We live in an increasingly digital world where money gets moved with ease and speed. So when someone asks you to fill in this small, rectangular document, it’s understandable that you may look at them with confusion (and possibly annoyance). However, while check writing is far less common than in decades past, it’s still helpful to learn, and many free checking accounts still come with checks that can be used to pay bills, give money to a loved one, etc.
How to fill out a check, step-by-easy-step
Michael C. Laing, Senior Vice President, Area Manager-South Region, Univest Bank and Trust Co., teaches financial literacy classes. Before he shows someone how to write a check, he says he generally has to explain what a check is these days.
He defines a check as a written order for money to be drawn from a financial institution. As the check writer, you must have the right to make that draw (withdrawal) from the bank.
Laing also believes it’s smart for people to understand the different parts of the check – not just the fields they must fill out. At the top left corner of the check, you’ll see your name as the checking account holder, address, and possibly phone number.
When you shift to the top right, you’ll find the check number, which helps you track each check. From left to right, the digits at the bottom of the document include the bank’s routing number (which identifies the institution) and your account number (which shows where funds will get withdrawn from when the check gets cashed). The check number may also appear in this line.
The fields in between those sections are your responsibility. Here’s how to fill out a check:
1. Write in the date
Write the current date in the space provided near the top right. Avoid writing a future date (post-dating a check) to delay paying a bill. The receiving bank or credit union can still cash a postdated check before that date, potentially overdrawing your account.
2. Fill in the payee’s name
On the following line, write the name of the individual or business you’re paying (the payee). Laing cautions, “It’s very important to make sure that you know the [entity] you intend to pay and it’s a reputable company or person who’s not going to try to alter your check in any way.”
3. Write the dollar amount for the check using numbers
In the blank box, fill in the check amount in numerals. So, if you’re paying a two hundred dollar electric bill, you’d write $200.00. (The dollar symbol may be pre-printed beside the box.)
4. Write out the dollar amount in words
In the following line, write out how much you’re paying in words. So, if you’re sending your landlord $2,450 for rent, you’d put “two thousand four hundred and fifty.”
Stephen Nixon, Product Management Director of Consumer Deposit Products at Wells Fargo, says, “You’ve got to be careful to keep your writing compact there because you can run out of space on that line. You start at the left edge, write out the written amount, and then, when you’re done, draw a line through the remaining space until you reach the word dollars. That helps to protect against anyone changing the value of the check.”
5. Add a memo for recordkeeping
“Sometimes, if you’re paying a company, they may ask you to include your account number or reference number [on the memo line],” says Nixon. However, even if including a memo isn’t required, doing so can help you keep track of your spending and bills.
For example, if you write “September 2023 rent” on the bottom left-hand line of your check, you can look back at your records later to verify payment.
6. Sign the check
On the signature line at the bottom right, sign your name. Your signature is the “key to giving the bank permission or authorization to release the money to the person you’re writing the check to,” says Nixon. The check will likely get sent back to you if you forget to sign it.
Laing offers this general warning about incorrectly written checks: “We do all we can to help the customer recover [any losses]. But [those losses] could be the responsibility of the customer at the end of the day if they didn’t follow the proper protocol.”
7. Record the check in your ledger
“Writing a check doesn’t immediately reduce your account balance,” says Nixon. That means you need to be aware of your account balance before you write a check and keep tabs on all the checks you’ve issued.
“Many people will use a check register, spreadsheet, or money management software to keep track of those checks,” says Nixon. “You can [also] sign up for balance alerts [from your bank to] help you stay on top of your [checking account] balance.”
Pro Tip: If you struggle to stay on top of your checking account’s available balance, consider signing up for overdraft protection. That way, your check’s recipient can still get their money if you don’t have sufficient funds to cover the payment.
Tips for safe and effective check writing
- Use a pen to write your check. This keeps information from being erased or altered.
- Write neatly and check your spelling. The bank must be able to read your check to process it. Misspellings can delay processing.
- Double-check that your words and numbers match. The written-out dollar amount on a check trumps the numbers. That means if you write $1,000 in the numeric section but one hundred dollars in the written section, your bank will pay the check at $100.
- Avoid leaving empty space. Keeping your text as close together as possible prevents someone from inserting numbers and altering your check.
- Avoid writing a check to ‘cash.’ If you have a check payable to cash, anyone who gets a hold of that check could negotiate (cash or deposit) that check.
- Avoid issuing blank checks. Never sign a check until you’ve filled out the payee and amount.
- Protect yourself from identity theft. Avoid writing information like your Social Security or driver’s license number in a check’s memo line to prevent a fraudster from stealing your identity.
- Dispose of checks carefully. Shred old or unused checks to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. If you don’t own a shredder, rip each document into tiny pieces.
Laing advises that writing “void” across a check no longer prevents bank fraud. “All the crooks that are out there are educated, and they have developed ways to wash these checks,” he says. Check washing is exactly as it sounds. The fraudster uses chemicals to wash away the existing writing on the document. Then, they can issue that check to themselves, stealing your money.
The takeaway
When you’ve only used digital payment methods and online banking, it makes sense that you don’t know how to write a check. However, adding another skill to your financial bag of tricks never hurts.
If you need some hands-on help with check writing, Laing says you have options. “Ask a banker to show you how to write a check,” says Laing, noting that your bank may have practice checks you can use to hone this lost skill.
And if you’re ready to up your game with your existing checking account, Fortune Recommends can help. We’ve reviewed the best free checking accounts, plus checking accounts with bonus offers to help you make the most of your money.
