offsetting payments

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "offsetting payments" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in financial contexts to refer to payments made to counterbalance or reduce the impact of other payments or debts. Example: "The company implemented a system of offsetting payments to manage its cash flow more effectively."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The offsetting swaps were structured so that Freddie Mac made its payments a month earlier than it received the offsetting payments.

The New York Times

estimated that the Defense Department, one of the few government agencies that acts as its own disbursing agent, could have collected $100 million in 2002 from these delinquents by offsetting payments.

The New York Times

The investigators also said that the government had failed to make meaningful use of its authority to collect from these delinquent companies and individuals by offsetting payments for their work.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Adam Walters, a campaigner at Greenpeace, said the negotiation over offset payments showed "the system is broken".

The Guardian

Payments from life insurers or pension funds are deducted from the fund's award, though a court awarding damages in a wrongful-death suit would not "offset" payments in this way.

The Economist

The cheap smokes (average price: $1.70 a pack) languished until Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds started raising the price of premium brands to offset payments to the settlement.

Forbes

Most of that information was also presented in a Washington Post oped. 1. Business-as-Usual is Not Distinguishable -- It is impossible to determine whether a particular project would not have happened but for the additional incentive provided by the offset payments (i.e., would not have ― happened anyway).

Huffington Post

As a result, legal frameworks (including cap-and-trade systems, biodiversity offsetting and payments for ecosystem services) are being designed which allow to exchange land use rights and obligations.

Land Use Policy

We identify biodiversity offsets, payments for ecosystem services and agri-enviromental schemes as enabling policy mechanisms for restoration.

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

Some include an option to buy offsets – payments that go to carbon-reducing projects such as wind farms or reforestation programmes.

BBC

This allows unemployed workers to receive benefits, which they will overwhelmingly spend, without an offsetting current payment from other workers.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial strategies, use "offsetting payments" to clearly indicate that certain payments are intended to counteract or balance out other financial obligations.

Common error

Avoid using "offsetting payments" when you actually mean reimbursements. Reimbursements are repayments for expenses already incurred, while "offsetting payments" are used to balance or reduce an existing financial obligation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "offsetting payments" functions as a noun phrase where "offsetting" acts as an adjective modifying "payments". Ludwig AI confirms this construction is grammatically sound and usable in written English, serving to describe payments that counteract or reduce other financial obligations.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "offsetting payments" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase, primarily functioning to describe financial strategies aimed at counteracting or reducing financial obligations. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most commonly encountered in news, business and scientific contexts. Alternative phrases like "balancing payments" or "compensatory disbursements" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. When using "offsetting payments", ensure that you're not actually referring to reimbursements, and that the context clearly indicates the payments are intended to neutralize or reduce another financial obligation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

balancing payments

Highlights the achievement of equilibrium in financial transactions.

compensatory disbursements

Replaces "payments" with a more formal term, emphasizing the act of disbursing funds as compensation.

counterbalancing remittances

Uses "remittances" to focus on the transfer of money, and "counterbalancing" to highlight the offsetting effect.

neutralizing payments

Emphasizes the effect of the payments in cancelling out another financial obligation.

adjusting payments

Focuses on payments made to modify or correct previous financial transactions.

reimbursing payments

Focuses on payments made to refund or compensate for prior expenses or losses.

recouping payments

Highlights recovering or regaining payments already made.

reducing payments

Directly states that the payments are intended to lower a financial obligation.

credit payments

Specifies that the payments are credits that reduce an outstanding balance.

discounting payments

Emphasizes that the payments are being reduced or discounted.

FAQs

How can I use "offsetting payments" in a sentence?

You can use "offsetting payments" to describe payments made to counterbalance a financial obligation. For example: "The company used "offsetting payments" to reduce its tax liability".

What's a good substitute for "offsetting payments"?

Alternatives include "balancing payments", "compensatory disbursements", or "neutralizing payments" depending on the specific context.

Are "offsetting payments" the same as "reimbursements"?

No, "offsetting payments" are used to balance or reduce an existing financial obligation, while reimbursements are repayments for expenses already incurred. They serve different financial purposes.

In what contexts is the phrase "offsetting payments" most commonly used?

The phrase "offsetting payments" is commonly used in financial, accounting, and environmental contexts, such as carbon "offset" programs or corporate financial strategies.