Home › Guides

Check guides

Straight answers about checks — how to write one, what the numbers along the bottom mean, what to do when someone asks for a voided check, and how to print your own.

How to print your own checks at homePrinting your own checks is legal in the US. What you need, how the process works, and when ordering from your bank still makes more sense.How to fill out a check, step by stepA plain guide to filling out a check: the date, payee, both amounts, memo and signature, plus the mistakes that send a check back.Where to find your routing number and account numberYour routing number identifies your bank; your account number identifies you. Here is where to find both, with a check in hand or without one.How to get a voided check, with or without a checkbookWhat a voided check is, how to void one properly, and what to send instead if you have no checks — plus whether a photo or PDF is accepted.How to set up direct deposit with your employerWhat direct deposit setup involves: the form, your routing and account numbers, proof of account, prenotes, and switching banks without missing pay.Blank check stock: what to buyWhat blank check stock is, which format to choose, what security features matter, and what to know about magnetic ink. A plain guide before you buy.