Cashing Your Check Options

[Ross Russell]

If you are new to New York City, you should be warned that it is almost impossible to cash a check in New York. Even if you take a check to the branch of the bank that the person who wrote it has an account at, that branch may still tell you that YOU need to have an account with that bank before they will cash ANY check for you.

Fortunately, things are different with payroll checks. Many temp agencies have agreements with check cashing places that allow you to cash your check without paying the usual fee. Other agencies have agreements with banks to cash their checks. Still other agencies have direct deposit available.

Personally, I hate New York Banks and void doing any business with them. A general rule is that the bigger and more famous a bank is, the more likley it is to be useless, and the more likely it will be that its fees will be higher than any other bank in town.

If you create an LLC or other business and try to get a business account, some banks may tell you that you have to hire a lawyer or accountant to open the account for you.

New York DOL, Unemployment uses Fleet Bank as their bank, so you can cash your unemployment check at any Fleet Bank for free