How To Write a Check

This section teaches you full how to write a check from your personal checking account and how to keep accurate records for your checking account. While technology pretty much does all that for you already, it's a smart process to follow. It is estimated that banks do report an average 0.02% record errors annually. A total of just under 15 billion checks are being written in the United States annually. This might just help you out.

Lessons

• How to Write a Check- The step-by-step order you should write in.
• Understanding Personal Checking Accounts - When you get a checking account you will be able to write checks to pay for purchases and to pay bills.
• Parts of a Check- The main eight parts that you need to know.
• How to use a Checkbook Register - Every time there is activity in your bank account (deposit, withdrawal, check payment) you need to record the activity so that you know how much money is in your account at all times.
• A Completed Checkbook Register Lesson - Follow the same procedure for recording deposits or any withdrawals you make at a teller or from a bank machine.
• Reconciling Your Checkbook Register - When you get a statement from your bank, you want to make sure that the transactions that show on the statement match what you have recorded in your register.
• A Modern Checkbook Register Lesson - Your bank should provide you with a paper copy of a checkbook register when you order checks or you may choose to use a software program that has one.

Guided Lessons

• How to Write a Personal Check- The main idea in this section. Try doing it as a class.
• Parts of a Personal Check - Give students the check and have them label it and then go over it together to check for understanding.
• Check Register - Give the students the following register to complete and then review it as a class.

Practice Worksheets

• Understanding Parts of a Check- What is the address of the person who wrote the check?
• How to Write a Check - Murray Bones needs to pay the phone company for his monthly bill.
• Using a Check Register - Make sure all reporting is done on your account.
• Reconciling Your Transaction Register - This isn't the easiest thing to do.

• Answer Keys - These are for all the unlocked materials above.

Independent Practice Worksheets

You can let students loose on these sheets.

• Completing Checks - You do not have enough cash with you to pay for groceries so you will need to write a check.
• Understand Checks - For what amount was the check written?
• Check Word Problems - You are trying to make some extra money to buy a new smart TV that your parents are refusing to purchase. You decide to set up some online auctions and sell some of your old possessions you no longer use. Use the check register below to track deposits of your earnings.
• Check Writing Student - John Potts takes his laptop in to get fixed. He has $50 in his bank account, but the cost of repair is $62.50. He knows that he will have money when he gets paid in two days, so he asks if he can write a postdated check.
• Complex Check Registry - You have $400 in your bank account. With the following deposits and withdrawals, what will your end balance be?

Homework Sheets

Once students have a good idea about what is going on, send them home with these.

• My Darn iTunes Card - Your ITunes card stopped working for some reason but there were some apps that you wanted to download right away.
• Writing Checks - You have to write checks for all of your extracurricular activities.
• Quick Check Registers - Record the following information into the provided transaction register.
• Writing a Check Registry - Assuming you had $200 in your bank account at the time of your first purchase, show the transactions that took place in your register.
• Full Registry Practice - You know you want to buy one and you have to start saving money now. Try as you might, you still spend the odd bit but for the most part, you put all of your earnings into the bank. If you start with $200 and deposit your weekly income you want to know how long it will take to save for a Playstation if the price is around $700.

Quizzes

Time to see if everything has sunk in.

• Interpreting Written Checks - Answer the questions based on the check presented below.
• Writing Checks - Write a check to John Mesida for $62 for a video game.
• Birthday Money - Your grandma gave you $100 for your birthday so you could open a checking account. She told you that were allowed to spend $50 right away but then you had to build it up to $100 again before you could spend anymore so that you always kept a minimum balance in your account.
• What Happened - Your debit card stopped working so you will have to pay for everything with a check until your bank can send you a new one. Record the following transactions in your check register.
• Analyzing Check Registries - What was the balance after a $21 withdrawal was made at the ATM?

How Do You Write a Personal Check?

Adults use checks to draw or transfer some amount of cash. Adults need to write the checks perfectly otherwise the banks don’t allow withdrawal. Few things should be kept in mind before writing a check:

Writing the date on the check - The date is written in the upper right-hand corner. Date is written next to a blank space with the word "date". Note that check is a legal document, and it should be of the day of signing.

Name of recipient - The person or the company who is to receive the check needs to be mentioned next to space where "pay to the order of" is written. This information needs to be clearly and accurately mentioned.

Writing amount on the check - Write the exact amount that you need. Be extra careful and accurate with this information. Write the amount next to space where "amount" or dollar sign is mentioned.

Write the monetary amount - Make sure that you write the number of cents and add "even" at the end. It is to ensure that the person doesn't add any number after it.

Sign the check - Signing the check is crucial. Without the signature, checks are considered invalid. Take your time and with your best cursive, write your signature.

Fill out the memo - Filling out the memo is optional, but it can be helpful to remember the purpose of your check. Some companies prefer filling out this section.