Support Payments You Make
There are two ways support payments are collected under the support-payment collection program: source deductions and payment orders.
If you receive an amount on a regular or periodic basis, we will collect your support payments through source deductions.
Support can be withheld from the following:
- salary, wages or other remuneration you receive;
- disability benefits paid to you after an accident;
- a retirement pension;
- severance pay.
We determine the amount of the source deduction based on the support you are required to pay. We also consider any arrears or other fees or charges that you owe.
Without your consent, the source deduction cannot exceed the seizable portion of your gross income. See the information for employers on how to calculate the seizable portion of income.
Change in your situation
If we collect your support payments through source deductions and these source deductions cannot be made for any reason, such as sick leave or a reduction of work hours, you must notify us as quickly as possible to avoid accumulating arrears.
You have to make your support payments directly to us if:
- you receive no amount from which the support can be deducted at source (if you are self-employed, for example);
- the source deduction does not cover the support owed (the support withheld cannot exceed the seizable portion of your gross income); or
- the support you are required to pay should normally be deducted at source, but you request to make the payments directly to us (in this case, you must provide security and you cannot be in arrears).
In these situations, we send you a letter (called a "payment order") that sets out the terms of payment.
Making support payments further to a payment order
You can make support payments in one of the following ways after receiving a payment order:
- using a financial institution's online payment service;
- by mail (return the remittance slip we sent you with a cheque or money order payable to the Fonds des pensions alimentaires).
If you make a support payment before receiving the remittance slip, write your file number on the front of your cheque.
If you want to send your cheque or other documents by mail, see our mailing addresses.
Security
Most people who pay support after receiving a payment order must provide security. The security must cover one month's support. It must be maintained for the entire time the support is paid to us.
Security can be provided in any of the following forms:
- a sum of money;
- an letter of guarantee issued by a financial institution that has its head office or an establishment in Québec.
- If you are no longer required to pay support and any arrears and other fees or charges owing have been paid, we will return any unused amount of security to you.
- If your support obligation ends as the result of an agreement with the support recipient, you must have the court confirm the agreement. We will return the security to you after receiving the judgment.
Inability to provide security
If you unable to provide the required security, we may collect the amount from you gradually, using measures that are adapted to your situation.
If you apply to make support payments to us directly rather than by source deductions, you cannot constitute security gradually.