Cashing a check made out to someone else

Hunt
Wed, 29 May 2013 09:42:51 +0000

A couple of months ago, my son needed several checks cashed. I just had him endorse them, and I endorsed them below, and I deposited them using the ATM. I probably had him write, “Pay to the order of:” below his name. It never occurred to me that this might be a problem. I haven’t heard anything about it.

It is my recollection from Commecial Transactions years ago that banks are obligated to accept such checks–they may put a hold on it until it clears the issuing bank. Perhaps that has changed–my guess is that banks want to discourage this, but they may technically have to accept it. Call the bank and ask them what specifically to write on the check–don’t ask them if you can do it or not.