The rules are very clear and very simple, you pay for the domain it's yours unless there is some form of trademark dispute. You can pay in advance, you can pay

The rules are very clear and very simple, you pay for the domain it's yours unless there is some form of trademark dispute. You can pay in advance, you can pay 10 years in advance, you'll receive numerous reminders that your domain is going to expire. At a certain point there is an element of personal responsibility involved, if you can't manage to pay $10 for a domain every year or so then that's kinda on you.