Funny banking rule

Yeah same thing happens to us but I’m the one not on his account so we both sign and then I take it to the bank. I hand over my I’d and say I’m ok with depositing this check.

But that sounds like she was being arbitrary amd didn’t understand why that rule exists-for security. I would say something.

Banks set their own policies for multi-party checks, but that one's just stupid - or was not enforced properly. I know several - Wells Fargo and Chase, for instance, require both parties to be there in person and present a government ID if it's not a joint account.

I bet if you had deposited it via the ATM you wouldn't have had an issue.

Or the app. This wasn’t Wells Fargo by any chance, was it. I have a huge rant about Wells Fargo that I will spare you from hearing. 

I'm just gobsmacked that checks are still being used for things like this! It's probably 20 years since any official government money in Australia has been paid like this.

The last tax refund I received, I signed DH and my name, walked into the lobby and deposited it into our joint account. She asked if I had a photocopy of DH driver’s license. Since I didn’t she said they would have to do a signature verification. I panicked a little bit and then she said it matches. 😳 I told DH that my version of his signature is what’s on file at the bank. Hopefully he doesn’t need to do anything without me.

We've never had joint accounts (married 21+ yrs) and we've had direct deposit for as long as I can remember - back to the days when I filed on paper. I do the returns myself (using online software now but on paper before) rather than use a professional. I've never heard of that being an issue.

Same here. DH and I have separate accounts at completely separate banks. We've never combined. I file our taxes (jointly) and the money is deposited into my checking account when a refund is due - by that point we've normally decided how we're going to use it or save it and we deal with it accordingly. The first stimulous check direct deposited into my account like our taxes. The second one actually came as a paper check. DH deposited that one into his account (via mobile) after we both signed it.

Jen

Don’t know about Australia but we don’t have joint taxes here in the uk. If that happened here each of you as taxpayers would get a direct deposit into your own bank account for your own portion. Your cheque would be useless here as the  bank account would have had to be in joint names to pay that cheque in....no signing over to anyone else here and certainly not exchanged for cash.

When dh and I got married, our credit union didnt want to let me deposit any checks made out to mr AND mrs. (Side note, always make checks out to mr OR mrs).
I borrowed a pen from my gramma, who was with me, signed his name to them and deposited them in the ATM.

I haven’t used a cheque for decades, haven’t even had a cheque book for decades. I don’t think I know anyone who uses cheques, can’t remember the last time I saw anyone paying for groceries etc with a cheque.

But to answer your questions....
Pretty well all money going directly from our government to a person is direct credited to their nominated bank account; and yes, that does make it difficult for people with no bank account of course. By far most people here do have a bank account, but there are some who don’t; often they are homeless, or recently out of prison, or in extreme poverty etc.  Without a bank account, there is usually no way for them to receive any benefits they are entitled to.

This recognised by the authorities of course, and can sometimes be overcome. For example in some instances, the “City Mission” (or similar) helps the homeless by providing a financial service that receives their benefits and converts it to cash for them, helps with budgeting etc.  In some instances, the benefit is distributed as pre-paid cards which the person can use to pay for things.

I doubt there are many wages that are not direct credited here - maybe a few, but most people get paid by their employer transferring the money directly into their bank account. Much easier for everyone, and never a delay in waiting for a cheque to arrive, or waiting for it to be cleared. It all happens instantly.


But your question about when couples don’t have joint accounts - that simply would not be an issue at all. I cannot imagine any instance where a government payment would be made out to a couple - every person is treated as an individual and gets their entitlement individually.  Even if the assets as a couple had to be taken into account, each person would get their own share of what was due to them, and what they do with it is up to them. They can nominate any bank account, in any name(s) for it to be paid into.