When they hit your bank.

Seriously. I've had "finalized" earnings but then if there's invalid activity before Google actually pays it out, they'll take it out of the "finalized" earnings.

So it's finalized when it's in your bank.

So it's finalized when it's in your bank.

Maybe, maybe not, the AdSense TOS [google.com] includes this handy dandy line in the Payments section ....

(b) require you to refund us within 30 days of any invoice, any amounts we may have overpaid to you in prior periods.

Wouldn't that be fun!

.

Google actually has a "negative" value applied.

I owe google $10 between October 21 (payment done) to November 1 payment finalized.

So I guess they could well bill you once you receive the payment, and stop all ad serving with adsense?

Yes, I had a negative balance as well. Only $0.08 but strange to see it being negative. The odd thing is that my last days earnings for last month jumped by $10 when they were transferred to "final earnings".

(b) require you to refund us within 30 days of any invoice, any amounts we may have overpaid to you in prior periods.

So I guess they could well bill you once you receive the payment, and stop all ad serving with adsense?

In theory, I guess they could. They obviously can't swoop down on your bank account and scoop out the funds, but I suppose they could turn you over to a collection agency (or call the law if some kind of click fraud were involved).

I've never heard of them actually doing that to anyone, and I hope I never do.