However, if you find a check that’s beyond its “sell by” date, contact the issuing bank and your bank to find out whether or not you can still use it. If for some reason you don’t cash in that check within a year, you are still entitled to that money, but some banks may no longer honor that check. In this case, you need to contact the issuer of that check and request a new one. This print is only meant to discourage people from delaying their check deposits and to cash it in or have it deposited sooner rather than later.

What Happens if You Don’t Cash a Check?

However, there are a few factors that may affect the validity of a check even before it reaches its expiration date. Although the validity remains the main concern, there are two ways in which you may proceed in regard to checks. The Uniform Law Commission (ULC) drafted the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) in 1952 to harmonize U.S. laws regarding sales and other commercial transactions. As a trusted platform for money management, credit education, and identity protection, our mission is to bring Financial Power to All™.

Can You Cash an Expired Check?

If you’ve got an expired state or local government check, contact the issuer to see if they can replace the stale check with an updated check. Typically, a personal check is good for six months after it was written. After that point, the check is considered “stale.” However, some banks and unions still might accept a check older than six months. Also, the state where you live might have different requirements regarding the expiration period for a personal check. Generally, you can cash a personal check within six months of the date it was issued. After the six-month window closes, federal law says that a bank or credit union isn’t required to cash that personal check from Aunt Lisa or anybody else.

How Long Is a State or Local Government Check Good For?

• Treasury checks, if your state or local government check has expired, you are entitled to contact the issuing agency and request a replacement.
• Communication is key in these situations, as resolving the issue promptly can help avoid unnecessary complications and maintain a good relationship with the check issuer.
• This is because banks consider expired checks to be stale-dated, meaning they are no longer obligated to honor them.
• For example, if you are the issuer and have a solid relationship with the bank.

” It’s a good question to ask, and the answer will likely depend on the type of check. The validity period for a check often depends on whether it’s a personal check, business check or cashier’s check. It’s always best to cash or deposit checks as soon as they are written out of courtesy to the issuer.

Legal

Therefore, it’s crucial to handle checks with care and avoid any alterations that could raise suspicion. Depending on the type of check, the validity may be as short as 90 days and as long as a year. However, to make sure you do not lose that money, you may want to cash in the check as soon as possible. The how long is a check good for person that wrote the check might close the account by the time you decide to cash it in. Whether they decided to switch banks or decided that a new account was needed, the old one will be closed – which means that the check will likely bounce.

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If you discover an old cashier’s check, contact the issuing bank and ask them what they need from you to handle the transaction. If you find an old check, you may be tempted to try to cash it. But if the date on it is more than six months ago, it’s likely considered a “stale check.” Your bank and the issuing bank may not honor it.

TAX CENTER

A check is a banking instrument that directs the bank to pay a certain amount of money to the person whose name is added to that list. It’s written by a payee for a drawee, and the person for whom the money is intended will have to claim the money at a bank. Checks – it’s been a while since anyone’s heard about them, right? However, even if everyone is now busy with bank transfers and debit cards, there are still some people that just prefer signing checks. It saves them the trouble of going to the bank – and let’s face it, they feel fancy. Stale-dated checks do slip through the cracks when bank employees don’t notice the date on the check.

banking basicsDuplicate checks, explained

• If you want a basic checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, or an interest-earning checking account, we’ve got the options that are right for you.
• If you find an expired check, your first action should be to call both your bank and the issuing bank to learn about their policies.
• There’s also the chance the account no longer has enough funds to cover the check’s amount.
• Unless the check you have is a certified one or a government-issued one, the wise move would be to cash that check within six months of the day it was signed.
• Let the person or entity know you plan to deposit the check, so they can make sure their account has the funds.
• Be sure to review the check for an expiration date or timeframe.

Checks become outdated mainly as a way to protect the account holder. Typically, when individuals write checks, they have their current balance in mind and expect the funds to be withdrawn within a short span of time. If you find an expired check, your first action should be to call both your bank and the issuing bank to learn about their policies. Alan Sembera began writing for local newspapers in Texas and Louisiana. His professional career includes stints as a computer tech, information editor and income tax preparer.