5 Reasons You Still Need Checks

Heather Taylor   Mon, March 27, 2023

Is there still room for paper checks in a world where financial transactions are increasingly digital in nature? Survey says … yes.

In GOBankingRates’ Best Banks 2023 survey of 1,000 Americans, 22% of respondents said they still write checks at least once a month. And surprisingly, of these respondents, the largest percentage belonged to those between the ages of 18 to 24 (28%). Paper checks might sound like a mildly antiquated concept, but they can still be used to fulfill specific needs now and into the near future.

Here are some of the key reasons you still need checks.

Valid Form of Payment

If you don’t have cash or a credit or debit card available to pay for essential goods or services, many people and places will accept a check. Desiree Kaul, CFP and associate advisor at MainStreet Financial Planning, said you can still use a physical check to make a payment for the following:

Hiring contractors. Kaul said contractors who work on your home generally accept only cash or physical checks for their services. Paying with a credit card, should you choose to do it, may mean paying additional convenience fees.

School fees. Families with school-aged children often need to pay for various activities throughout the course of the school year. Rather than send your child to school with cash that could be lost, Kaul said it may be easier to write a physical check for fees payable to the school.

Physical magazine subscriptions. If you still subscribe to physical magazines, Kaul said you may want to pay for these subscriptions via physical check. “If you use a credit card, some companies will autobill a credit card upon renewal whether you intended to renew or not,” said Kaul.

Groceries. Yes, many grocery stores and retailers like Walmart will accept a physical check at checkout. Kaul said this can be especially helpful in circumstances where your debit or credit card has been lost or stolen. A physical check may act as its replacement for making payments until then.

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https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/5-reasons-still-checks-120018977.html