Accept Checks, Yes Or No?

[dreamer]

Do you accept checks? Why or why not?
What are the pros and cons of accepting checks as payment?

[Pandaluver21]

I accept checks (and honestly prefer them) but do have it in my contract that if a check bounces the parent is required to pay all fees I get, and is charged a late fee until the money clears/cash is given. They are after that not able to write checks. I have never had to do this though, in the last 9 years.

[Lil_Diddle]

I do, and I have rules about returned check fees and after the second one it's cash only. I have never had an issue until this last summer. A DCM of two SA kids I took in, her check for the last week bounced. She ignored all my attempts to contact her and then finally flat out told me she didn't have the money and tough luck.

I learned I can not prosecute without her ss# or drivers license # so it's a good idea to make copies of the parents driver's license.

On a bright side, I kept taking her check to her bank until after a couple weeks and a few tries her account finally had funds.

[JackandJill]

I accept checks (and honestly prefer them) but do have it in my contract that if a check bounces the parent is required to pay all fees I get, and is charged a late fee until the money clears/cash is given. They are after that not able to write checks. I have never had to do this though, in the last 9 years.

This is my policy as well, and in 3 years have not had a check bounce.

I stopped taking checks because it took me to long to get to the bank. I collect payments on Monday mornings, and with checks, I couldn't get them deposited for a few days or until my day off on Friday.

Now I take cash or electronic payments. Parents who do electronic payments have to submit the week before so that the money is in my account on Monday mornings.

[Cat Herder]

Cash or online payment in advance of services, only.

I limit my clients ability to affect my life outside of daycare hours.

[Jupadia]

Yes and I have no problems with them expessilly since I can now deposit them with my phone. My biggest thing use to be having to go cash them.

I do have a stiff penalties if checks bounce. Parents have to pay $50 fee plus bank fees or any other late pant fees that happen cause of check. As well as owe the daily late payment fee from original payment day till payed up of $25 per day child would not be evened into care till payment is made. Also parent would now hzve to pay in cash. So far I've never had a problem probably cause it would most likly cost at least 150 to 200 by the time fees are added togter so no one has done it yet.

[DaveA]

I take checks and LOVE mobile phone deposit. Like others my contract spells out the fees parents have to pay for returned checks. If they bounce a check it goes to cash only.

[Lovisa]

I prefer checks! Mobile depositing checks is super easy and I can literally do it within 5 minutes of them handing me the check, and it takes like 30 seconds to do.

[Ariana]

I take a two week deposit which is applied to the last two weeks of care. I take checks in 8 week post dated intervals. I also charge late fees and a surcharge for NSF checks. The two week deposit covers me if a check bounces and I am not compensated.

I used to prefer Etransfer but having to rely on parents can be annoying. With a check I already have it in hand and can deposit it electronically on my phone in my living room!

[Blackcat31]

Do you accept checks? Why or why not?
What are the pros and cons of accepting checks as payment?

Up until this year I accepted checks.
I used mobile banking and loved the ease of use and not having to actually drive to the bank.
However, as of late many of my daycare parents don't seem to know how to write legibly so the mobile deposit is either denied or accepted and then denied, causing me banking issues I'd rather not have to deal with. (One parent actually wrote me a check with 2010 on it....then wonders why I'm pissed the bank won't accept it. )

So at the start of this new year, I required all parents to pay via bank transfers. I will still accept a check but I charge a $10 fee for processing per check. Only one parent still insists on writing checks but she pays the fee so I have to allow it since I did make the concession. Until I have issues, I'll still take their checks and extra $ for doing so.

[CityGarden]

Up until this year I accepted checks.
I used mobile banking and loved the ease of use and not having to actually drive to the bank.
However, as of late many of my daycare parents don't seem to know how to write legibly so the mobile deposit is either denied or accepted and then denied, causing me banking issues I'd rather not have to deal with. (One parent actually wrote me a check with 2010 on it....then wonders why I'm pissed the bank won't accept it. )

So at the start of this new year, I required all parents to pay via bank transfers. I will still accept a check but I charge a $10 fee for processing per check. Only one parent still insists on writing checks but she pays the fee so I have to allow it since I did make the concession. Until I have issues, I'll still take their checks and extra $ for doing so.

How do you word it in your contract / handbook that payments need to be via bank transfer? Also what info do you give them to set that up? A copy of your deposit slip?

[Laurie]

I bank with Wellsfargo. They have what's called.. surepay! It's a bank transfer service. All you do is register and provide an email and phone number. It's simple to use and free of any fees. Most banks offer this service, but name it something different.

My parents all pay this way. I have them pay on Wednesday to assure the funds are transferred and available for me on Friday.

[Unregistered]

I like checks because it leaves a paper trail. But yesterday I had a parent ask me to hold off cashing the check because of bank issues. -_- So now im thinking cash would have been better.

[Leigh]

I do, and I have rules about returned check fees and after the second one it's cash only. I have never had an issue until this last summer. A DCM of two SA kids I took in, her check for the last week bounced. She ignored all my attempts to contact her and then finally flat out told me she didn't have the money and tough luck.

I learned I can not prosecute without her ss# or drivers license # so it's a good idea to make copies of the parents driver's license.

On a bright side, I kept taking her check to her bank until after a couple weeks and a few tries her account finally had funds.

Who told you that you needed a SS# or DL# to prosecute? Just wondering because it's not like that in my state. Here, we can just take the check to the State's Attorney's office and they prosecute for us.

[Blackcat31]

How do you word it in your contract / handbook that payments need to be via bank transfer? Also what info do you give them to set that up? A copy of your deposit slip?

I tell the parent they need to contact their bank and find out what information is needed for them to pay via bank transfer.

Once they find out, they let me know and I provide the needed info. So far it's only been my full name, the name of my bank, my bank member # (NOT my account #) and my e-mail address assigned to my account. No one has asked for anything more than that.

The wording in my handbook says:

"ABC Child Care accepts payment in the form of a bank transfer or e-pay option. In some cases, families may pay via check. There is a $10 per check fee assessed to this form of payment."

The new wording I will use for any new families is the same but minus the check option.