What is a 'Payee'

A payee is the party in an exchange who receives payment. A payee is paid by cash, check or other transfer medium by a payer. The payer receives goods or services in return. The name of the payee is included in the bill of exchange, and it usually refers to a natural person or an entity such as a business, trust, or custodian.


In a banking situation, the payee must have an active account that is in good standing through which funds can be transmitted from the payer.

In the case of a promissory note, through which one party promises to pay another party a predetermined sum, the party receiving the payment is known as the payee. The party making the payment is known as the payer. For coupon payments from bonds, the party receiving the coupon is the payee and the bond issuer is referred to as the payer.

Investment management transactions frequently have payee accounts that receive payments for the benefit of a client's separate account. For example, in contributing to an individual retirement account IRA, a customer may write a check from his checking account to his investment management company, with the payee being the company's name receiving the funds "For the Benefit of" (FBO) the client. The would appear as "XYZ Management FBO John Smith." The funds will ultimately be deposited into John Smith's account as the payee, with XYZ Management being the custodian.

Payees may also be more than one party. This typically happens in electronic transfers when a person withdraws money from the payer's account and splits it into a variety of payee allocations. Depending on the banking institution, these types of transactions may have approval requirements for numbers, percentages, and types of accounts.

Sometimes, the payee and payer may be the same party. This can occur when a person writes checks, makes withdrawals and deposits or electronically transfers funds from one of his accounts to another.

It is good practice to ensure the payer and the payee are in agreement on the amount being transferred between parties. Payees have the ability to accept or reject amounts being paid to them, based on an agreement or contract.

  1. Representative Payee

    A representative payee is an individual who acts as the receiver ...
  2. Bill of Exchange

    A bill of exchange is a written order used primarily in international ...
  3. Payer

    The term payer refers to an entity that makes a payment to another ...
  4. Clearing House Interbank Payments ...

    The Clearing House Interbank Payments System is the primary clearing ...
  5. Drawee

    A drawee is a term used to describe the party directed by the ...
  6. Convenience Fee

    A convenience fee is a fee assessed by a payee when a consumer ...
Related Articles
  1. Retirement

    Managing Social Security Payments When the Beneficiary Can't

    Social Security Representative Payee program is for anyone who cares for a loved one who is unable to manage their own Social Security benefit checks.
  2. Investing

    When Using a Money Order Makes Sense

  3. Retirement

    During a Divorce, Don't Forget Retirement Accounts

    These are the answers to five common questions on how to handle retirement accounts when couples divorce.
  4. Investing

    What's an Interest Rate Swap?

  5. Investing


  6. Personal Finance

    Cut Your Bank Fees

  7. Personal Finance

    8 Low-Cost Ways To Transfer Money

  8. Financial Advisor

    Tough Times: Should You Dip Into Your Qualified Plan?

    401(k)s, pensions and profit-sharing plans can be a source of cash, but there are consequences to this option.
  9. Small Business

    How to Master the Art of Negotiation

    Negotiation is all about coming to an agreement, learn the tactics that good negotiators use to help you get what you want in any negotiation.
  10. Personal Finance

    10 Bank Promotions That Pay You To Open An Account

    Find out which banks are running cash promotions this summer.
Trading Center