A really dumb question...

astanley

astanley

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Andrew Stanley
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My wife is in Italy right now, and her father sent her a check as a "present" to use while she is in Italy. Problem is, it's made out to her and she's 3000 miles away.

So, we share a number of bank accounts - with both of our names on them - can I sign the back of the check and deposit it, even though it is made out to her? I figure "yes", unless it gets trapped in the system...

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
SCCutler said:
Will your wife say, if asked, "I signed it"?

Practical matter- if no one challenges the endorsement, it will never be thought of again.
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Sign her name and the bank will probably not even care as you are a joint account holder anyways. I have yet to see a bank challenge and endorsement.

Not exactly your issue but read this and see just how far it went until someone challenged a signature. http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/

The page might be down for a little bit, I just tried it and could not get on. Here is some background on that prank
http://www.guerrilla-innovation.com/archives/2005/03/000410.php
 
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Just endorse it "deposit to the account of the payee. Bank of Squedunk, Account # xxxx."

-Skip
 
smigaldi said:
Not exactly your issue but read this and see just how far it went until someone challenged a signature.
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Back in the early 70s I worked for a money center bank. Credit cards were uncommon back then, and one card - BankAmericard, if I remember correctly, came out with cards with a photo of the cardholder on the card as an additional security item. Seems like it would be better than a signature, no?

No. To test the security feature, my bank made up a handful of cards for certain employees with photos of Adolf Hitler and George Washington on them. Nobody had any problem using those cards to purchase items.

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
To test the security feature, my bank made up a handful of cards for certain employees with photos of Adolf Hitler and George Washington on them. Nobody had any problem using those cards to purchase items.
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That is a really crappy test. Obviously if you see that you know those people shouldn't have a card so it must be just the design or something.

It would have been much better to put pictures of a different average joe on there. Also clearly indicate something stating the card is not valid if the person in the picture is not present.
 
jesse said:
That is a really crappy test. Obviously if you see that you know those people shouldn't have a card so it must be just the design or something.

It would have been much better to put pictures of a different average joe on there. Also clearly indicate something stating the card is not valid if the person in the picture is not present.
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I am sure I wrote this before but....

The back of my credit card it has written in the signature block "See ID"

At Best Buy one of the counter guys asks me when I hand him my card "What does see ID mean" I reply 'it means that you should ask to see my identification', "oh" he says and hands the card back to me. Obviously a future brain surgeon. :(
 
I just deposited a check made out to the girlfriend and signed by me in front of the teller. It went into our joint account. The day before, the same teller wouldn't cash the check because it was made out to her. Now I deposit the check and drive around to the ATM and take the cash. Great System.
And Scott, I also write SEE ID on the back of Credit Cards. Amazing when the cashier looks at that, then looks at my sginature on the receipt, then nods like their some kind of handwriting expert, and finishes the sale.
 
alaskaflyer said:
Bingo. Nothing requires a "signature" as such when depositing into the bank account of the payee.
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Some checks require an endorsement and that generally must be the same as the payee. But without any specific language on the check saying an endorsement is required you don't need to write any kind of endorsement if the payee is on the account you're depositing into.
 
lancefisher said:
Some checks require an endorsement and that generally must be the same as the payee. But without any specific language on the check saying an endorsement is required you don't need to write any kind of endorsement if the payee is on the account you're depositing into.
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Usually the only checks that require an endorsement are those that by signing you are also providing a release of some kind. This is common with insurance checks which indicate by signing you are accepting the payment as payment in full for the loss, i.e. you won't come after them for additional amounts. Don't sign and cash a check from an insurance company that is less than the amount you expect if it has this clause.

You don't need to endorse or write anything on a check being deposited to an account with the beneficiaries name on it, either single or joint. The bank will simply put an endorsement on the back indicating "Deposited to the credit of the payee".
 
Just write "for deposit only" on the back and deposit it. Made out to her and going inot her account, should be a non-issue. Always worked for me :)
 
N6399A wins.

For Deposit Only, or FDO if tyou're really cool. All the bank needs to know is that they are being left off the hook. FDO brings all the federal clearing laws into play. If you don't have the missus around, and you have a joint account, FDO should work just fine.

Former Bank Teller.
 
N6399A said:
Just write "for deposit only" on the back and deposit it. Made out to her and going inot her account, should be a non-issue. Always worked for me :)
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That's the way I endorse all my deposited checks..never had a problem. I add the account number under where I write "for deposit only".
 
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