who's fault it bounced?

[dave4him]

I hate the holiday issue... the DHS always holds it over a day longer!

[tessii11]

I used to have a dcm that would pay me on Monday (due date) and expected me to wait until Saturday to cash it. If I waited and cashed it the following Monday because I couldn't get to the bank on Saturday, or cash it during the week, she would get mad at me because it would bounce because either she didnt really have the money in there yet, or her husband would take it.
How crazy is that? I finally told her to pay me in cash, that way I could deposit my pay when I wanted to.
Funny thing is she worked for a bank and should know how to balance a checkbook and keep her husband out of the daycare funds!

[Cradle2crayons]

Exact reason I only accept CASH payments.

[daycare]

If its your policy that payment was due last Friday that means the money has to be AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY... Which means you legally could have deposited Friday morning. I would charge her a bounced check fee and a late fee.

If I were to have deposited in on Thursday night at the ATM and it cleared the account on Friday at 12am, would I still be in the wrong??

[daycare]

I actually don't like cash.... I spend it too easily and have to walk it into the bank to deposit. It also really does not leave much of a paper trail which means I have to print out two receipts and have them sign one for my records as well.

[Cradle2crayons]

If I were to have deposited in on Thursday night at the ATM and it cleared the account on Friday at 12am, would I still be in the wrong??

Hmmmm now that's tricky. I'd say yea, that'd be wrong. If payment is due on Friday I wouldn't deposit until Friday. That's just me though.

[MissSarah]

It sounds like it would have bounced anyway even if you did wait until Monday to deposit the cheque.

This is why I won't deposit a cheque until the day it is due and I don't accept post-dated cheques. That way there is no confusion and no questioning whose fault it is. It would very clear it was their fault.

[Hunni Bee]

If its your policy that payment was due last Friday that means the money has to be AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY... Which means you legally could have deposited Friday morning. I would charge her a bounced check fee and a late fee.

This.

She doesn't get to dictate your banking schedule. She's just blowing smoke, because no matter when you deposited it, the funds simply weren't there. I'd send out a notice that says they should expect that checks will be deposited the same day they give them to you and you will not hold them for liability reasons.

[Leigh]

I would simply get the record from the bank as to the time and date it bounced,, present it to them with a demand to pay due to bounced check, and hand it to Em.

THIS is what I would do. It would show an effort on your part to TRY to believe that the funds would have been available if you would have waited a few hours to deposit it. And, I guess it is POSSIBLE that the bank would go backwards to the time that the checks went into the ATM (HIGHLY unlikely, but POSSIBLE).

Call the bank, explain the situation, and ask them to e-mail you verification. Then you can tell the parents that you asked the bank to investigate, you can present the findings, and you can prove without a doubt that the check did NOT clear the bank on Sunday.

[Cradle2crayons]

THIS is what I would do. It would show an effort on your part to TRY to believe that the funds would have been available if you would have waited a few hours to deposit it. And, I guess it is POSSIBLE that the bank would go backwards to the time that the checks went into the ATM (HIGHLY unlikely, but POSSIBLE).

Call the bank, explain the situation, and ask them to e-mail you verification. Then you can tell the parents that you asked the bank to investigate, you can present the findings, and you can prove without a doubt that the check did NOT clear the bank on Sunday.

Yes, I'm sure all banks do it different but mine has a computer automated printed thing on the back showing the exact date and time the check was automatically "run". That would prove your point.

[Unregistered]

Any time a person writes a check, it is their responsibility to know they can cover it. Not being able to cover it, even for one day is check floating and is illegal.

So it's WHOEVER WROTE THE CHECK'S fault if funds were not available as of the date of the check.

[TheGoodLife]

Yes, I'm sure all banks do it different but mine has a computer automated printed thing on the back showing the exact date and time the check was automatically "run". That would prove your point.

Mine, too!

[GoodKarma]

Exact reason I only accept CASH payments.

Me too. In advance!

[KnoxMom]

DCP is saying that its my fault.

Technically, I did physically deposit it before the due date, however, electronically, the payment did not go through until the next business day.

I am going to tell them sorry it's late and I need the bounce check fee....

I worked at a bank for 5 years and it doesn't matter when you physically deposited the item; it matters WHEN IT WAS PROCESSED. Sunday is not a business day and Monday was a Holiday; the check could not have possibly bounced until Tuesday. I would make it clear that if another check was written before funds were available, you'd be forced to place her account on a cash/money order only status. I'm sorry this happened to you and if they continue to complain I'd request that they bring in the bank statement showing when the check cleared in order for any fees to be waived... They won't because it will prove they wrote you a bad check.

[Blackcat31]

My contract for payment says ALL checks will be deposited on Friday evenings at 5:30.

This way parents KNOW exactly when I will be depositing checks.

If the money is not immediately available to me upon due date then I consider it late.

No way would I even entertain the idea of arguing this point back and forth with a parent.

As unregistered said, checks should NOT be written unless the person has the money in their account at the time of handing over the check.

I don't hold checks either.

I have stashed a check for use later and didn't cash it but the funds still better be there as once that check is written the money belongs to me.