Cash in on your government checks

Anytime you get a tax refund or other government check, you deserve the money. But there are guidelines for cashing government checks that are easy to forget. Especially if you don’t get them all that often. Below is a quick refresher.

Make sure everyone signs the check. With any check, every person named on the front must sign the back. Checks can not be deposited if it is not made payable to you as the account owner. When it’s a business check, a stamp will often suffice. But when dealing with government checks, true signatures are required in blue or black ink.

Wait to sign your checks until you’re at the credit union or ATM. To protect yourself from theft, and to ensure the check is properly validated, don’t sign the check until you’re at First Tech or ready to make a deposit at an ATM.

Put your money into the right account. If you know you’re going to be spending it soon, be sure to put the funds into your checking account. Or learn more about your First Tech account options.