Can I cash a check if its only written to my first name?
I don’t see why not as long as you have proper ID.
I think it depends on your bank–I know mine would most likely not allow this, as they gave me a hard time about a check being made out to my nickname (i.e. “Jenny Doe” instead of “Jennifer Doe”).
If your name’s John, how is the bank supposed to know that the check is for you, John Smith, as opposed to John Green who lives down the street?
No harm would come in trying to cash it, would it? I wouldn’t be guilty of anything? I mean, the check was written to me. Its just my first name, though. And my first name is rather unique.
Just deposit it. Then they’re usually less diligent about verifying ID. Heck, deposit it using an ATM, then you’re pretty much clear.
Yeah, thats what I want to do is deposit it. I just don’t want any trouble from the bank about this.
You can add your last name to the payee line. There’s no law that says all parts of check have to be filled in by the same person or with the same pen. Now, a bank may get prickly about it if they think something’s fishy, but any number of people write checks with the payee line blank for the store to fill in, and in some cases simply sign a check and let the payee fill in both the name and the amount. Obviously not the safest thing to do if it’s a check from you, but it’s not illegal.
Generally, yes. I have a hyphenated last name, and have recieved checks (mostly paychecks from an impossibly dumb-witted manager at a fast-food joint) with every possible permutation of it, including one made out to “Ninja C.” (well, that’s not what it said, but you get it.) Never had a problem, especially if you have your account number. Best bet would be use a deposit slip from your checkbook, preprinted.
I owned and operated a small business for seven years and deposited checks made out to all sorts of business names that weren’t mine, and some occassionally made out to my competition – never had any problem.
Also one of my suppliers, another small business guy, when I wrote checks to him, it was simply to his one name – Mahmoud. He was Pakistani and I don’t know whether that was first, last, or nickname but it was all I ever knew him as and never had any trouble with those checks either.
-rainy
I’ve had similar experiences with my various small business, Rainy. I own a bookstore, and I’ve had checks made out to all kinds of variations on the name, including just “bookstore” and “books.” The bank has never questioned one of them. And, to toss in a note for those reading the other current check thread about endorsements, I’ve never endorsed a check for any of those businesses. They were all just stamped with the business name and the words “for deposit only.”
I agree that endorsements are not mandatory, but in your case, you indorsed those checks. The stamp is an indorsement.
What’s the difference between indorsement and endorsement?
"in"dorsement is a variant spelling of "en"dorsement, although I’ve never seen it spelled that way.
The UCC spells it with an i. I use the spellings interchangeably.
Depends on the bank and how strict they are. I lent some money to a friend of mine who goes by a different name than his legal name (Mahyar -> Mike). He once told me to never use his real name, mainly to avoid confusion. Of course, I wrote the check to Mike <lastname> and the bank refused to take it.
If a stamp counts as an endorsement (not a signature stamp, mind you, just text), then my wife handwriting “For deposit only” with an account number on a personal check counts, too?
Hmmm… Not sure, but probably not. It becomes a question of intent, but I would argue that the “for deposit only” restriction, by itself, is not an endorsement.
Such restrictions are sometimes called restrictive endorsements, but that’s a different sense of the word. I would argue that an endorsement (in the usual sense of that word) has to somehow identify the endorser. “For deposit only” by itself, doesn’t do so.