With that in mind, the issuer of the money order might begin charging fees for every missed day, eroding its value. The more you wait on cashing in the money order, the more you may find out that eventually, it will become worthless. At the same time, while a USPS money order may have a longer validity or may be indefinite, an international money order may still expire. Cashier checks are slightly more complicated, and usually, the respective state law should tell you exactly how long that check is valid for. As mentioned above, a “stale-dated” check is one that remains uncashed more than six months after it was written. While all banks differ on this policy, many of them will stick to the six-month rule.
How Long Are Personal Checks Good For?
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These checks are post-dated, which means even if you received all checks on January 1, these checks are dated February 1, March 1, April 1, and so on. That means the countdown for 180 days doesn’t start for these checks until those dates. So, when it’s finally February 1, you have until July 1 to cash in your February 1 check before it becomes stale. Let’s say you’re a landlord, and one of your practices is to ask for post-dated checks for every first of the month. Does that mean all the checks you didn’t cash in after June 1 are now stale? SmartAsset Advisors, LLC (“SmartAsset”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Insight Technology, is registered with the U.S.
Do Checks Expire if Not Cashed?
Like personal checks, company-printed checks, such as checks issued by a business for payroll or other purposes, are good for 180 days or six months. If you try to cash an expired or stale check, there’s a possibility that both your bank and the bank that issued the check may still honor it. If it’s a personal check from a friend or relative, as a courtesy, consider letting the person know before you cash it. The check writer might have assumed you have already cashed how long is a check good for the check and may no longer have sufficient funds in the bank account to cover it.
What To Do if You Have a Stale Check
If you don’t cash a check and it’s been more than 180 days, the check has gone stale and the bank might not cash it. What’s more, there might be fees that can lower the value of the money order. For instance, Western Union will deduct a non-refundable service charge for money orders that have yet to be cashed one to three years after the issue date. Read the fine print to prevent being blindsided by any fees. Our research is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of personal finance services and products that best suit your needs.
Cashier’s checks may expire after 30 days, 60 days, 90 days or 180 days. If a cashier’s check doesn’t have a “stale” date, it may be good for as long as the bank remains open. A cashier’s check is a check that’s drawn against the bank’s account. A personal check, on the other hand, is drawn against your own account. Claire is a senior editor at Newsweek focused on credit cards, loans and banking.
How long is a check good for: Do checks expire? (
After the expiration date, the bank may consider the funds unclaimed property and transfer them to the state in a process called escheating2. However, you can still contact the bank and request a replacement for a stale cashier’s check. U.S. Treasury checks expire one year from the date they were issued. However, if you miss the expiration date on a government-issued check, don’t worry.
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- You may just have to take a few extra steps before that – or find a bank that is willing to cash your check anyway.
- If you’re wondering how long certain checks are good for—and what to do with an expired check—here’s what you need to know.
- A check with “void” written on it means no one can cash or deposit it.
- Business checks often include a note that reads, “Void after 90 days.” This encourages the recipient to cash the check right away—even if the 90-day deadline isn’t real.
How Long Is a Money Order Good For?
- Company checks, on the other hand, most likely have accounts with more money to offset any payment.
- A bank or credit union might honor the check, but they’re not obligated to by any means.
- That means the countdown for 180 days doesn’t start for these checks until those dates.
- Reach out to the person or business the check came from and ask if they’ll issue a new check to replace the expired one.
Cashier’s checks are considered “official checks” that are backed by an issuing bank. Cashier’s checks are a type of “official check” and the rules surrounding them can be complicated. There’s no set or specified expiration date for cashier’s checks. Some say cashier’s checks don’t expire, while others claim a cashier’s check is stale (out of date) after 60, 90, or 180 days. When you receive a check, it’s crucial to understand that it does have an expiration date.
Do Checks Expire? How Long Are They Good For?
If you’re wondering how long certain checks are good for—and what to do with an expired check—here’s what you need to know. Jackie is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team. She is an Accredited Financial Coach (AFC®ª) and loves helping freelancers and artists manage their money and overcome mental blocks. Jackie is based in Los Angeles, and loves to bike, swim and play with stickers. But circumstances and bank balances can change drastically in a matter of months, so after some time, there’s less confidence the funds will be available. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us.
You can ask the person issuing the check to write a new check and cancel the old one if it hasn’t been deposited yet. Things can get complicated, though, if the check has expired but was still deposited and it ended up bouncing. The check’s issuer might need to pay bounced check fees to their bank–an extra expense that can be frustrating.
How long is a check valid?
A bank or credit union might honor the check, but they’re not obligated to by any means. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
When you receive a check from a governmental agency, read the check and look for anything that tells you when it expires. The best bet is to deposit or cash the check before the expiration date. If you’ve been given a check, it’s best to cash or deposit it as soon as feasible.