(a) An agricultural lease must specify whether rent payments will be made directly to the Indian landowners or to us on behalf of the Indian landowners. If the lease provides for payment to be made directly to the Indian landowners, the lease must also require that the tenant retain specific documentation evidencing proof of payment, such as canceled checks, cash receipt vouchers, or copies of money orders or cashier's checks, consistent with the provisions of §§162.112 and 162.113 of this part.

(b) Rent payments made directly to the Indian landowners must be made to the parties specified in the lease, unless the tenant receives notice of a change of ownership. Unless otherwise provided in the lease, rent payments may not be made payable directly to anyone other than the Indian landowners.

(c) A lease that provides for rent payments to be made directly to the Indian landowners must also provide for such payments to be suspended and the rent thereafter paid to us, rather than directly to the Indian landowners, if:

(1) An Indian landowner dies;

(2) An Indian landowner requests that payment be made to us;

(3) An Indian landowner is found by us to be in need of assistance in managing his/her financial affairs; or

(4) We determine, in our discretion and after consultation with the Indian landowner(s), that direct payment should be discontinued.