Paying a Debt by Cashier's check?

[confuzed]

(I'm still working on the medical bills.)

I read that one ought to pay with a cashier's check NOT drawn on your own bank, or a postal money order, and never a personal check.

If you do this, how do have receipt that they cashed the check and that the debt is paid according to agreement? Do you request a letter of confirmation before paying?

[isislc]

If you do this, how do have receipt that they cashed the check and that the debt is paid according to agreement? Do you request a letter of confirmation before paying?

I pay a lot of bills in this manner so as to not draw on my bank account. When you get a cashier's check from your bank or credit union there is usually an attachment to it that has the check number. You tear this off and keep it for your records. I usually ask the CU teller to please make a copy of the whole check for me, then I have a hard copy of what it looks like. You can always check back with the bank and give them that number which they can track in their system. They can tell you if the check has been cashed or not by the check number. It usually costs about $1-2 for one of these checks.

[confuzed]

THank you! I didn't know you could have the bank or institution tell you if it had been cashed or not. That helps!

If you get a postal money order can that be tracked also?

[kleep]

The last postal money order I purchased came with a carbon copy so that you could see all the details that you wrote on that check. That is your stub. ALWAYS save these stubs and if you do not get a carbon copy of the check itself, make a copy before you send it. Then there is a phone number on the money order or stub that you can call and type in the check number and it will tell you if it has been cashed. If you later have to get a copy of the cancelled check, banks and CUs are cheaper, but you can get them from the money order people too.

My recent problem with an old landlord was that I paid by money order and they said they never got it. I had the photocopy of the money order before I sent it to them and after calling the toll free number found it was cashed. This even went to pre-court mediation and they took without having to pay for the cancelled money order. Proving sloppy records always lose.

[isislc]

Yep, there is a phone number on them that you can usually call to verify if it has been paid or not. Beware getting a money order that is "Free". On most of those money orders, they say in small print that they are not liable for lost or stolen MOs, Fraudulently signed=stolen. Most "Pay" MOs will guarantee payment or refund if it should happen to be lost or stolen. That's why I just get a cashier's check, they are guaranteed. Keep in mind, you will have more success in making a photocopy of the whole money order. It's safer that way.