Rx_Mich
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Go back to a point in time to where you were in agreement with the bank as far as your balance and work forward. If you do not start from a point of agreement then it is much more difficult to find an error. Things to check:
1. All your deposits listed in your check book match the dates and amounts in your statement. Many times, I have found the checks are correct but there is an unaccounted for deposit. Many times this was a clerk's error when I deposited money in the checking account AND money in the savings... they both got posted to the checking account. Work on a plain 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper so all your figures are in plain view rather than flipping pages in your checkbook.
2. Make sure there are no checks from previous statements that have not yet cleared. If someone is sitting on one of your checks, it is diffuclut to figure out what is going on. I try to highlight non-negotiated checks and post that amount on the next statement just for observation till cleared. ( I print a statement on my checks that they are void after 90 days to keep people from sitting on them)
3. Make sure you math is correct. Try a double check and add up all the check amounts to find total debits and subtract it from total deposits + initial balance.
4. Look at the statement closely.
a. There is an area that lists debits by check. ( - )
b. There is an area that lists debits by electronic funds withdrawal. ( - )
c. There is an area that lists credits by electronic funds deposits. ( + )
d. There is an area that lists all paper deposits. ( + )
e. There is an area that lists all service charges. ( - )
You could have easily missed an electronic deposit not made by you in person or one of your deposits was transposed by the person entering them in the system giving you more of a deposit than was really deposited.
5. Make sure the amount you wrote the check for was actually accounted for by the bank. I have made out checks that when applied to my account, the bank transposed the numbers. A check for $945.00 was cleared and clearly made out for that amount but what was paid to the account that cashed the check was $495.00 posted on the statement. That one was for state taxes and it took the state of Michigan 1 year to catch that. Bottom line here... don't assume the mistake is yours.
If all these steps do not give you an answer you can agree on, then make an appointment at the bank and they will help you go over your account with you in their office.... but I truely believe if you follow these instructions, you will find the error on your own.
hope that helps,
Bob |
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Annie K
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Use your balance for another 30 days, since it is less. Check it again next month and if it matches.. use their balance. Do you have credit line protection against bounced checks?
Also do you have any OLD outstanding checks that havent' cleared ? |
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Rhonda
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Did you forget to record a deposit or credit?
You have the option to go to the bank, sign in, and go over your account with a bank rep. This may help you find where the error (is one exists) is.
Best wishes. |
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Shortstuff13
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Go to your bank & there should be someone there, who will sit down with you & go over your checkbook & find the problem. That's what I used to do & I was relieved to have gotten help. |
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jliusf
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you can view your statements online. then compare with your checkbook. |
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Gary
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Are all deposits including direct payroll deposits listed? Did you get any on-line refunds? Did you add in your interest? Are all checks accounted for to include outstanding checks? Are all withdrawls to include ATM machines, automatic bill payments, on-line payments, accounted for? Did you properly write the figures in? Did you add and subtract properly? I just balanced my checkbook this morning and discovered that I forgot to record a $50 deposit that I made a few days ago. Good Luck. |
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Clumsy
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Maybe someone hasn't (or several people) cashed your check(s) yet. That's why I love online banking - up to minute details. |
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donfletcheryh
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Have you done the arithmetic on just the bank's statement, and compared opening balance from statement to statement?
If there is nothing in this period to account for the surplus in the bank there is a possibility that the opening balance is not what your checkbook expects. You may have counted as reconciled some earlier check that had not cleared... possibly one that had the same amount as one that had cleared.
If you have used debit card, you may discover a reversal that is not marked as such but is adding into the account balance.
Or of course some digit transposition may have occurred.
There is a possibility that a check in very recent transactions is listed but not yet subtracted from ending balance. |
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sbenton1569
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well i would call the bank and tell them you have too much money |
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I love my Fur Babies (Cody&Prin)
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go down in person to your bank and ask to sit with a associate and they can go through all your transactions and straighten it out. |
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halfpint6niner
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if the bank says you have more than there are probably checks that haven't cleared yet or a deposit you for got to add in. I had a problem with mine and I called the bank and they told me to come in and a nice man helped me figure out my problem for free. |
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brandigo
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Did you get gas on your debit card? Sometimes when the charge is just "authorized" and not "cleared", there will be a $1 difference in your balance that doesn't show up anywhere on your statement. Plus, your balance will be less the amount of the gas you pumped. (Give or take that $1 authorization) |
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Nave
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Potentially bills that have not been recorded through your bank software but you have recorded in your book?
Check to see if there are any pending charges on your bank balance. Wait a few days. Otherwise I can't really help unless you give me something itemized, and I doubt you want to put up your receipts online to someone you barely know and who would probably try to steal your identity if she could. (Guilty as charged!)
If it's in your favor, I wouldn't worry too much about it! |
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concerned neighbor
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Without the specifics of your income and expenditure, it's difficult to see where the problem might be.
Do you use a debit card at all? Have you pre-ordered something that has not been debited from your account yet?
Have you made hotel reservations that won't be charged until you actually stay at the hotel?
I'd recommend transferring the amount to another account and not spending it. Then if the answer has not become apparent six months from now, you have bonus money. |
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Nurse_Jen
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I am a banker. Go to the bank and sit down with a customer service rep. It may take a while but we can usually help to find the customers error in addition or maybe a mistake the bank made. I have found the usually the banks balance is right. |
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Bill
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Try to determine what your outstanding transactions are and see what the dates are on these transactions.
I would go with the smaller of the amounts and see what happens when you reconcile your checkbook next month. |
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The Only Wiseone
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If you still have checks left in your checkbook you will be fine. |
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doglover
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When checking your subtraction and addition, cover the balance column in your checkbook, you will not pick up an error otherwise. Check for transpositions and that you carried the balance correctly from page to page. Make sure all of your checks were paid for the correct amount . If you see a rep at the bank, you may be charged. The bank I worked at charged a hefty fee for reconciliation. |
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busymomkaren
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did you check your addition and subtraction in the totals column? did you forget to write down a deposit? did you transpose a number (write 730 as 370)? are you going by the bank statement? if you are going by what the bank say you have in there, then DON'T! Sometimes there are checks from 3 months ago that have not cleared. if all else fails, and you are not sure what to do... i had this problem one time and i ended up having to open another account and leave the first one alone for 3 months to give it time for everything to pass. it was a real pain for the first week while i was waiting on the printed checks to arrive, but after that it was great! |
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bundanator
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I'd say save yourself a ton of time and call the bank. Have them walk you through it. Good luck! |
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F. Miller
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I balance my ck.bk. each month but it is out of balance, I made sure all checks & deposits have cleared & recorded & taken bank balance off of statement & it still won't balance? HELP |
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