Frequently Asked Questions
A. General
1. What is the difference between a maintenance enforcement application and a maintenance order?
A maintenance order refers to an order for the provision of support (financial in nature) for wives, children, incapacitated husbands or parents.
A maintenance enforcement application refers to an application to enforce an existing maintenance order if the respondent does not comply with it.
2. With scams on the rise, how will be parties verify that the persons writing to the parties are duly authorised Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEO)?
The name of each individual who has been appointed as MEO will be published on Maintenance Enforcement Division’s website.
SMSes sent by MEOs will be aligned with the Whole-of-Government approach in relation to SMS communications and will be sent under "gov.sg”.
Emails sent by MEOs will be from oneminlaw@mlaw.gov.sg.
3. Do I need a lawyer in the maintenance enforcement process?
A lawyer is not necessary to apply for the enforcement of a maintenance order. Parties may nevertheless engage a practising lawyer for the purposes of the enforcement application, if they wish to do so.
B. Applying for enforcement
4. What are the fees involved in the Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP)?
Applicants do not need to pay fees when making a maintenance enforcement application to the Family Justice Courts (FJC).
Respondents (the party against whom a maintenance enforcement application is made) will be charged a fee of $180 (inclusive of GST) for the MEO’s services in the first phase of implementation. This fee will be charged after the MEO report is submitted to FJC.
If you have difficulty paying the fees, please contact the MEO through https://go.gov.sg/contactminlaw, or call 1800-2255-529*.
*Airtime charges may apply to calls made from mobile phones to ‘1800’ local toll-free numbers. For overseas numbers, please call +65 6225 5529.
C. Conciliation
5. What will happen if the Respondent does not attend the conciliation session?
Parties should inform the MEO if the scheduled date and time for the first conciliation session is not suitable.
If the Respondent does not attend the conciliation session, the MEO will reschedule the conciliation session for both parties.
If the Respondent is absent again without a valid reason, the MEO will inform the Court. The Court may direct the Respondent to attend a second rescheduled conciliation session, failing which a Warrant of Arrest may be issued.
6. What will happen if the Respondent says that he wants to vary the court order during the conciliation session?
Maintenance arrears between the date of the previous order(s) and the present remain payable in full.
A variation of maintenance order for future maintenance payments can be discussed during the conciliation session with the MEO.
7. How long will it take for the MEO to conduct fact-finding and conciliation?
The first conciliation session will be scheduled by the court in about three weeks from the date of the Summons issued by the court. Each conciliation session is estimated to be in the duration of between one and one and a half hours.
If parties do not reach a settlement at the first conciliation session, the MEOs will conduct fact-finding with third-party agencies which may take up to a further three to four weeks. A second conciliation session, if necessary, will only be fixed after the MEO completes the necessary fact-finding with the third-party agencies.
8. How is the conciliation session conducted?
The conciliation session(s) are conducted virtually, or in-person at 45 Maxwell Road, #07-11 The URA Centre (East Wing) Singapore 069118.
9. What can I do if my conciliation session is to be conducted virtually but I have no access to the Internet?
Please contact the MEO through https://go.gov.sg/contactminlaw, or call 1800-2255-529* for assistance to attend the conciliation session via Zoom from a computer station located at 45 Maxwell Road #07-11 The URA Centre (East Wing) Singapore 069118.
*Airtime charges may apply to calls made from mobile phones to ‘1800’ local toll-free numbers. For overseas numbers, please call +65 6225 5529.
10. What if I do not understand English?
Please answer “No” to the question “Will you be able to communicate in English in Court?” in the enforcement application form submitted through https://ifams.gov.sg. We will arrange for the conciliation to be conducted in your preferred language.
