How To Write A Check: Step-by-Step Guide

While paper checks are becoming obsolete in this digital age, there are still places that accept checks for payment. Follow this guide to learn How to Write A Check.

If you’ve never written a paper check before or can’t remember the last time you did, this guide will walk you through the steps.

How To Write A Check

Follow this guide to start writing checks. You aren’t required to fill out all these steps in order. However, when writing a check you should fill out all of the sections.

Date

To the right of Label “1” you will need to fill out the date of the day you are writing the check. While you can sometimes postdate, or enter a future date, these checks may not always be accepted. This is because recipients have to wait to deposit the checks.

Pay To The Order Of

Next, to the right of “Pay to the order of”, write the name of the recipient you’re paying. If you aren’t sure who you are making the check out to, simply ask. This can be an individual, organization or business.

Amount In Numerical Form

Write the amount of your payment after the dollar sign to the right of “Pay to the Order of”. This is key, enter the full amount in numerical form with the first number as close as possible to the dollar sign. This is meant to prevent fraud and reduce the chance of theft.

Amount In Words

In the same way now write out the amount you entered into the box but in words. Use all capital letters as they are harder to forge than lower case letters.

In case you were wondering, if the amount that you wrote out is different from the amount in the box, words will prevail over the numerical amount.

Similarly, start from the left and enter the full amount across the section.

Memo

This step is optional and will never affect how banks process your check. Simply enter the reason why you are making a payment. For example, enter “Grocery Shopping” when shopping at the grocery store.

Signature

Lastly, you will need to sign the check legibly on the line in the bottom-right corner. This is one of the most important steps as your check will not be processed without the signature.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve successfully made your first check, you can start making purchases, payments, or P2P transfers. Remember to double check all your sections.

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