When you deposit a check in the US, you will frequently see the money in your account pretty quickly. I’ve seen it as early as the next day. Now, it is my understanding that the money can be revoked later if the check is dishonored/bounces, or even if the alleged check writer protests and claims that it was a forgery.
In terms of passage of time, when is a check really and truly-o, honest injun, cross my heart and hope to die, cleared and honored to the point where it can no longer bounce? I.e. when can I rest assured that the money cannot be seized out of my account administratively at the bank, but any claim that the money should not have been paid (e.g. check was a forgery, check was written by a victim of fraud, insufficient funds, stars are not right, etc.) would have to go through the court system as a civil claim for damages or a criminal prosecution for fraud, forgery, or theft?
I asked a teller at my bank, and they said that they could not tell me when a check has been honored, telling me that the money could be taken away at anytime and that they won’t allow me access to the details. That’s not a pleasant policy.
E.g., if I innocently deposit a forged check, and X number of months go by with nary a peep from the alleged accountholder or the bank that the check is drawn on, will it get to the point where the bank and accountholder, by failing to report the forgery and request the funds back administratively, have acquiesced and can no longer put a stop payment on the check or make it bounce, but must proceed with a full blown lawsuit, or could my account be hit years later?
e.g.
Bank Superior
Statement : 1/1/2015 - 1/31/2015
Debits and Credits
1/10/2015 (23,332.32) - fraudulent check deposit reversal - Check #322, Bank of the Valley, Deposited 4/22/1990
Could the above ever happen? Note the dates.
As you’ve seen, this is the type of thing that bankers are reluctant to give precise timeframes for, and in essence it’s because there is no standard precise timeframe. Nevertheless, from what I’ve read, I’d say that in practice a period of six months is sufficient to ascertain that the check is legitimate – 99% of the time. I really don’t think you’ll ever see a scenario where it takes years for this to settle out. However, someone with actual banking expertise could give a more informed, and perhaps more accurate, reply.
When I had my own business I had a check dishonored NINE months after it supposedly cleared.