Are you wondering how to write a check? In today’s digital society, it has become less common for consumers to write out a check to someone else to pay for goods and services.
The average American still writes about 38 checks per year, with some preparing a lot more and others writing out none at all! Before you send a check to another person or company to pay for something, you need to know how to do it the right way. Read on to learn how to correctly write a check!
Payor vs Payee
The payor and the payee are two of the most important things to understand when you are learning how to write a check.
The payor is the party that is the account owner of the checking account the check is drawn on. The payee is the party that is receiving funds from the check.
You may be asking, ‘Can I write a check to myself?’ Yes, you can. In that instance, you would be both the payor and the payee and this creates a paper trail of a financial transaction.
The payor’s information is often pre-printed at the top of the check when the document is issued by the bank. You will write in the payee’s name on the “Pay to the Order Of” line on the check.
Dollar Amounts
The amount of money you are remitting to the payee is a portion of the check that is looked at closely by a bank or check cashing service. Next to the “Pay to the Order Of” line, there will be a box with a dollar sign.
In that box, you will write the number that reflects the dollar amount you wish to pay. It is common for the payor to handwrite the cents portion of the dollar amount at a higher level than the dollar portion so that it stands out to someone reviewing the check.
The second part of this section is found below the “Pay to the Order Of” line. This section is a blank line that you will need to fill in yourself. This is where you must handwrite, in print or cursive, the amount of money reflected in the box.
These dollar amounts must match or your check may be invalid and rejected by a financial institution or check cashing service because of the ambiguity.
The ‘Memo’ Line and Date
The ‘memo’ line on a check can be the most effective way for someone else to discern the purpose of why the check is being written out in the first place. For example, if you are paying a pool supply company for monthly service for June 2021, you may write in “Monthly Pool Service June 2021.”
The date you include on a check must be accurate as well. Keep in mind that a check cannot be cashed or deposited by a payee until the date that the check becomes effective, as reflected on the face of the check itself.
The Importance of Learning How to Write a Check
Whether you are preparing one check each year or many more, you should learn how to write a check the right way. This will help you ensure that you are staying on top of your personal or business finances.
It will also prevent situations where you overdraft your checking account or are late on a payment because the payee cannot negotiate your check due to errors on your behalf.
At Check Cashing 247, we are your source for check cashing information through stores and other services throughout the country. Check out our Walmart Check Cashing page for helpful tips about how to cash your next check there!