In Utah, such a thing can be done, but I have never, in 24 years of practice, seen it ordered or agreed to (I’ve heard rumors that some parents have used this method of paying child support and accounting for the use of child support funds, but I cannot confirm them).
There is a statute that permits a court to order a child support recipient to account for how the recipient uses the child support funds, and combined with a debit card, accounting for both the payment and the use of child support funds would be fairly easy.
But in 24 years of practice I have never seen a Utah court invoke the statute (indeed, when I have asked that the court invoke the statute the courts have, without exception, condemned my clients and me for casting aspersions that the child support recipient would ever misspend child support funds and for wanting to “burden” the child support recipient with an accounting obligation).
78B-12-218. Accountability of support provided to benefit child — Accounting.
(1) The court or administrative agency which issues the initial or modified order for child support may, upon the petition of the obligor, order prospectively the obligee to furnish an accounting of amounts provided for the child’s benefit to the obligor, including an accounting or receipts.
(2) The court or administrative agency may prescribe the frequency and the form of the accounting which shall include receipts and an accounting.
(3) The obligor may petition for the accounting only if current on all child support that has been ordered.
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