does anyone know?

AnnieN7

if a couple is getting married i always make the check out to the male and female w/ there pre-marriage name ( i.e. Jane Smith and John Doe) so that way they can cash the check before they go through all that names change stuff  if a name change is taking place...

I was wondering if this is how most people do it? (my mom thinks you should write the check as Mr and Mrs John Doe)... and will a bank cash a check that is not made out to a proper name? LIke if the women doens't change her name but someone gives her a check written out to Mrs. Jane Husbandsname will the bank still cash it?...or refuse?

just wondering...thanks in advance!

notquiteblushing

I used to just write them out to one name I think BUT I heard a good idea recently to write them out to Sue MaidenName OR Joe LastName so either of them can cash it.

thesuninherhead

If I was 100% sure the bride was changing her name, I'd just do Mr and Mrs- worse case scenario, he can cash it for them both if she hasn't changed her name. If I didn't know for sure, I'd do her maiden name and his name. 

missy68

I think it's a better idea to write the check to one or the other (or do "Betty Smith or Jim Jackson"), and if you write it to the bride, use her maiden name.  Someone posted on here about having problems getting a check into the bank with it being made out in her married name prior to getting married.

I didn't have any issues either way; I put all checks in via the ATM, but it would be better to err on the side of caution.

LesPaul

Wouldn't it be harder to deposit if it's made out to both of them and they don't have a joint account?  All of ours were made out to just one of us.  I suppose using 'or' would work fine too.

MeaghanandMichael

Speaking from annoying and bizarre experience with BoA after I got marriedI would make it out to either her maiden name or his name. Just keep it simple for them.

angie74

do it to Mr John Smith or Mrs. Jane Doe

most people wrote ours to Mr and Mrs John Smith. WTF..... Mrs John Smith didn't exist, you can't write a check to her

ring_pop

Write it out to one or the other, and use the maiden name if you write it out to the woman. Pleeeeease.

We actually didn't have a joint account before the wedding so we couldn't cash any cheques made out to both of us until we went and opened one. It was so much simpler to cash the cheques made out to either one of us. Sure, most couples have a joint account, but you never know.

Don't try to be cute; just be practical.

That being said, we opened the joint account under Ring Maidenname and Ringhubby Hisname, and they actually allowed us to deposit cheques made out to Ring and Ringhubby Hisname.

melissainabq

For the most part, his family wrote them to him and mine wrote them to me. It made depositing them much easier. 

Jazzy_belle

I've always written it out to one or the other.  Usually to the person I know of course.

jessiegirl_98

I had so many checks that were made out to Mr and Mrs married name.  Here's the thing:  I may not even be changing my name.  I found it annoying, but I didn't have any problems depositing them at BOA.

fangsiting

I've never given a check as a wedding gift, I always buy off the registry, but if I were to give a check, I'd use the maiden name.  I would never assume that a woman is going to change her name. 

SarahPLiz

If you get a check made out to Mr & Mrs Married name, and that's not on your bank account, then just endorse the check as "Pay to Bride Maiden Name" and sign it  Mrs. Married name. That is all that is really required to endorse a check over to another name. The only time the banks the validity of the endorsement is if someone disputes the check or reports fraud associated with it.

Also, if you have remote deposit capabilites or can deposit through an ATM, then no one at the bank checks who it is made out to unless there is an issue raised by the person who cut the check.