Money, root of all evil

April 6, 2007 4:36 AM

How do I manage an assortment of last names on a check?

I just got married, and a number of the wedding gifts were checks. Some were made out to just one of us, and some were made out to both of us, either with her maiden name or my last name.

She hasn't changed her name yet, but plans to. Are we stuck with not being able to deposit these checks until she does so?

posted by mkb to work & money (15 comments total)

Just endorse them and then deposit to one or both of your accounts. Sign them as they are made out on the check. No need to worry about the name change.
posted by qwip at 4:47 AM on April 6, 2007

No. Just take them to the bank, and deposit them without making a do out of it. I'd bet that the teller takes the checks without even making a comment. If not, a quick chat with the manager should sort things out.

If you really want to cover your tracks, bring your marriage certificate and possibly your bride in case it becomes an issue.
posted by grouse at 4:48 AM on April 6, 2007

Not a problem, if you both go to the branch with your driver licenses and marriage certificate. They'll probably have you both endorse each check, and you can also make one of your accounts joint or change an existing joint account to your wife's maiden name at the same time.

I wouldn't try it with an ATM deposit to one of your non-joint accounts, though -- too high a risk they'll not credit some of the deposits, and maybe even charge you.
posted by MattD at 4:55 AM on April 6, 2007

Or what grouse said...
posted by MattD at 4:55 AM on April 6, 2007

Unless some of the cheques are for large amounts (i.e. over ten grand) then the bank isn't going to blink an eye.
posted by gwenzel at 5:28 AM on April 6, 2007

I've been dealing with this since August (and only told the bank about my new last name about a month ago, at which point I had to show them my marriage license & fill out some paperwork). No problems depositing checks, even in the ATM.

I just signed the name on the check. If it was my "new" name, I usually included my old last name in the middle ("belladonna oldlast newlast"). If it was made out to my husband, he just endorsed it to me & I put it in my account. At least once, I think I just endorsed a check made to belladonna newlast on the back & wrote "pay to the order of belladonna oldlast".

Just be sure to write your account number on the check & I imagine you'll be fine. Big banks (like Wells Fargo) are used to this sort of thing.
posted by belladonna at 5:40 AM on April 6, 2007

I've found banks to be remarkably blase about what they'll let you deposit. I've deposited checks (via the ATM) that weren't endorsed. I've even deposited checks that didn't have the Pay to the Order of filled out. (Both accidentally of course.) A little thing like a recent marriage is not going to cause any problems.
posted by DU at 5:52 AM on April 6, 2007

Ditto belladonna - we had this issue with our wedding checks too. When my first name was written with my husband's last name, I just endorsed it "first name my last name husband's last name" and didn't have a problem. I also recommend taking the checks into the bank as well rather than relying on an ATM for any large and multi-item deposit.
posted by boomchicka at 6:00 AM on April 6, 2007

The checks made out just to her, either with maiden or married name, are not likely to cause problems. Just sign the name as it appears on the check, and bring a copy of the marriage license just in case.

The checks made out to both of you may be an issue if you don't have a joint checking account. Anecdotally, when I was in this situation just a few months ago, we made a royal mess of things in this regard. Sequence of events was roughly as follows:

1. We both endorse all checks made out to both of us.
2. My husband deposits them in his account, teller doesn't bat an eye.
3. The deposit doesn't go through.
4. Money gets tied up for several weeks in administrative nonsense and eventually our checks are returned to us in the mail.
5. Try again, more paranoid this time.

I don't know if this is exceptional, but our bank would not allow a check made out to two people to be deposited in an individual account. We were only able to deposit them if we BOTH came to the bank, equipped with drivers' licenses and marriage certificate, and endorsed the checks in the presence of the teller.

Rather than trust your bank to not be stupid, just gather up all your checks, documentation, and wives, and just go, together. It will take 10 minutes.
posted by miagaille at 6:11 AM on April 6, 2007

This happened to me and my husband. We solved it by going to the bank together and just explaining things. I had my marriage certificate, and they didn't care at all. I hadn't changed my name yet either, and it wasn't a problem.
posted by christinetheslp at 6:25 AM on April 6, 2007

This happened to us as well. The credit union refused to deposit the checks made out to mr & mrs so-and-so, stating those aren't yet the registered names on the account.

We had to wait nearly a month until the license came in so the name can be changed and then deposited all those checks.
posted by dr_dank at 6:49 AM on April 6, 2007

In terms of endorsing checks, if they're made out to Joe AND Jane Smith, both need to sign. If they're made to Joe OR Jane Smith, only one needs to sign.

I go by leahwrenn oldlast at work, and either leahwrenn oldlast newlast or leahwrenn newlast for home stuff, and no one ever cares which the checks are written to (I endorse everything as leahwrenn oldlast newlast and that seems to be fine).
posted by leahwrenn at 7:32 AM on April 6, 2007

Is there some way that it's best to make out checks in order to avoid this hassle for the recipients? I'd never realized this was an issue, but I'm attending several weddings this summer, and I'd like to give gifts in a way that's convenient for them if possible.
posted by decathecting at 8:55 AM on April 6, 2007

My sister and I got a couple of joint checks from our landlord and we don't have a joint banking account. She signed the checks first, then I signed, then I deposited them at the ATM. It was fine, went through no problem.

decathecting, I'd just make the checks out to one half of the couple. Or split whatever you were planning to give in half and give them each a check.
posted by sutel at 9:08 AM on April 6, 2007

You can avoid this by giving cash.
posted by MeetMegan at 11:38 AM on April 6, 2007