How to write a Personal Check

Though it’s not the most difficult thing in the world, safely writing a check is something that everyone needs to know before it is all said and done.

Use Ink, Never Lead

Always use a pen to write a check to prevent any kind of tampering with the check. Never use a pencil when you are check writing because someone could fill in the blanks with the amount they would like to receive and easily erase your pencil marks. To avoid dishing out blank checks to people, be sure to use some kind of ink. Although a pen is acceptable according to most people, it is wise to use a permanent marker if possible. This is significant due to those occurrences in which people have committed “check washing”, which is a process in which criminals use chemicals to remove checks’ ink. A permanent marker prevents this possibility.



Dating and Identifying Tips

When you first look at the check, it might seem complicated. All of those blanks are easy to fill out once you have all of the information, though. The first step is to fill out the current date on the check. Make sure to correctly identify the date, as post-dating a check is actually illegal. Once you’ve done that, you should write the name of the person who will be receiving the check on the “pay to the order of” line. Be sure to include their complete name.

Filling in the Amount

The most important article of information on the check, of course, is the dollar value that you are assigning to it. It is required to write the amount in two places. Put this information in the dollar amount line first. The line is titled Dollars and is located below the Pay to the order of line. When you write out the amount, write it out in full, including any cents. To prevent someone from changing your numbers, you must fill out this area of the check. Afterward, you will need to print the numbers in the box to the right.

Signing the Check

Signing the check may be the last but not the least part of check writing. Be absolutely certain to sign the check with your own unique, standard signature, very stylistically similar to the one printed on your driver’s license. You could face the hassle of questions and accusations about fraud if you don’t sign the check with your standard signature. Deviations can cause the bank to red flag your check. Given how much check fraud and forgery is going on these days, banks are vigilant against suspicious-looking signatures that do not match up against your normal signature. The info section is somehow optional. Many people elect to make a quick note of what the check was for, just to keep their own bookkeeping records straight. Speaking broadly, you will be better off providing as much information as possible.

Overall, writing a check is not a particularly difficult task, although there are a few things to keep in mind. It isn’t something to be flippant about, however. Make sure that you’ve filled out each part correctly so that the likelihood of your check being altered is at a minimum. This will prevent future problems and save you from a huge mess of troubles.

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