Sold my house to an a joining property housing a church for a small sum of money so turned everything over to church attorney to handle. Just received the final papers and a check drawn from an escrow account of the attorney and it appears to be a regular check. My question is, is there a positive marking identifying a bank draft over a regular check and if it is a bank draft can I go to the issuing bank and cash it on demand?

I work at a bank and typically the easiest way we identify a "draft" is if somewhere on the check it has the words "payable through".

We do not cash drafts at all. The reason for this is because to many times a stop payment is issued. So we require that drafts be deposited.

If it is not a draft, you should be able to go to the issuing bank and cash it. If you aren't an account holder there, more than likely there is a fee for cashing the check. And depending on the amount of the check, you should have two valid forms of id ready.

The best bet is to deposit it, don't touch the money until it is in your collected balance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NowWhat

I work at a bank and typically the easiest way we identify a "draft" is if somewhere on the check it has the words "payable through".

We do not cash drafts at all. The reason for this is because to many times a stop payment is issued. So we require that drafts be deposited.

If it is not a draft, you should be able to go to the issuing bank and cash it. If you aren't an account holder there, more than likely there is a fee for cashing the check. And depending on the amount of the check, you should have two valid forms of id ready.

The best bet is to deposit it, don't touch the money until it is in your collected balance.

---

Thank you for your speedy answer and is does not say payable through any where on the check. Only thing is out of the ordinary is it says escrow account and from your opinion I'm inclined too think it a regular check. Am curious though why a bank would charge to cash a check issued through them from one of their account holders. Again thank you...

It doesn't always have to say "escrow account" to be valid.

As far as the check cashing fee, the bank is offering you the service. It has nothing to do with the account holder. Since you are a non-customer, there is a fee for that service.