Quantcast

unclaimed checks

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
do checks become void automatically after 90 days?

i gave a check to a certain organization 85 days ago, and it has yet to clear. will it become void in 5 days, or would i need to call the bank and cancel it?

also, if i do cancel it, will the organization know this, or will their account just be $175 less than expected?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,031
7,550
if you cancel it it will bounce when they try to deposit it. they will know.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Most banks will accept checks regardless of how old they are. Banks accept the most amazing things - checks without signatures, checks incompletely filled out, checks made out to other people... It's really astonishing. I used to do some paperwork for a local business and was in charge of keeping track of received checks on a spreadsheet.

You will need to put a stop payment on it if you don't want them cashing it.

edit: And as Toshi said, they will know. The check will be returned to them.
 

rooftest

Monkey
Jul 10, 2005
611
0
OC, CA
Usually, checks will become void after 1 year - that's the standard. This may be less with rebate checks, etc as long as it's printed on the check.

Bottomline, even if this "organization" doesn't cash your check you still owe them the money.
 

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
it's not that i don't want them cashing it...well, actually, i don't mind if they cash it at all, but i don't even know if they have posession of it anymore, and no one is getting back to me about it. i'm not the only one in this position, either. kind of annoying.

rooftest said:
Bottomline, even if this "organization" doesn't cash your check you still owe them the money.
it was a donation.
 

Repack

Turbo Monkey
Nov 29, 2001
1,889
0
Boston Area
My brother had a crack-head landlord like that. He kept on sending in checks even trhough none were cashed. His roommate just stop paying. They moved out at the end of May but still haven't heard anything.