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how to properly void a check

The check won’t be usable to the other party if the words are so big that they cover the account details like routing and account numbers. Those numbers are what the person receiving https://www.online-accounting.net/ the voided check will use to identify your checking account. Though many financial transactions are now paperless, knowing how to void a physical check is useful at times.

  1. Employers may not be the only entities you’ll have a direct deposit arrangement with.
  2. Once you’ve written your void check, photocopy it to keep on hand.
  3. I graduated in 2003 from Carnegie Mellon University with a Masters in Software Engineering and I use my analytical skills to navigate the financial world.
  4. Setting up the arrangement may require you to provide a copy of a voided check so the client can establish the electronic link for payment purposes.

Recurring Personal Payments

It helps provide a company with the necessary bank account information while preventing the actual check from being used for financial transactions. If all else fails, you may be able to get official documentation from your bank or credit union instead of voiding a check. Ask for a letter, printed on bank letterhead, which lists your account number, routing number, https://www.online-accounting.net/bookkeeping-forms-accounting-business-forms-and/ and account type (checking or savings). Alternatively, some banks provide form letters for setting up direct deposit—print it while you’re logged in to the online banking system, and it should have everything you need. To void a check for your employer to set up direct deposit, take a blank check and write “VOID” in large letters across the entire check.

What Is A Voided Check?

Never give anyone a blank check, especially someone you do not know because it could be used to make a withdrawal on your account. Most checks are good for six months, but banks might still cash checks that are past this expiration date. Some checks might explicitly state a different period, such as three months or a year.

If You Don’t Have Checks

how to properly void a check

Whether you’re using Quickbooks online or with a program, it’s generally best to void a check rather than delete it. Voiding checks makes a record of the transaction for future reference. Many banks offer checks for this purpose, but you may need to pay a fee for the service. Keeping what is unearned revenue what does it show in accounting a photocopy of void checks can also protect you if somehow an old check you intended to void ever gets presented to a bank in the future. Once you’ve made your voided check, note it in your check register. Doing so allows you to keep track of what happened to that check.

Writing “VOID” across the front of the check prevents anybody from using the check to make a standard check payment (by filling in a payee and an amount). If you have run out of checks, you can either order more or go to your financial institution and have them provide you with one. Balancing a checkbook and keeping track of all your expenses are great ways to start on the path to budgeting.

There are several common situations when someone will ask for a voided check, which the next section discusses. You may have to get creative, wait for checks, or find an alternative way to link your bank account. Make a note of the check-in your check register so that you know where that particular check went.

Even though fewer consumers make payments by check, voided checks remain important. That’s why it’s good to know how they work, even if you don’t frequently pay by check, so you remain protected when you use them. After receiving your weekly pay, you’ll receive a deposit slip to confirm. Direct deposits are another element of online banking that can simplify your finances and are much quicker than check payments. If you’ve started a new job, your employer will likely pay you through a bank account.

Now let’s talk about how to void a check, including when you’ll need to and what to do if you don’t have a physical checkbook. Once you’ve voided a check and made copies of it, shredding the original check is a good idea to help prevent fraudsters from getting their hands on it. When voiding a check, these safety measures can help you to protect yourself from scammers. Criminals can steal mail, then physically wash checks with chemicals and rewrite the check’s value and recipient.

You can safeguard your voided checks by using long-lasting indelible gel in pens, preferably with black ink. Make a copy of the voided check to send to your employer or whoever else needs it. You can also keep a copy for yourself as a reminder that the check with this number was not used for a specific payment. This will ensure it reaches the intended place without passing through third-party hands. If in person is not possible, a fax delivery is preferred to email. After all, an email can be forwarded, exposing your check information to unintended parties.


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