A check is a payable on demand item which means it is negotiable as soon as it is written. You can only write checks for amounts of money that you have in your checking account. The University of Missouri - St. Louis does not accept postdated checks (i.e., checks written for a future date).
Anatomy of a Check
- Date - the date the check is written (cannot be a future date)
- Maker - person/business who writes the check - the name will be printed on the check
- Payee - person/business to whom the check is written
- Signature line - sign your check legibly
- Written amount - the amount written in numbers
- Legal amount - the amount written in words
- Check number - which is printed on the check and appears in the MICR line on the bottom of the check
- Banking information - both the name of the bank and the American Banking Association number appear on the check
- Account and routing numbers - appear on the bottom of the check in the MICR line
