Can You Deposit Someone Else’s Check in Your Account? - Experian (2024)

FAQs

Can I deposit someone else's check in my account? ›

If you're depositing a check in someone else's name into your account: That person needs to endorse the check to allow you to deposit it. Generally, the person should write “Pay to the order of [Your Name]” on the back of the check and then sign it.

You can deposit a check with someone else's name on it if they've signed it and either made it payable to you or written “For deposit only” under their signature on the back. How they endorse the check usually depends on whether you plan to deposit it into their bank account or yours.

Can I direct deposit into an account without my name? Generally... no. To set up direct deposit, you need to give your employer your bank account and routing number—and typically, you don't have the right to give out somebody else's bank account information.

Checks issued to two people together, such as Pat and Chris Doe, generally need to be signed by both people before the bank or credit union cashes the check or deposits the money.

Chase allows you to deposit a check written out to someone else into their bank account as long as you have their account number. You can do this in any Chase bank branch. Because Discover doesn't have physical branches, you can't go in to deposit a check into someone else's account.

A draft is a negotiable instrument. However, if it is marked Account Payee only, then it can only be deposited into the account of person in whose favor draft has been issued. Otherwise, it can be endorsed by the payee of the draft and can be deposited into the account of person in whose favor draft has been endorsed.

The name in the endorsem*nt must match the payee (“Pay to the Order Of…”) name on the front of the check. If someone gives you a check and they've spelled your name incorrectly, endorse the back of the check with the incorrect spelling, and then sign your name with the correct spelling on the back of the check.

For instance, Capital One customers can generally deposit U.S. personal, business or government checks with their mobile banking app—but there may be exclusions. These could include: Checks that are undated, more than six months old or postdated. Checks payable to anyone other than you or a joint account holder.

Once you've endorsed the check, it can be cashed or deposited by anyone who has it in their possession, creating a potentially serious problem if the check is lost or stolen. For this reason, use a blank endorsem*nt only when you're planning to immediately deposit or cash the check.

If you have a joint account with your spouse or partner, the bank can require that both of you sign the check if it's made out to two people. If the check is written out to just one person, either person can cash or deposit the check into the account.

Will a direct deposit go through with a different name? ›

Unless the account number and routing number change, a change in your name will not affect your direct deposit.

On the back of the check, print your child's name. After the name, add a hyphen and the word "minor." Beneath your child's name, print your name. After your name, add a hyphen with your relationship to the child (example, "parent" or "mother").

The answer is yes, generally speaking. It's possible to deposit checks on behalf of another person into their bank account or in some cases, your own bank account. Banks and credit unions may allow you to deposit checks for someone else when certain conditions are met.

Typically, yes, but you'll want to check with your bank to make sure. Banks that allow you to deposit a check written for someone else (called a third-party check) will generally require the person to whom the check is made out to, called the payee, to sign the check over to you.

If a check is issued to two people, such as John and Jane Doe, the bank generally can require that the check be signed by both payees before it can be cashed or deposited. If a check is issued to John or Jane Doe, generally only one payee needs to sign the check.

If the check is made out to two people who hold a joint account at a financial institution (say a couple or business partners), then it can be deposited in that account UNLESS the check explicitly says that BOTH SIGNATURES ARE REQUIRED, as in case of a Tax Refund or Stimulus Check for having filed taxes jointly.

The first thing to understand is that the check belongs to the decedent's estate, not to you. As such, you'll need legal authority to cash or deposit the check. Typically, this requires being named as the executor or administrator of the estate via the probate process.