I serious question with my checking account...?

Question

In May of this year I paid all my bills as normal. Well, the money that I used to pay has not yet (nearly 5 months later) come out of my checking accounts. The payments I have made with the months afterward have all come out, except for the credit card I have through my bank. On that one it seems that for the months of May and June, and August they have not come out. Has this happened to anyone else? Would it be safe to now (again, nearly 5 months later) add that money back into my check book, since it has not come out? I don't want to call the companies to ask about the problem, because frankly I don't want them to notice if they haven't already. What would be the best thing for me to do at this point?

Well today I went ahead and checked online and they say that the payments have been received...also, it is not as if they haven't billed me since, because they have and I pay them, but it is those particular months that the payments were not taken out of my checking account...but again, the payments were credited to my credit card accounts that were paid.

I only do the automatic payments, I don't really trust to send them through the mail.

Answer 1

You should NOT 'add that amount' to your checking account! You have a 'difficult job' ahead of you, but you MUST see to it that your 'bank account records' show the 'true amount' you have in your bank ... which means you MUST get in touch with all of these 'suspect checks' and see if they have 'recieved' the money from your bank, and then you must take that information to the bank and INSIST the bank 'figures it out.' It may be that YOU made the 'mistake' ... but it IS up to you to 'find out what is going on' ... and since you 'paid those bills' on time, YOU would not be assessed any 'charges' for 'late payment' if they 'messed up' ... and you may, in fact, be much happier since many companies that 'mess up' in this way just 'write that portion of the bill off' so that the 'extra money' could actually be yours ... but NOT until you have 'investigated thoroughly' and have EVERYTHING straightened out with your bank.

Answer 2

I would call the companies before something goes wrong. But it is probably just a posting error with the bank. months has gone past? That is a long time. I wouldn't add the money back to my check book. If you haven't added it back means that you still have it available in the account. So you have nothing to fear by calling the companies and checking to see if they have collected payment. You wouldn't want things to begin being turned off. Be smart about this. Don't try to get over because the minute you do the only fool will be you.

Answer 3

Did you make these payments thru the credit card online sites or thru your bank's online billpay?

If the credit card shows receipt of payment, check with your bank. There's some kind of posting error. Eventually the bank will come after the money. You might as well talk to them now and get it all straightened out.

By the way, I strongly recommend using your bank's online billpay instead of going to individual creditor's sites to make payment. You can schedule payment for all your bills, including automatic payment of recurring bills like rent or car payment. You can schedule it all in advance and still have control over the payments and can change or cancel up to a couple days before the payment.

Answer 4

Please clarify...you paid all your bills and NONE of the money from ANY of the bills came out of your account.

To me that means you did not pay the bills. Maybe you didn't hit the complete payment key or you didn't actually mail the payments. I would make sure that you didn't get fees and charges for not paying your bills in May.

I would not add the money back into your check book until you are 100% positive that you aren't missing something.

Answer 5

Girl, it would be better for them to know now, than to find out themselves later and "bill you" for five or six months of payments at once. Also, if it's not coming out, I'd wonder if they really got the payment, and if my payments were being reported as late or not received. I would NOT add back the money to my account until I knew exactly what happened to it.

Answer 6

Continue to leave the money available in your checking account, else when, not if, it is removed for those payments you won't receive an overdraft.

The only way it is unlikely to be noticed at some point is if the companies they were supposed to go to have gone under. My guess is that someone else received the charges and it will soon be cleared up with them looking for their money from you.

Answer 7

i just heard about this. credit card companies hold payments until theyre late so they can charge late fees. that's how they make their money. 5 months is a long time. i wouldnt add it back in because you'd rosk it bouncing. my idea is to call your bank and stop payment on that check and resend it. then you could call your credit card company and tell them about the stop payment and you're resending it.
one suggestion: have you considered auto payment?

hope that helps.

Answer 8

kaylin-it is stealing if you do that. you need to call the companies. they may be slow at processing or lost your payment.in either event you will pay. better you call and rectify your business than have them submit your check after you decided to add it back to your checking acct and spend it. then not only will you have bounced check charges, 2 charges for each check you bounce,one youd owe the bank and one youd owe the company, but it is a felony in most states to bounce a check, not to mention you will mess up your credit.do the right thing and call the company.

Answer 9

Call the bank and sort it out. Then, call the companies you owe so that they don't charge you late fees. They will find out eventually.

Answer 10

If you keep a good balanced check book it doesn't matter when the comopany decides to take the moneyl,. It is not yours anymore.