Question about checking accounts (when they return endorsed checks)

[Orsorum]

Well, they used to. I guess Bank of America used to return checks to the owner after the check was endorsed and the funds withdrawn; my mom, bless her heart, has kept all of her checks from the last twenty years or so. She used them as proof of comingling of funds during my parents' divorce. My bank, on the other hand, scans the image of the check (front and back) and has them available when I check my balances online.

What I'm wondering is, is there any difference between an endorsed check like the ones she has saved and the online version, in an evidentiary sense? If I were to print out the scans of my old checks and save them in a binder as a record of certain transactions (like payment for tuition, etc.) would those records be valid in a court of law?

Cheers!
Nate

 

Your bank also keeps hard copies of the checks, I believe. I'm not sure if an electronic copy printed out would serve as concrete evidence, but you can always solicit the bank to have them send the actual checks for a small fee.

 

[KC5AV]

If the bank doesn't keep the hard copies, they can print copies that would be good for use as evidence in court. Printing your own copies probably wouldn't stand up.

 

[Johnnie]

You can request that they send you the hard copies every month. They will probably charge you a fee though.

 

[techfuzz]

Bank of America does keep the actual checks, but for how long I don't really know. You can request to have them sent to you every month, but it'll cost you a small fee.

techfuzz

 

[RossMAN]

My bank would return cashed checks to me for a $1/mo fee which I gladly paid but this was years ago.

Then I decided to "get with the times" and:
1) Switched my accounts to a local credit union (3 of them actually) which offer online scans of checks for free.
2) I rarely look at my scanned checks ... why? INTERNET BANKING!

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
My bank would return cashed checks to me for a $1/mo fee which I gladly paid but this was years ago.

Then I decided to "get with the times" and:
1) Switched my accounts to a local credit union (3 of them actually) which offer online scans of checks for free.
2) I rarely look at my scanned checks ... why? INTERNET BANKING!

Well, yes, I use BECU (that's Boeing Employees Credit Union for all you non-enlightened folks out there ), but I was just curious, because with things like online banking you can never be sure who made the withdrawal from an account, just that it was made.

 

[Kelemvor]

Most bansk will send you a copy of all the checks but you have to pay for them to do that. But printing them out from the banks own website should be proof enough.

 

[propellerhead]

Welcome to the 90's!

 

[fr]

I thought most banks only kept them on microfilm.

 

[anno]

bank of america still returns my checks to me each month, and charges me no fees..