3.5.1: Order requiring payment to the payee

Context

A court order or court-registered maintenance agreement may specify that payments be made to the payee's bank account or to a third party such as a solicitor or trustee. Such a provision in an order does not prevent CSA registering the order or court-registered agreement for collection.

Legislative reference

Section 30 Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988

Explanation

A court order or court-registered agreement for maintenance creates a liability for one person (the payer) to provide financial support to another person. The terms of the order will make it clear who is entitled to the payments under the order.

Example

'M is to pay F spousal maintenance of $120 per week.'

'F is to pay M child maintenance for their child A in the amount of $74 per week.'

'M is to pay child maintenance to A of $83 per week.'

A court order may also specify how child support is to be paid.

Example

'M is to pay F spousal maintenance of $120 per week. Such payment is to be deposited to F's account with the XXX Bank.'

'F is to pay M child maintenance for their child A in the amount of $74 per week, by depositing said amount into a trust account for A under F and M's joint control.'

A provision in a court order that specifies how child support is to be paid to the payee does not prevent CSA from registering the order. When CSA registers an order for collection, the amounts payable under the order become debts due to the Commonwealth (section 30). Once an order is registered with CSA for collection, the provisions of section 30 override any payment instructions in the order. Amounts payable under the order are payable to CSA in accordance with the particulars of the register.

A court order or court-registered maintenance agreement that requires the payer to make payments to a third party on behalf of the payee is not a registrable maintenance liability. This is discussed in more detail in chapter 3.2 What is a stage 1 registrable maintenance liability?, heading Periodic amounts payable to the payee

Version 1.0

Issued 1 October 2002

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	CSA's previous online law & policy guide Effective until 30 June 2008