Any opinions expressed are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Citi.ĬreditDonkey is a bank comparison website. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. Write to Jeffrey B at Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts. Now that you know how to properly fill out a check, you'll be better prepared for when the time comes. However, some individuals and businesses, such as landlords, still expect to be paid via check. It's simple to pull out your debit card or open an app to pay someone. Most of the time we can get by without having to write a check. You shouldn't count on postdating to prevent a check from being deposited. However, most banks and credit unions will honor postdated checks before the date written on the check. In theory, people do this in order to prevent a check from being deposited right away. Postdating refers to the practice of writing a future date on a check. Some bank hardware has a difficult time reading different ink colors. Pencil creates the opportunity for someone to alter your check.Īlso, only use black or blue ink pens whenever possible. Only use ink pens when filling out a check. Nothing should be written outside of this field on the back of the check since it is reserved for the use of the bank. Most checks have a field for the payee's signature. The payee signs the back of the check when they deposit the check with their bank. Doing so allows someone to fraudulently complete your check. You should never leave any of the other fields blank, especially if you have already signed the check. Technically, the only field that doesn't need to be completed is the Memo/For line. If you have to void a check but don't need to keep it for any reason, it's usually a good idea to shred the check. Doing so prevents someone from cashing the check if it falls into the wrong hands. Writing "void" in large letters across the face of the check is usually the best way to handle this. Tip: Looking for a new bank account? Take a look at Citibank's checking bonuses for new customers. There, you'll include the check number, date, memo, amount, and running balance for your checking account.Īdding a check to your check register right away prevents the unfortunate situation where you may have overdrawn your account because a check cleared that you forgot you wrote. Most businesses that receive an unsigned check will return it and consider it as a "non-payment." Step 7: Record Information in Your Check RegisterĪfter you've completed the check and removed it from your checkbook, record the information in your check register, whether it's paper or electronic. Without your signature, the check cannot be deposited by the payee. Step 6: Sign the Checkįinally, the check must be signed by you on the signature line in the lower right-hand corner. Be sure to double-check with the payee to see if they need specific information in the memo line. If you're writing a check to a business, they may want you to add specific information here to help them process the payment, such as an account number. What you write here can be as minimal as you'd like. In the bottom left-hand corner, there is a line for you to specify what the check is for. Banks consider this the legal amount the check can be cashed for, regardless of the amount in numbers. $2,345 would be written as "two thousand three hundred forty-five." There's no need to write "dollars."Īlways double check you correctly wrote the amount in words. If you're dealing with a whole number (meaning, no cents), simply write it how you would say it. This goes on the line below the Pay to the Order of line. Step 4: Write the Amount in WordsĪfter writing the check amount in numbers, you'll also write the amount in words. Write the amount of the check in numbers, using commas if the number is greater than three digits, and a decimal point if your check includes cents (for example, $2,345.67). On the right-hand side, there's a box or line where you'll write how much the check is for. Using "or" allows the check to be deposited with only one signature on the back. If you write "and," then both people will have to endorse the back of the check. Keep in mind, however, what word you use to separate the names. Yes, you can pay more than one person with a single check. Can I write more than one name in the payee line?
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