Are to Be

[Allen165]

"The payments are to be made to X."

"The payments must be made to X."

What would you say is the difference between those sentences? The first sentence sounds highly formal to me, but I don't see any differences in meaning.

Thanks!

[bhaisahab]

"The payments are to be made to X."

"The payments must be made to X."

What would you say is the difference between those sentences? The first sentence sounds highly formal to me, but I don't see any differences in meaning.

Thanks!

The first one is just a statement. The second one is more forceful.