Royalty payment deductions

We just received a letter from a royalty payor on Oklahoma properties informing us that they would be deducting $15 to process a check as a paper check. Our minerals are in a trust administered by a bank who does not accept ACH payments or direct deposit. Is there any statutory authority or Oklahoma case law allowing this deduction? Also, received notice from another payor that the only way to see a check stub is if we sign up for direct deposit. Is anyone else experiencing this?

You might try sending a certified letter to the operator explaining your situation and that the bank does not accept ACH or direct deposit. They may be able to make an exception. If the check stub is available on Energy Link, then you do not have to have direct deposit. I can see many of my stubs there and I still receive paper checks. You just have to sign up with them to see the stubs. They will need your owner number.

The operators are trying to save expenses by automating the process.

Thank you for your response. I am registered with Energy Link but that particular payor is not on Energy Link. It was just a comment on the side. I wondered if anyone else had experienced this. These will be added to my To Do/Pending piles. Thanks again.

I’ve found companies are just shutting off paper details, and including a statement to lookup the detail on energylink. While this seems like a good idea–unintended consequences–I have many elderly and smaller business customers who either do not have a printer, or have such a volume of royalty interest coming in that to print and save the statement detail is becoming a new, costly burden.

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