HOW TO REGISTER

Copies of all child and/or spousal maintenance court orders granted within Alberta are automatically sent by the court to the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP). A letter is then mailed to the creditor at the address noted on the court order, outlining the procedure for registering with MEP. Registration packages can be mailed out by MEP, picked up at any Alberta courthouse or obtained through MEP’s website or the fax-on-demand option of the MEP Info Line. PLEASE NOTE: THE COURT ORDER IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED. It is the creditor’s responsibility to complete registration with MEP if the creditor wishes to receive maintenance payments from the debtor through MEP.

Registration packages that are returned to MEP with inaccurate or incomplete information result in a delay of the registration of the account. Once registered, the creditor may withdraw from MEP by writing to the Maintenance Enforcement Program. The creditor can also choose to re-register at a later date, however, a $200 fee will apply when a client who initially registers with MEP closes the file and then later asks for it to be re-opened. There is no fee to register with MEP for the first time. The re-registration fee also does not apply if the file was originally closed because maintenance was no longer enforceable, but maintenance becomes enforceable again (for example, due to a change in child status or a new court order).

UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION

It is the responsibility of the creditor to provide MEP with any up-to-date information the creditor has regarding the debtor’s location, assets or employment. As well, MEP needs to be informed of any changes regarding the child(ren) that could affect payment (e.g. no longer in school, no longer residing with the creditor, etc.). MEP may periodically request a sworn ‘Child Status Report’ from the creditor to confirm a child’s eligibility for support. Creditors are also required to keep MEP informed of any change in their name, address and telephone numbers. This can be done simply through MEP Accounts Online or by phoning the 24-hour MEP Info Line at 780-422-5555 (dial 310-0000 for toll-free access anywhere in Alberta) and leaving a message.

DIRECT DEPOSIT

Payments to creditors from MEP are made by direct deposit into the creditor’s bank account. Creditors must advise MEP if there are any changes that will affect the direct deposit. This would include changes such as a new account number or closing and reopening the account at a different branch or bank. Failure to do so will result in delayed payments.

Creditor receives financial assistance or benefits from Alberta Employment & Immigration (AE&I)

When a creditor receives Income Support (formerly known as Supports for Independence or SFI), the Alberta Adult Health Benefit (AAHB) or Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) , the government has all the creditor's rights to support. This means that:

• AE&I can register a maintenance order or agreement with MEP and direct maintenance payments to the Alberta government for Income Support clients.
• AE&I may require AAHB or AISH clients to be registered with MEP to ensure they receive the maximum amount of their maintenance income.

The creditor must advise MEP whenever Income Support benefits are received from AE&I. The government, not the creditor, has the right to the maintenance payments during this period. Maintenance payments continue to be made to MEP, and MEP will forward the payment to the Alberta government. It is also the creditor's responsibility to advise MEP when he or she is no longer receiving Income Support.

If the debtor owes payments for the period of time the government has the right to receive the maintenance payments:

• AE&I can register the creditor's agreement or order with MEP and request that the maintenance payments be directed to the government
• the creditor may not withdraw from MEP and
• the creditor may not make an agreement with the debtor to reduce or forgive the debt owed to the government.

For more information on the government's right to maintenance, you may also refer to Info Sheet - Income Support and the Government's Right to Receive Maintenance Payments.

PAYMENTS MADE DIRECTLY TO THE CREDITOR

Once a file has been registered with MEP, the creditor should not request or accept any payments directly from the debtor. If this happens, the creditor MUST INFORM MEP IMMEDIATELY. This can be done through either MEP Accounts Online or the MEP Info Line at 780-422-5555 (dial 310-0000 for toll-free access anywhere in Alberta), so that an accurate, up-to-date record of all payments can be maintained. Failure to report direct payments through either of these means within seven days will result in a $50 deterrent penalty charged to the creditor. Accepting direct payments consistently may result in the closure of the file.