If you’ve been handling your finances for some time, chances are you’ve seen a personal check with the word “VOID” written boldly across the front. All this means is that the check is now invalidated and can’t be deposited or cashed by the intended recipient. You can also request a stop payment order through your online banking web portal. But read the fine print about when the stop payment will go into effect. Remember, time is really of the essence here, so it may be quicker to void the check over the phone—you know, with a real human being. A voided check is a check that can no longer be accepted as payment from anyone.
- Voiding a check properly by writing “VOID” in large letters on the documents will help reduce the risk that the check will be cashed.
- As paper checks become less common in banking, organizations that normally require a voided check may be more receptive to another method.
- When you void a check, you typically mark it with the word “VOID” across the front of the check.
- That’s more than 19 times the national average — or the difference between earning $23 and $449 a year on a $10,000 balance.
- However, it’s also likely you don’t have a checkbook anymore, even if you have multiple bank accounts.
To send a voided check to someone just ask them for the mailing address you should use to mail the void check to them. To get a voided check you’ll need to talk to your bank and get them to send you a checkbook. Before you can learn how to void a check you need to understand what this is. A void check is a check that has been canceled or invalidated by the sender writing the word VOID on the check. If you need to cancel a check you’ve written out, then you need to know how to void a check.
What is the purpose of voiding a check?
However, you want to make sure the word is clearly seen so that thieves can’t write in any information and cover up the word. You don’t need to sign the check or add any other information when you’re voiding it. Next, list the check in your check register so that you don’t forget where it went. Keeping a partially written check around without voiding it is risky as it could be stolen.
- Employers may not be the only entities you’ll have a direct deposit arrangement with.
- For most void cheque information requests, you can use a form provided by CIBC that collects account information in place of a void cheque.
- Then you know that no one would be able to alter the check and spend it, because it has been voided.
- The most common use for a voided check is to establish a direct deposit¹.
- If you get your paycheck electronically, your employer will need your bank account information to be able to send the money to the right person.
Learn if your money is safe in banks, credit unions, and with CDs. Your last option is to gather all your bank account information in one place so that you can fill out a form for your employer to set up a direct deposit. If you have access to a check printer, you can print the check and use it for whatever financial actions. This isn’t the best possible option, but it will provide you with the relevant bank information.
Set Up Automatic Payments
If you mess up writing a check, then you’ll want to void the check you already wrote on and start over again. This can happen if you accidentally write the wrong amount on the check, or if you write the wrong name down for the recipient. In many instances, voiding a check is necessary for bank account verification, which involves providing a check specimen in order to confirm account information.
How to Void a Check
Voiding a check is a common practice used to nullify incorrect checks and set up direct deposits or bill payments. The process is fairly straightforward, but it’s important that you do it carefully to avoid someone using your check fraudulently. Don’t cover up the routing or bank account number at the bottom of the check when voiding it. Those numbers are necessary for identifying your bank account to send or receive payments. A voided check has the word “VOID” written across it, indicating that it cannot be used for payment. Voiding a check ensures it won’t be used by anyone, such as thieves who may write in a large amount for themselves.
Reasons for Using a Voided Check
Then, it can provide key information like your routing number and account number to be used in electronic transactions. Many employers use direct deposit to pay their employees instead of writing cheques. Once your account is linked electronically, your money will be deposited directly into your account on payday. A voided check will have all of your bank information printed on it, so it can provide others everything they need to set up a direct deposit payment from your account. Banks or institutions usually request a voided check if you are applying for certain financial services. It helps them verify your account information and confirm that it is active and linked to the correct routing number.
However, it can take days to receive checks in the mail, which may delay your onboarding process. If you don’t have a checkbook already and you aren’t able to visit a branch, it’s worth asking your requester about alternatives to providing a voided check. Employers usually ask for a voided check as a simple way to collect your banking information for direct deposit. Once you write VOID on one of your checks, it automatically means that it becomes invalid. This check cannot be treated as a blank check and used to make any payments, but it can still provide relevant information about your bank account. You can always contact us and we’ll help you with whatever you need, as soon as possible.
Why You Might Need to Make a Void Check
By opting for setting up your account online, you don’t have to provide a voided check. You can use the bank’s website to create your profile and set up an account. You will probably have to fill in an online form on your bank’s website, so make sure to have all the relevant info before you begin. If you don’t know how to make marketable securities a void check or you don’t have them, you can opt for using deposit slips for certain financial actions. They also contain relevant information such as the routing number, but you will have to insert your bank account number. When you void a check, you typically mark it with the word “VOID” across the front of the check.
However, it’s also likely you don’t have a checkbook anymore, even if you have multiple bank accounts. The most common reason to send a voided check is to share your account details with an employer. If you recently changed jobs or bank accounts, for example, your employer will want your account information and may ask for a voided check. Whatever you do, never sign a voided check or write any additional information in the blank spaces provided. The purpose of a voided check is to provide your bank name, routing number, and personal account number.
What Can I Use Instead of a Voided Check?
A void check is simply a check with the word “VOID” across the front. Writing “VOID” on a check means that the check can’t be deposited or cashed. When you void something it means you’ve made it empty, of no effect, or null. So, if a written check is full of the monetary amount you write on it, voiding the check makes that check financially empty. If someone requests a voided check from you, it’s easy to take care of. Simply use a blank check and write ‘VOID’ in large letters across the front.
Another important thing is to use a black marker or a pen that can’t be erased, making it easier for thieves to use it as a blank check. Once you have a void check, make sure to write it down and keep track of where it went in case you get confused later on. The days of receiving paper payroll checks and taking them to the bank to have them cashed are long gone. In most instances, your employer will prefer that you enroll in direct deposit so they can send your earnings directly to your bank account on payday.