First Bounced Check....

[professionalmom]

My senior year, I needed an extra math credit, so I took "Basic Math For Basic Living" and it taught things like balancing a checkbook, figuring how much you're really paying on a car loan, making a budget, keeping an expense record, the frightening facts about a mortgage (how much you're really paying in the end) and things like this.

It's amazing that this was a "make a credit" class instead of a required course!

But I'll bet it not even offered anymore. I think we need more basic skills courses in high school. I am amazed at how many adults do not know how to balance a checkbook, how expensive it is to buy on credit, how to cook/clean/do laundry, etc. And no one seems to understand the basics of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's pathetic, how little the graduating seniors are prepared for REAL LIFE. Everyday I am more and more convinced that I need to home school my children so they can get the "normal" education plus the "life skills" education.

[Michael]

Demand Letter for Bounced Check

Persephone just posted a great pdf on "Parents That Owe Money":

https://www.daycare.com/news/parents-that-owe-money-to-daycare.html

Here is a sample Demand Letter for Bounced Check

Date

[Parent’s Name]
[Parent's Address]
[City, State Zip]


Dear [Parent’s Name]:

This letter is to notify you that your check to me, [Provider’s Name], for child care services for the week of [Date], in the amount of [$___], was returned by the bank because [you stopped payment or insufficient funds]. This is my official demand for payment of said amount in addition to the [$___] bank charge for the returned check. Please send immediate payment in the amount of [$___].

You may have a good faith dispute as to whether you owe the full amount. If you do not have a good faith dispute and fail to pay me the full amount of the check in cash within 30 days of this notice, a service charge of an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25) for the first check passed on insufficient funds* and the cost to mail this notice, you could be sued and held responsible to pay at least both of the following:

(1) The amount of the check
(2) Damages of at least one hundred dollars ($100) or, if higher, three times the amount of the check up to one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500). If the court determines that you do have a good faith dispute with me, you will not have to pay the service charge, treble damages, or mailing cost. If you stopped payment because you have a good faith dispute with me, you should try to work out your dispute with me. You can contact me at:

[Provider’s Address]

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

Your Signature

[gbcc]

Thats a great letter Michael for non-payment. However, with a bounced check you can actually press mistr. charges for bouncing the check. The threat of being arrested works much better than court. Most people know that claims court is a joke.

[momma2girls]

Once she started into the "you're singling me out and victimizing me" attitude, I would have simply stated, "You signed a contract. I am upholding my end. I expect you to do the same. I am treating you the same as I would any other client. I was being nice and understanding by giving you a break and not charging a late payment fee. However, if you continue to complain about me expecting my payment on time, I will charge the late payment fee. I do not give exceptions/special treatment to ANY client. That is what is fair and I expect you to respect and appreciate that."

Thank God the only client that bounced a check with me was awesome about it. I checked my account 2 days after it bounced. In that time, I had made many small purchases at different stores (grocery, hardware, crafts, etc.) and accumulated 8 NSF charges resulting from the bounced check. Luckily, I had it in my contract that the client is responsible for the bounced check, the bank charges, and all resulting charges from me bouncing checks due to their bounced check. Imagine my horror when I checked the account to find I was almost $500 overdrawn! I called the dad and explained the situation and that I needed for him to pay for the check, the bank fee, and the resulting NSF charges. I apologized that it was affecting him by so much money. He said, "Why should you be sorry? It wasn't your fault. It was ours. What time can I come by today and pay you?" I just about passed out by how upstanding and responsible he was. I was really terrified (before I made the call) that I would lose that family over this and they were really cool about everything. That family has been with me for almost a year and this weekend will be their last because they are moving out of state to be closer to extended family. I will definitely miss them. Bring on the tears and Kleenex!

I had to add this same thing as well. One of my families actually bounced 3 weeks of checks before I received the first one back. THis is when I added this, if any of my checks bounce, as a result of yours bouncing, you are responsible for them as well.

[Janet]

Bounced checks...

