How Long Can You Cash A Check?

Despite the existence of electronic transfers, many people still use regular paper checks because they make payments simple and inexpensive. However, what happens if no one deposits them? Most likely, you understand that at some point they become stale-dated. However, you should pay attention to the fact that the obligation to pay will not go away, so you need to deal with the payment as soon as you can.

How long is a money order good for?

  • Checks written to you. You should pay attention to the fact that if you do not have a certified or government-issued check, then it is recommended to deposit it within six months.
  • Checks you write. It is also recommended that you adhere to the six months rule in order to avoid confusion in the bank. Thus, if someone does not cash or deposit the check that you issued, then after six months he may face certain difficulties. However, remember that despite this, you still owe money.

How long is a personal check good for?

Many people ask questions such as "how long does a check last" or "how long are checks good for". In most cases, checks are good for six months. However, you should also understand that there are different situations and exceptions. There is also no guarantee that the bank rejected the check after this time. Note that most states use The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) as a model for the law, where it is told that banks are not required to accept old checks. However, they can still process payments if they think the check is good. Let's pay attention to the types of checks and find out how long this or that check is valid.

  1. Personal Checks. As many people continue to receive personal checks, they are interested in the answers to the questions “do personal checks expire”, “how long do you have to cash a personal check” and “how long are personal checks valid”. In fact, more often than not, personal checks are good for six months after the date on the check. However, you should be aware that some banks still process stale-dated checks.
  2. Treasury Checks. First, note that Treasury Checks include the Social Security Administration, the IRS, Veteran Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, and Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the DOD. Here it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how long before a check expires since checks from the federal government differ in terms. Moreover, more often than not, local and state governments can set their own check expiration dates. Thus, if you lose your check or more than 6 months have passed, contact the sender.
  3. It is also important to note that stimulus checks are also US treasury checks. However, do stimulus checks expire? And how long do you have to cash a stimulus check? At the moment stimulus check, the expiration date is one year. However, if you missed the deadline, you still go to request a replacement for the expired check.
  4. Cashier's checks. Questions such as “do cashier’s checks expire” and “how long is a cashier’s check good for” are popular but there is no definite answer. The laws of the state in which you live directly affect how long our cashier's checks are good for. Please note that banks may not accept a cashier's check for deposit, as most often check void after 90 days. Thus, if your check is 90 days ago today, you will need to contact the bank to get a new check.
  5. Money orders. You will be glad to know that money transfers usually don’t expire. However, it is important to note that the money order issuer may charge a fee on the money transfer, which will reduce its cost.
  6. Traveler's checks. Surely you are asking the question can traveler's check expire? And the answer is no. This type of check never expires and you can also return it in case of loss or theft.