Stale dated checks: Business Obligations for Unclaimed Property & Stale-Dated Checks
Tellers in banks will sometimes reject a check if the date is over that limit. This does not prevent a check from clearing the bank when deposited through other means than a teller. Money orders are a substitute for checks and generally used for lower value transactions.
Payroll checks are treated differently than regular personal or business checks. A “stale” check — one that hasn’t been cashed within six months of the original issue date — can cause you problems and cost you in bank fees. It’s important to know that when you get a check it may not be valid forever.
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Before trying to cash a stale-dated check, it might be a good idea to contact the bank that holds the account the check is drawn against to see what its policy is. If there is a message on the screen stating STALE DATED it means the check has been placed in the stale date suspense account by Procurement Services. Due diligence letters are sent by Procurement Services for checks issued in the amount of $75.00 or more. The original entry was recorded under “Disbursements.” Record the uncashed check in the disbursement column again and place parentheses around the amount.
- Treasury (a federal tax refund, for example) are good for 12 months after the date they’re issued.
- So, how long a state tax refund check is good for will vary from state to state, but generally it’s 6 months to a year.
- Though you want to avoid letting a check go out of date, there are some important considerations for a check that has become outdated.
- Unclaimed property provisions implement two rules for determining the fiduciary state.
- Ruled that banks can retrieve funds after the issuer’s requested void period unless that person specifically instructed the bank not to honor the check after that time frame.
Freezing an account will prevent all outstanding checks from clearing. It will also prevent you from making any deposits as all transactions will be effectively stopped or “frozen” until you unfreeze your account. Another thing you can do to prevent a stale check from clearing is to freeze your account.
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A personal or business check that’s older than six months is technically considered stale, but that doesn’t mean it’s void, a bad check or that your bank won’t honor it. It simply means the financial institution has the option to refuse the check. The six-month time frame generally applies to personal and business checks — including payroll checks.
If you want a basic checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, or an interest-earning checking account, we’ve got the options that are right for you. Be considerate — call or text the payer to let them know your intent. Make sure to also double-check that they haven’t switched financial institutions or opened a new account. “Expert verified” means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. A typical penalty assessed to the business owner would be a percentage of the property’s value and interest based on the delinquency of filing with the state.
What to do if you have a dated check
So, how long a state tax refund check is good for will vary from state to state, but generally it’s 6 months to a year. If you have an expired state tax refund check, you should contact the state and request a new check. Just like with the federal checks, you’re still entitled to what the government owes you.
- Treasury checks are good for one year after the date on the check.
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- Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
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- Money orders are a substitute for checks and generally used for lower value transactions.
- The letter should provide several ways for the recipient to respond to the inquiry, by letter, email or FAX.
When a check has not been cashed after 30 to 45 days, contact the payee to determine why. If the check is still outstanding after 90 days, it may be necessary to stop payment on the check. If you wrote someone a check and you’ve been waiting an unusual amount of time for it to be cashed, you may want to contact them to make sure the check hasn’t been stolen or lost. Please note that it’s always possible that Western Union or U.S.P.S. have changed their rules. Contact the issuer of your money order to find out if they have an expiration date or charge fees against old money orders.
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If you receive a cashier’s check, look for a “void after X days” disclaimer and make sure you cash or deposit the check before then. If you discover an old cashier’s check, contact the issuing bank and ask them what they need from you to handle the transaction. Ruled that banks can retrieve funds after the issuer’s requested void period unless that person specifically instructed the bank not to honor the check after that time frame. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers.
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The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) is a collection of laws and regulations meant to harmonize the laws of sales and regulations across the U.S. The UCC tells banks that they are under no obligation to accept personal or business checks that are older than 180 days (6 months). So, generally speaking, personal and business checks are good for 6 months; however, some banks will accept older checks. If you’ve been given a personal or business check, it’s important to understand the check validity period. Most personal checks have a maximum time-frame that they can be presented to a bank before they become stale, which is usually 180 days (6 months) from the date on the check.