I have one family that has had 3 bounced checks, but this is over a 4 year period and they told me straight away (before I even got the returned check from my bank). I was cool with it on all 3 occasions because they made sure to pay me in cash right away. I understand that things come up financially that can really throw us for a loop. I grew up in a home where only portions of bills were paid each month (enough to not get things shut off) and I learned the phrase "rob Peter to pay Paul" at a very young age.

Chickenhauler, it's cool that you had the opportunity to take a real life situation math course. I think that every school should require a class like that in order for kids to graduate. High school kids graduate with the ability to do Calculus and Trigonometry but are totally unable to balance a check book! It's crazy!

[MarinaVanessa]

Here's my bounced check letter. It's very harsh and wordy but I HATE getting bounced checks and take it very seriously and like to cover all of my bases. They might as well not have paid me at all for all the trouble I have to go through because of a bounced check.

[Your Name]
[Daycare Name]
[Address]
[City, State Zip]
[DATE]

[Recipient Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State Zip]

Dear [Recipient Name]:
This is to inform you that the following check was returned to us due to [insufficient funds/Stopped Payment] and is now considered late:
Check number [number]
Dated [date]
Payable to [Name]
In the amount of [amount]

As per our agreement which you signed that states:

"If tuition fees are not paid in full by the specified date, care will not be provided for your child. There is a $5.00 initial late payment fee if tuition is not paid by 6:00 p.m. on the Friday that your payment is due. A $5 additional fee is added for every day thereof that your payment is late including weekends. These charges will be in effect and care will not resume until all monies plus late charges are paid in full. Persistent late payments are grounds for termination."

"There will be a $35.00 charge for all returned NSF (Non-Sufficient Funds) or SP (Stopped Payment) checks as well as any additional bank fees that are incurred. This includes, but is not limited to, fees charged to the provider’s account from any checks bouncing or overdraft charges from debit card usage as a result of a non-sufficient check.

If a NSF or SP is issued the tuition amount as well as fees will be due immediately and in cash. Checks will no longer be accepted from your family. Your child will not be cared for until tuition and fees are paid in full and payment will still be due."

We request that you replace this check ,$35 fee and any late fees which have accrued with a cash payment immediately. Checks are no longer an accepted form of payment and therefore all further tuition payments will only be accepted in the form of cash. Childcare will not be provided until said amount is paid in full and payment will still be expected even if your child is absent.

Unless we receive good funds for said amount within [number] days, we will begin appropriate legal action.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.


Sincerely,
[Name]
[Daycare Name - Title]

[Chickenhauler]

But I'll bet it not even offered anymore. I think we need more basic skills courses in high school. I am amazed at how many adults do not know how to balance a checkbook, how expensive it is to buy on credit, how to cook/clean/do laundry, etc. And no one seems to understand the basics of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's pathetic, how little the graduating seniors are prepared for REAL LIFE. Everyday I am more and more convinced that I need to home school my children so they can get the "normal" education plus the "life skills" education.

Honestly, when it comes to civics/social studies, history, and hands-on learning (shop class-technology, whatever they want to call it), I think our kids have learned more by listening to the wife and I talk, me rant, and being a 'go-fer' than they have in school.

But, I couldn't tell my kids a damn thing about Trig, Calc, Chem, or Foreign Languages besides "Er, go ask your mom"

[MarinaVanessa]

My senior year, I needed an extra math credit, so I took "Basic Math For Basic Living" and it taught things like balancing a checkbook, figuring how much you're really paying on a car loan, making a budget, keeping an expense record, the frightening facts about a mortgage (how much you're really paying in the end) and things like this.

I took it also in Senior year and I actually enjoyed it, although I took it for different reasons. I had extra credits but didn't want to go home half days (I worked for my parents at their business EVERYDAY except Sunday) so I took a bunch of electives. That year I took Math, English, art, yearbook, auto mechanics, floral arrangement, peer couseling and this basic math class . This class prepared me for when I moved out after graduation (don't tell my parent's that because they were not happy that I moved out). I NEVER learned any of this from my parent's. My parent's are not too careful with their finances and now I watch every penny in the bank . My mom randomly asks how much I have in my daughters saving and is amazed that I can tell her to the penny at any given time . I also think that this class should be taught no matter what. It's all what some of us consider common sense and basic but then again, how many people on this planet lack common sense?