subject: How to Fill Out a Bank Check [print this page] Writing a bank check is a such a simple procedure that little or no explanation is necessary, but there are consequences if a check is not written correctly. Here are a few suggestions on how to write a check for those individuals who have never had a checking account.
Many people believe a check has to be written in ink or generated by a printer. However, a check may be written in pencil. The danger in using a pencil is that the amount of the check can be altered. A loss would not necessarily fall on the check writer, unless a court held him to be negligent in using a pencil. If the other party accepts a check with your signature or endorsement in pencil, you would not lose anything even if your name were altered. Nevertheless, in order to make it more difficult for any alterations to be made, write your checks in ink.
Checks should be numbered. Banks do not necessarily pay much attention to check numbers, and from a legal standpoint, numbers are not necessary. The date the check is drawn should be written in the space provided. If that comes on a Sunday or a holiday, the date of the previous or following day should be used. Usually no harm will result if the date is a Sunday or a holiday.
Checks should not be dated in advance because they will not be honored by the bank, unless it fails to notice the date. If the banks detects the postdated check, it will not honor the check and will treat it the same as an overdraft. Individuals sometimes date a check in advance to take care of a debt, having asked the creditor not to cash the check until the date has arrived. This may prove embarrassing to the writer of the check if his deposit to cover the check cannot be made by that date, and the creditor presents the check for payment. Dating a check back might result in the bank refusing payment if the date is too far back of the time it is presented.
The check should be made payable to the particular person or company whom the check writer wishes to receive payment. Although the payee could cash the check if it were made out to "Cash," or "Bearer," the check writer may want to use the cancelled check sometime as proof that he has paid this amount to that particular person. Since the payee must endorse the check exactly as his name appears on the face of the check, the check writer should use the correct name of the person or company when making out the check. If you are withdrawing money from your own checking account at the bank, it is easier to make the check payable to "Cash." This requires no endorsement. If you make it payable to yourself, the bank may require that you endorse it.
When filling in the amount of the check, the amount should be put immediately after the dollar sign, and as close to the sign as possible. If a space is left between the dollar sign and the amount, someone could raise the amount by placing another number there. The decimal point should always be used to separate the dollars and cents in the amount.
The line following that which contains the payee's name and the amount is for the amount again, but here it is to be written out. The writing should begin at the far left edge of the check so that no one can raise the amount. To make it difficult for anyone to write in anything, a line should be drawn between the end of your statement and the word "Dollar."
If there is a discrepancy between the amount expressed in figures and the amount written out, the bank probably will not honor the check. However, the law says that the amount as written out will prevail. If the writing is ambiguous, the check will be good for the amount stated in the figures. The check writer should make out the check in such a way that there can be no misunderstanding as to the amount.
The check writer's signature on the check should be made in the same way as it appears in the bank's records when the account was opened.
