Bank Freeze. Bank Levy. What does the Bank DO?

[technoreid1]

If a creditor got a judgement and then put a freeze or levy on my bank account....

Then If I went into my bank with my payroll check and tried to CASH it right then and there on the spot....

*Would the bank cash my check after they realize I have a levy/freeze on my account?

**Or could they just take my payroll check from me and not give it back to me and say "we must take this check because you have a levy on your account"? And then deposit it into my "frozen" account.

Or would i be better just going to a branch where the payroll check was drawn on? (hopefully not my same bank where I have an account!)

Thanks, techno

[MomIcantFindmy]

In a prior life....I was a teller at a small credit union.

Most tellers will say they cannot cash the check because of the freeze on your account and hand the check back. Some tellers may call the branch manager up to the front and the bank can keep the check (I saw that happen) on a account. Either way your bank won't cash the check. It makes bank auditors hearts skip a beat if they find that a check has been cashed on a frozen account during an audit.

Your very best bet is to take it to the bank it was drawn on and cash it or to take it to Walmart or another grocery store and pay the fee to cash it.

[technoreid1]

What would they do with the check if they keep it? (I wouldn't think they would be allowed to keep it)

That would be pretty crazy!

Thanks, techno

In a prior life....I was a teller at a small credit union.

Most tellers will say they cannot cash the check because of the freeze on your account and hand the check back. Some tellers may call the branch manager up to the front and the bank can keep the check (I saw that happen) on a account. Either way your bank won't cash the check. It makes bank auditors hearts skip a beat if they find that a check has been cashed on a frozen account during an audit.

Your very best bet is to take it to the bank it was drawn on and cash it or to take it to Walmart or another grocery store and pay the fee to cash it.

[MomIcantFindmy]

We would take the check back to accounting and they would deal with it. I have no idea beyond that. I assumed the money would be handed over to whomever is handling the judgement.

[GoingDown]

In a prior life....I was a teller at a small credit union.

Most tellers will say they cannot cash the check because of the freeze on your account and hand the check back. Some tellers may call the branch manager up to the front and the bank can keep the check (I saw that happen) on a account. Either way your bank won't cash the check. It makes bank auditors hearts skip a beat if they find that a check has been cashed on a frozen account during an audit.

Your very best bet is to take it to the bank it was drawn on and cash it or to take it to Walmart or another grocery store and pay the fee to cash it.

Yes, exactly! You always try to go to the bank the check was drawn on (if it is a local bank) to cash it-- which is free. If it is not a local bank, then you go to a grocery store or check cashing store and pay the fee.

It's the same thing you would do if you were overdrawn on your checking account and you wanted to cash a big check from a different bank. Your bank wouldn't cash it for you, they would want it deposited to pay the deficiency in your checking account. In this case they would take the money from that check to pay your judgment creditor. It would be a very unwise thing to do.

[technoreid1]

So you really think that if I had a judgement and my bank account was levied by a creditor...

And as soon as I hand my payroll check to the bank teller at MY bank and say "please cash this" she would most likely
see that I have a bank levy AND HOLD MY CHECK?
And not give it back to me? (even if I asked for it back)
What would they really do with the check?
Deposit it into my account?

I guess I could not imagine them holding my payroll check in their hands and refuse to give it back to me.....Is it their "obligation" to take my check (once they have it in their hands) knowing that my bank account has a levy?

I would think they would just give it back to me and say "we cannot cash this check due to a levy on your account"

Thanks, techno

Yes, exactly! You always try to go to the bank the check was drawn on (if it is a local bank) to cash it-- which is free. If it is not a local bank, then you go to a grocery store or check cashing store and pay the fee.

It's the same thing you would do if you were overdrawn on your checking account and you wanted to cash a big check from a different bank. Your bank wouldn't cash it for you, they would want it deposited to pay the deficiency in your checking account. In this case they would take the money from that check to pay your judgment creditor. It would be a very unwise thing to do.