When a five- or six-figure check hits your account, it can feel like instant money. In reality, a quiet chain of bank rules, federal regulations, and fraud checks kicks in before you can safely spend a dollar of it.

Update: President Donald Trump sparked new stimulus check conversations on Sunday, Nov. 9, when he posted on social media that a $2,000 dividend from tariffs would be sent to some Americans. Here's what we know so far. With the holidays looming and high ...

Check fraud is not new, and financial plots have been around in the United States for centuries. But what has caused the renewed uptick in check fraud in recent years, and what can be done about it? Here's everything you need to know: What exactly is check ...

Even as fewer people use paper checks, there have been more reports of criminals stealing them from mailboxes and changing the dollar amount and name of the recipient, officials say. Credit...Till Lauer Supported by By Ann Carrns If you use paper checks ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I share strategies for getting ahead financially and building wealth. A woman sits at her dining room table with laptop and financial reports doing her monthly budget. She is smiling at ...