
These are only some of the reasons why checks still play a major part in the financial system. Many of them believe that paper checks offer great record-keeping and audit trail benefits.Įven for private consumers some payments, such as rent, are difficult to fulfil with alternative methods, since some landlords will only take physical checks. In addition, large businesses and institutions choose checks as their preferred platform for making large-sum B2B transactions. Many small businesses with a small volume, mom and pop shops and freelancers still find checks as their best option for making and receiving payment. Some businesses do not accept credit cards or electronic payments. and this reality is a key factor in its survival – even as payment technology advances year after year and new exciting electronic options are continuously being introduced to the market. Writing paper checks is still a very common practice in the U.S.



However, even though they have seen better and brighter days and although the use of old-fashioned paper checks may seem as outdated and anachronistic, they are still a widely used mechanism to transfer money from one party to another in the economy.Īlmost everyone still need to write an occasional check every now and then and in addition, a decent portion of businesses and consumers heavily rely on this method for day-to-day monetary transactions of all types. Historically, checks have always been a popular payment form in the market.Īnd yet, with the expanding popularity of alternative offline and online methods in recent decades (like debit / credit cards and PayPal), check usage has been sharply declining.

The modern era offers a variety of practical and convenient methods to pay for goods or services that individuals and businesses consume.Ĭommon forms of payment include cash, checks, debit cards, credit cards, money orders, wire transfers and the newest addition – paperless digital payments.
