resolving check for zero amount

gphuang · #1

I accidentally printed a check with a dollar amount of zero. Do I need to void it, or can I tactfully ignore this?

#2

Procedurally, it should be voided. However, I doubt any negative consequences will occur if you don't. Just file the zero amount check using the same procedures as for a voided check.

crislapi · #3

I wonder if it will show as an outstanding check if it is not voided. If so, that becomes an audit exception in 6 months even though the amount is $0. You have the check in your possession and it takes little effort to void it, so to avoid any potential issues, I highly recommend voiding it.

#4

crislapi wrote:I wonder if it will show as an outstanding check if it is not voided. If so, that becomes an audit exception in 6 months even though the amount is $0. You have the check in your possession and it takes little effort to void it, so to avoid any potential issues, I highly recommend voiding it.

I doubt that it would be an audit exception (US only) since under the new escheat rules the check would be escheated at 180 days. I suspect there could be a change to the audit checklist for this procedural change. But just to be safe I would also void it.

gphuang · #5

Following up here, I went to void the check and it had already been cleared, so I was unable to void it. The clearance occurred even though I still have the physical check. Perhaps the Church is catching this type of mistake on the back end?

aebrown · #6

gphuang wrote:Following up here, I went to void the check and it had already been cleared, so I was unable to void it. The clearance occurred even though I still have the physical check. Perhaps the Church is catching this type of mistake on the back end?

It certainly sounds reasonable that during back end financial processing, the CUBS system would detect a zero amount check, and automatically clear it. In any case, earlier posts were suggesting that you void the check so that it would not be outstanding. Now that it has been automatically cleared, that concern has been taken care of and you no longer need to worry about it. You should follow standard procedures for cutting out the signature section of that unusable check in your possession and filing the rest of the check, but other than that, you can close this issue.