It was common practice until the 1990's for a customer to order all their bank checks from the bank where their account was held. Although there are still many people who still follow that practice, many others have chosen to use other sources for their bank checks once they have used the initial order of checks. When you look at how things have changed over the last twenty years, it's not difficult to understand why.
Twenty or thirty years ago, many banks gave you the option of having checks with only your name on them for free or paying a little extra to have your address printed on them. Many opted for the address as well because it was required if you wrote a check in a store, and this was before the existence of Check Cards. Now, with very few exceptions, an order of 200 bank checks can cost up to $30. This has opened a new avenue of business for both direct mail and online merchants like Checks in the Mail, Checks Unlimited, and other similar merchants who not only offer a larger selection of checks and imprint styles, but at prices that are sometimes as much as 50% less than the banks charge.
Keep in mind if you decide to order checks from sources other than your bank that you will need to provide information off the checks or fax a copy of a voided check. For those who may be a little squeamish about ordering bank checks through the mail or off the Internet, many people have been ordering this way for quite some time with no problems, so any fears you have are unfounded.
Bank checks are secure for several reasons. These security concerns make bank checks a safe way to pay bills, transfer funds or use them in any of the multitude of ways checks are used. A check drawn on a bank must have several required elements to be valid. It must be dated. It must have the signature of the authorized check writer.
It must have the amount of money it is drawn for clearly stated numerically and in writing. When being presented in person to be cashed, the presenter must give personal information in order to cash the check. When presented for deposit, it must be signed or stamped on the back of the check. This validates the account to be credited with the deposit.
When the check is forwarded back to the bank of origin, these safe guards are used again to protect the account holder. The signature is checked and the amount of withdrawal is verified with the written amount of the check. Printed and numbered checks also enhance the safety of using a bank check.
A canceled check is legal proof of payment to a party. Forged or stolen checks can be brought to the attention of the bank of origin and the account holder will be protected as to loss of funds. Without these means of making payments, bill paying, purchasing and payroll would be much more difficult and time consuming. Handling cash presents its own security concerns and bank checks eliminate these problems.
Bank checks are a secure way to provide an audit trail and make bookkeeping a snap. With the software available today, this can be automated to a great degree. Without modern bank checks, paper shuffling would be a nightmare.
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