Ever wonder what happens to that old check sitting in your drawer? Turns out you're not alone—the U.S. Department of Labor once found that retirement plan checks alone worth around $15 million go uncashed yearly. The real number across all check types? Probably hundreds of millions or more. Here's the thing though: checks don't technically expire, but they do go "stale," and that's where things get confusing. Banks can decide whether to process an old check, mainly to protect account holders. When someone writes you a check, they're usually thinking about their current balance and expecting you to deposit it quickly. But months can pass, circumstances change, and suddenly there's no guarantee the money's still there. Personal checks are generally good for about six months. After that, federal law doesn't require banks to process them, though they might still choose to. If you're sitting on a personal check that's a few months old, it's smart to give the issuer a heads up before depositing—just to make sure the funds are still available. Otherwise you're looking at a bounce. Cashier's checks are different since they're backed by the bank itself. They technically don't expire, but if you hold one too long, the bank might put it through something called "escheatment," which means they transfer your money to the state as unclaimed property. You'd then need to request a replacement from the issuing bank. Business checks often have "Void after 90 days" printed on them, but that's more of a nudge to deposit quickly rather than an actual deadline. Like personal checks, they're usually valid for six months, sometimes longer if stated. After that point, businesses have to report and turn over the funds to the state. Money orders work similarly—no expiration date on domestic ones, but some states might deduct a service fee if you don't cash it within one to three years. So technically they don't expire, but they can lose value over time if you sit on them too long. When you actually go to cash a check, most are good within 180 days unless the bank decides otherwise. Found an old uncashed check? Don't panic. Try depositing it first—your bank might accept it if the issuer still has funds. If that doesn't work, reach out to whoever issued it and ask for a reissue, or visit the bank branch directly to see if they can validate the funds and process it for you. The key takeaway: deposit checks right away when you get them. But if you do end up with an outdated one, contact the issuer or the financial institution. Remember, banks have their own policies and use their own judgment on these situations. If you think you have unclaimed money that might've been turned over to the state, check the official Unclaimed Money from the Government database for your state.