.NetExistingUSDPerHour)
+	ratEq(t, "planned gap + NetExistingUSDPerHour", reconciled, 20, 1)
+}
+
+// TestAllocate_NilBaselineInconsistentSnapshot_Error verifies that net
+// existing is computed (and an inconsistent snapshot rejected) before the
+// baseline-unavailable hold, so the hold never reports an existing figure
+// derived from expiring > existing.
+func TestAllocate_NilBaselineInconsistentSnapshot_Error(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	layers := awsLayers()
+	states := withExisting(zeroStates(layers), LayerConvertibleRI, 2.0)
+	states = withExpiring(states, LayerConvertibleRI, 5.0)
+	_, err := Allocate(&AllocationInput{
+		Config:          validConfigAWS(),
+		Layers:          layers,
+		Baseline:        UsageBaseline{},
+		LayerStates:     states,
+		Now:             nowFixed(),
+		InFlight:        noInFlight(),
+		CommitmentRates: unitRates(),
+	})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error for expiring > existing with a nil baseline, got nil")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "inconsistent provider snapshot") {
+		t.Errorf("error missing %q: %v", "inconsistent provider snapshot", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/ladder/capability.go b/pkg/ladder/capability.go
index e4a4b76..07f762b 100644
--- a/pkg/ladder/capability.go
+++ b/pkg/ladder/capability.go
@@ -86,11 +86,12 @@ type LadderCapability interface {
 // is needed; NaN/Inf/non-positive values are rejected wherever these caps
 // are validated.
 type BufferReshapeConfig struct { //nolint:govet // fieldalignment: file owned by open PR #441
-	// MaxPaymentPerExchangeUSD caps the payment for a single exchange. nil
-	// means no per-exchange cap is applied.
+	// MaxPaymentPerExchangeUSD caps the payment for a single exchange. It is
+	// required: nil is an error, never "no cap" (reshape executes exchanges
+	// immediately, so an omitted cap must not mean unlimited spend).
 	MaxPaymentPerExchangeUSD *float64
 	// MaxPaymentDailyUSD caps the total exchange payments for the current day.
-	// nil means no daily cap is applied.
+	// It is required on the same terms as MaxPaymentPerExchangeUSD.
 	MaxPaymentDailyUSD *float64
 	// UtilizationThresholdPct triggers a reshape when commitment utilization
 	// drops below this percentage.