When you buy a big-ticket item like a car or make a large payment, such as a down payment on a house, you may be asked to pay with a certified check or a cashier’s check. These checks are less likely ...

A certified check tells a seller that your bank has verified that you have sufficient funds to cover the amount. In contrast, a cashier’s check is when a financial institution covers the funds for the ...

Whether you need to purchase a car or make a security deposit on a rental property, you might need forms of payment other than a personal check, credit card or cash. Certified checks and cashier’s ...

Carrying large sums of cash can be impractical and risky. Accepting personal checks as payment can be problematic because the receiver doesn’t know for sure whether the check will clear. Fortunately, ...

Which type of check should you give to a recipient? Many people decide between cashier’s checks and certified checks for larger purchases. These checks allow you to transfer funds to a recipient, but ...

A certified check gives peace of mind to the recipient that the check is legitimate — the account holder’s signature on the check is authentic and enough money is available to ensure the check doesn’t ...

You’re closing an important transaction, and the seller asks you to pay by certified check. Fine, you say — but what is a certified check, and why and when should you use one? A certified check is a ...