are checks void after 1 year?

[Chiropteran]

I know some checks specifically state "void after 1 year", but most don't.

I have some checks from 2006, would I still be able to cash or deposit them?

Update: I went ahead and deposited all the old checks I had, through an ATM about a month ago. All of them cleared, no problems at all.

So FYI, at least for some banks in VA (Southern Financial), they will happily accept and honor a 2 year old check.

 

[Vic]

I'd verify funds first.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Vic
I'd verify funds first.

You mean, ask the person who wrote the check?

 

[Atomic Playboy]

2006, probably not. Some checks are void after 90 days, some after 180. I have a check from the State of Oregon for $7.00 (my kicker check from a year I spent most of the year out of state or unemployed) that is valid for 2 years from the issue date. If it doesn't have "void if not cashed by" date on it, then I would assume that you would not be able to cash them over a year past the issue date, but it's really a question for the bank. Go in and ask a teller.

 

[jlee]

Check with your bank...I think personal checks in NH are considered stale-dated after 90 days.

 

[Vic]

No, call the bank's phone number on the check, following the automated instructions for "merchants verifying funds" and enter the account # (the part of the MICR that is not 9 digits long) and dollar amount, and it'll tell you if funds are available (and indirectly, that the account is still open).
Then, I would suggest presenting the check at the issuing bank, if possible.

 

[Gothgar]

its usually less than 1 year... you are SOL

 

[Chiropteran]

Update: I went ahead and deposited all the old checks I had, through an ATM about a month ago. All of them cleared, no problems at all.

So FYI, at least for some banks in VA (Southern Financial), they will happily accept and honor a 2 year old check.

 

[Baked]

Too busy to deposit your checks within the week?

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Baked
Too busy to deposit your checks within the week?

In a word, yeah.

The bank I use is not very big in the area. They only have a couple of locations and none of them are near my current home or work, about 30 minutes out of the way to drive. I'm perfectly fine with this, my paycheck is on direct deposit and I pay bills online so I don't really need to visit the bank often.

Sometimes I get small checks though, like for gifts from family ($25, $30) and with the price of gas I don't really want to make a trip out to my bank just to deposit 1 check, so I normally wait a couple months and make a trip when I have several checks waiting. As far as the checks from 2006... those were misplaced, I don't normally wait that long.

 

[Skeeedunt]

I'm hoping those 2 year old checks weren't drawn from personal checking accounts, otherwise you're kind of a dick from cashing them out of nowhere like that.

 

[rh71]

Why are some checks (like rebates) void after 90 days or such? In case it gets lost and they want to protect themselves by re-issuing? Do they have to re-issue?

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Skeeedunt
I'm hoping those 2 year old checks weren't drawn from personal checking accounts, otherwise you're kind of a dick from cashing them out of nowhere like that.

Wouldn't it already be accounted for when they balance their checkbook, when they wrote the check?

I am too lazy to balance mine, so I give cash or gift cards, but I assume anyone giving me a check is going to balance their checkbook, it's just common sense.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: Skeeedunt
I'm hoping those 2 year old checks weren't drawn from personal checking accounts, otherwise you're kind of a dick from cashing them out of nowhere like that.

Wouldn't it already be accounted for when they balance their checkbook, when they wrote the check?

I am too lazy to balance mine, so I give cash or gift cards, but I assume anyone giving me a check is going to balance their checkbook, it's just common sense.

Yeah, you'll get no argument from me there. They should have noticed that their check never cleared and that their books don't add up.

My point is just that many normal human beings would just write this off as a discrepancy at some point and forget about it. If this is anyone you give a crap about, magically making $30 disappear from their checking account 2 years later may confuse them at best or screw them over at worst. Didn't you see that episode of Seinfeld??

 

[imported_weadjust]

Jerry Seinfeld caused a lot of problems when he didn't cash all those birthday checks from his Nana!

 

[Injury]

Checks are void 60 DAYS from the date on the check. Sometimes they will still go through afterwards, but they are LEGALLY void at that point and you can pay returned check fees after that point in time. (which can sometimes be up to $50.)

If it's ever an issue, just ask the company to reissue the check.

 

[shabby]

For some reason i read the topic as chicks rather than checks...

 

[alkemyst]

A check is really never bad. Even if you stop payment on it, it's up to you to collect the check back

Your own bank more than likely would not honor it, but if another financial institution cashed it, it would be on you.

Most people don't know how insecure checks really are...you are much safer with credit cards.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
2006, probably not. Some checks are void after 90 days, some after 180. I have a check from the State of Oregon for $7.00 (my kicker check from a year I spent most of the year out of state or unemployed) that is valid for 2 years from the issue date. If it doesn't have "void if not cashed by" date on it, then I would assume that you would not be able to cash them over a year past the issue date, but it's really a question for the bank. Go in and ask a teller.

Even this doesn't make a check invalid, should it be cashed that company would still have to fund it.