If you have been using your credit or debit cards for most of your financial transactions, you probably do not know yet how to fill out a check. It may sound a fairly easy task for you especially if you are confident that you have enough funds in your bank account. But mind you, it is not just the funds that may cause your checks to bounce. How you have filled out your checks may also be a very big factor.
Issuing a bouncing check whether you have done it intentionally or not would put you into a very big responsibility. To prevent that, you should make sure that you fill out every check you issue accurately. To do that, you should first know how to identify the different parts of the check that are necessary for you to fill out.
Right below your check number which is at the upper right hand of your check is the date field. You would always have to fill it out with the date that you would like the money to be taken out from your bank account. Writing the date would always have to be in a month-day-year format. Right beside the date field are numbers that identify your banking institution.
The long line which states "pay to the order of" is a line where in you need to write the name of the person, business establishment, or bank that you are authorizing to receive the money. Make sure that you write the accurate name including their initials that corresponds to their proof of identification. The next line with the dollar sign is the field where you write the amount you want them to receive. You would have to accurately write them in figures. You would have to strengthen that statement by confirming the amount in words on the line right below it.
The line at the lower left hand corner of the check is an optional field which you may have to write an account number on if you are paying a bill. The line at the lower right corner is reserved for your signature. The numbers at the bottom of the check are routing number, account number and check number.
The very reason most people make use of checks as their primary mode of payment is because they feel that it is a lot more secured to use. Unlike credit and debit cards which can be used by anybody for online transactions for as long as they know your bank details, checks cannot be used unless properly filled out. If you would like to get the same security that other are getting by using checks, you can order checks online and have it linked through your bank account. You simply have to find a reliable check provider that offers cheap checks with sufficient security features to guarantee that your transactions are always secured.
Once you have gotten your check, take note of the fact that the signature field should always be the last to be filled out. Never leave a blank check signed unless you are giving anyone the freedom to withdraw just any amount from your bank account.