After you void the check, record the voided check number in your checkbook. This will help you remember that the check was voided and you’re not waiting for it to clear your account. If that check number is posted to your account, contact your bank right away. Finally, if you use duplicate checks, make sure your VOID marks are seen on the duplicate, too. You can void a check for direct deposit by writing the word ‘VOID’ across the face of the check. If you do not have a voided check, you can go to your bank, print a counter check, and write ‘VOID’ across its face.
All products are subject to eligibility and approval by Possible Financial Inc. dba “Possible Finance” and “Possible” or its banking partner Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. If you have run out of checks, you can either order more or go to your financial institution and have them provide you with one. If you have made an error on a check you are filling out, you should void it before tossing it away. The check may still be cashable if it falls into the wrong hands. Basically, voiding a check you already sent is like bouncing your check preemptively.
What Can You Do When You Don’t Have Checks?
You must give your bank notice orally or in writing to request a stop payment. Banks recommend various ways to contact them, but generally you can make a request online, at a branch or by calling the phone number on the back of your debit card. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. You can easily void a paycheck or other payment through QuickBooks or other accounting software. You may need to void a check if you wrote a check and made a mistake. If you write the wrong dollar amount, then you’d have to void the check to keep anyone from cashing it or depositing it.
This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). The Smart Investor does not include all companies or all offers available in the marketplace and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete. Sometimes, you make mistakes when writing a check and you can void it to make it impossible for use for funds. For example, if you write the wrong amount, voiding the check will prevent the person you write it to from depositing it.
Reasons for Voiding a Check
While it depends on the bank or credit card issuer, you may be able to cancel a pending transaction online or from the issuer’s app. To cancel a pending credit card transaction before it’s complete, start by calling the merchant directly. Ask voided check the merchant or retailer to reverse the charge, cancel the sale or release the hold for the confirmed amount. In cases such as the hotel or rental car deposit hold, the charge should simply disappear once your stay or rental is complete.
Your bank will print it for you, and then you can void it by writing ‘VOID’ across its face. Below is an example of a check with all the important banking information visible before and after a void. Email isn’t always secure and using email can put your information at risk.
What to Do if You Don’t Have a Checkbook
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. If you deposit a voided check in an ATM, it may be briefly accepted.
When your statements arrive for each current period, double-check your account information. While check voiding should prevent anyone from depositing or cashing the check, keeping an eye on your account is still a good idea. Without a voided check, you may have entered https://www.bookstime.com/ your checking account number incorrectly. If someone else has the same account number as the incorrect entry, the wrong person may end up being debited. Some banks and credit unions will automatically send you a book of checks when you first open an account with them.
Here’s how to void a check and the steps to consider before voiding a check. If you find yourself needing to present a voided check to an employer to have your paycheck direct deposited or to a company for setting up electronic payments, visit your bank. But there are practical uses for voiding a check that go beyond protecting your money, including setting up direct payments or deposits, and automatic bill payments. A voided check is simply a check that you can no longer use to make a payment or withdraw money from your checking account. You may need to void a check for several reasons, including setting up online bill pay or direct deposit. You may need to void a check when you make an electronic financial transaction.
- Counter checks are the same as the starter checks many banks provide when you open an account.
- Write VOID across the front of the check, but take care not to write over the numbers printed at the bottom of the check.
- It’s typically written in large letters, so it cannot be mistaken for cash use.
- You will need to provide the check number and the total amount written.
Your bank account information appears on those checks, and whoever asked for the voided check will use those details to set up an electronic link to your bank account. There is only one hitch, you need to know how to void a check, and you may not have done that before. Voiding a check is a straightforward process that involves writing the word “VOID” on the check. If you want to enroll in direct deposit for your paycheck or other regular payments, the recipient would require your bank account information. This will ensure that your sensitive account details are not exposed, and the recipient can easily identify the correct account and routing numbers. Voided checks can be a useful tool in managing your finances, especially when used to set up direct deposit or autopay.
