The Rummy principle of drawing and discarding with a view to melding appears in Chinese card games at least in the early 19th century and perhaps as early as the 18th century and is, in fact, the essence of Mah-jong.
DEFINITION of 'Retainer Fee'. An upfront cost incurred by an individual in order to ensure the services of a consultant, freelancer, etc. A retainer fee is paid most commonly to individual third-parties who have been engaged by the payer to perform a service for them or on their behalf.These fees are almost always paid upfront and only ensure the commitment of the receiver, but does not guarantee an outcome or final product.ommunity Property. The most common form of retainer fees apply to lawyers, who in most cases require those seeking services to provide an upfront retainer fee, for example $500.
The retainer is billed at a flat rate at the beginning of a project or engagement. Some companies prefer to bill a monthly or quarterly retainer amount as needed, but itâs usually a flat fixed rate. The difference between the retainer billing and the fixed-fee billing is the service providerâs liability. A retainer is a cash payment to âreserveâ time for future services.