For successful
checking account management, keep the following in mind:
Protect your checks just like you would cash. Identity
theft is rampant, and people can steal your checks, forge
your signature, and use up every penny in your account by
cashing one of your checks.
Checks are numbered, so you can keep track of each one.
Record all information about your purchases with checks
or debit cards—date, merchant, and amount—in your
checkbook register.
Use the "memo" line at the bottom of each check
to record what you bought.
If you lose your checks or think someone has stolen them,
call your bank immediately.
Be sure to reconcile your checkbook as soon as you receive
your statement; verify each cancelled check to make sure
it's the same as the amount you recorded. If anything is
different, notify your bank immediately.
If you bank online and don't get paper statements or your
cancelled checks, double-check to make sure the figures
are right as soon as you know your banking cycle.
Keep your ATM and debit card receipts to check against
your bank statement.
If you haven't had a checking account before or if you have
questions about your account, ask someone at your bank to
help.