D. MEO Reports
11. What is contained in an MEO report?
The MEO report contains:
(a) the parties’ particulars;
(b) the details of the maintenance order;
(c) the details of any previous maintenance enforcement order(s);
(d) the details of the alleged maintenance arrears;
(e) information on the Respondent’s (and the Applicant’s, if applicable) income, expenses, debt, and assets ;
(f) Information in relation to the conciliation sessions, including a summary of the matters discussed at the conciliation sessions;
(g) Information on whether the parties are receiving, or are referred to, financial assistance;
12. What am I supposed to do with the MEO report upon receiving it?
If you did not reach an agreement with the other party, the court would consider the MEO report in determining what order(s) ought to be made on the maintenance enforcement application. Thus, you should read the MEO report and understand the information in the report before the hearing.
13. Can I disclose the MEO Report to my friends or family members?
No. It is an offence under section 91S of the Women’s Charter to disclose the MEO report or any information in the report without the written consent of the other party.
14. What can I do if I disagree with the facts reflected in the MEO report?
Parties must substantiate any disagreement with supporting documents. Please contact the MEO through https://go.gov.sg/contactminlaw, or call 1800-2255-529*
*Airtime charges may apply to calls made from mobile phones to ‘1800’ local toll-free numbers. For overseas numbers, please call +65 6225 5529.
15. How can I submit my documents to the MEO?
Please submit documents through https://go.gov.sg/med. Should you have any problems with the document submission, please contact the MEO through https://go.gov.sg/contactminlaw, or call 1800-2255-529*
*Airtime charges may apply to calls made from mobile phones to ‘1800’ local toll-free numbers. For overseas numbers, please call +65 6225 5529.
16. What will happen if the Respondent refuses to submit documents to the MEO?
If the Respondent refuses to submit documents to the MEO, the MEO will exercise powers to conduct fact-finding to obtain information about the Respondent’s financial circumstances. The MEO will also update the Court that the Respondent failed to submit documents to the MEO. Thereafter, the Maintenance Enforcement Officer will prepare a report with the information obtained from the third party agencies, and submit it to the court.
17. What happens if the Respondent is in the Debt Repayment Scheme or an undischarged bankrupt?
The Respondent will be directed by the Family Justice Courts to provide a copy of his Debt Repayment Plan if he is on the Debt Repayment Scheme or his Notice of Determination of Monthly Contribution if he is an undischarged bankrupt. If the Respondent does not submit these documents to the MEO, the MEO will conduct fact-finding to obtain the information from the Official Assignee.
E. Referrals to assistance
18. What if I require financial assistance, whilst awaiting the outcome of the MEP?
The MEO can refer suitable parties for financial assistance. Please notify the MEO that you require financial assistance, at any time during the MEP.
F. Court hearings
19. What if the Respondent refuses to pay despite conciliation?
If the Court finds that the Respondent has not paid maintenance without good reason, the Court will make an order specifying the amount of maintenance arrears to be enforced against the Respondent, and how the Respondent is to pay the arrears.
In contested cases, the Court will also make a Show Payment Order. The Show Payment Order requires the Respondent to show proof of payment to the Court for a specified period of time. Unless special circumstances exist, the Order will also state that the Respondent is liable to imprisonment if he or she fails to show proof of payment.
If the Respondent fails to show proof of payment, the Respondent will be imprisoned unless the Respondent can show good reason for failing to do so.
20. What can I do if the Respondent intends to dispose his properties in order to avoid paying maintenance?
Pursuant to section 139M(1)(b) of the Women’s Charter 1961, the court has the power on application to grant an injunction preventing any disposition of property by a person (A) — if the court is satisfied that A is disposing the property to reduce A’s means to pay maintenance or to deprive A’s wife, former wife, incapacitated husband, incapacitated former husband or child, of any rights in relation to the property.
21. What if the Respondent has been transferring away his properties in order to avoid paying maintenance?
Pursuant to section 139M(1)(a) of the Women’s Charter 1961, the court has the power on application to set aside any disposition of property by a person (A) — if the court is satisfied that the disposition of property has been made within the preceding 3 years immediately before the date of the making of the application, and that A has disposed the property to reduce A’s means to pay maintenance or to deprive A’s wife, former wife, incapacitated husband, incapacitated former husband or child, of any rights in relation to the property.