Simplest method of writing 'Cheque'

You probably don’t write a cheque everyday (or maybe you’ve never done it before). It’s easy to do.

An online report on by www.thebalance.com explains easy steps to writing a cheque.

Current date: Write this near the top right-hand corner. In most cases, you will use today’s date. You can also post-date the cheque, but that does not always work the way you think it will.

Payee: On the line that says “Pay to the order of”, write the name of the person or organisation you’re paying. You may have to ask “Who do I make the cheque out to?” if you’re not sure what to write. Avoid writing cheques payable to cash – it’s convenient, but risky.

Amount (in numeric form): Write the amount of your payment in the small box. You should start as far over to the left as possible. If your payment is for N8.15, the “8” should be right up against the left-hand border of the naira box to prevent fraud.

Amount (in words): Write out the amount using words to avoid fraud and confusion. This will be the official amount of your payment. If that amount is different from the numeric form that you entered in the previous step, the amount you wrote with words will legally be the amount of your check. If you’re not sure what to write, see how to write out numbers using words. Use all capital letters, which are harder to alter.

Signature: Sign the cheque legibly on the line in the bottom-right corner. Use the same name and signature on file at your bank. This is one of the most important steps – a cheque will not be valid without a signature.

Memo (or “For”) line: Include a note, if you like – this is an optional step. This is a good place to add a reminder about why you wrote the cheque. This may also be the place to write information required to process your payment (and find your account if the cheque gets misplaced). For example, you could write an account number for utility payments.