4 Reasons Not to Use Personal Checks for Business Expenses

If you’re starting your own solo business or attempting to turn a hobby into a lucrative side gig, you are likely drawing from some of your own personal money to get your business launched. Many small, solo business ventures have start-up costs for necessities like equipment, vehicles, and storage, in addition to the money needed for advertising and day-to-day operating expenses. It is not uncommon for small business owners to use their homes for the business’s back office and, in doing so, borrow some of the equipment, furniture, telecommunications, and office supplies that are already there.

While it is advisable to keep business funds and personal funds in separate accounts for better expense tracking, cash-flow management, budgeting, and tax preparation, many solopreneurs and side hustlers co-mingle the professional and personal money, at least in the beginning when revenue is low and slow. Though it may be tempting to use personal checks to pay bills because it is easy and accessible, professional business checks are the better way to go.

4 reasons to avoid personal checks for your business

1.    Personal checks make a business look less professional.

Establishing credibility is key in building a good foundation and reputation for your business. Having professional business checks with a logo and business name on the top give an air of credibility to your new venture that helps establish trust with clients. Online check printing allows you to print business checks on demand with your business name and uploaded logo for an optimal professional look. It also allows you to upload a background of your choice to distinguish the check’s appearance from more whimsical or colorful backgrounds you may use for personal checks.

2.    Using personal checks for business purposes complicates expense tracking.

If your personal and business checks in indistinguishable, reconciling accounts and differentiating business expenses from personal ones is going to be a time-consuming and complicated process each month. Not having your business expenses clearly delineated means you may not have accurate records of all business-related spending and may therefore miss out on tax deductions; it also makes accurate business budgeting impossible. Online check printing offers a secure, cloud-based, searchable registry of every check created from the account. Check histories can be exported according to any search criteria for the most streamlined and time-efficient expense tracking, reconciling, and tax preparing.

3.    Personal check stock does not offer business features.

While you can print a check on any piece of paper you own, business checks should be printed on higher-quality check stock for the most professional look. Check stock specifically designed for business purposes offers features that small businesses commonly need, such as placement for invoice tables, pay stubs, and other documentation typical in B2B payment transactions. Online check printing and mailing services can attach those documents as needed for a well-coordinated and professional transaction. Online check printing also allows you to add to your check template special check elements, such as paid invoice numbers, due dates, or other specific information that is unique to your business bookkeeping needs.

4.    Using personal checks for business misses branding opportunities.

Checks are not just financial tools; they are communication tools, as well. Business checks communicate a professional relationship between you and your payee—client, customer, supplier, employee, or business affiliate; business checks also communicate money. Online check printing allows you to design your business checks so that they can work in tandem with your other marketing and messaging material for more cohesive branding than personal checks would allow.

Checkeeper has been providing online check printing and mailing services to businesses of all sizes for over a decade. One account unlocks all the features of unlimited check printing, and you can use it for business and for personal transactions. Since Checkeeper integrates with the most widely-used small business accounting, payment, and payroll platforms, your check transactions can be automatically recorded and synced with other records for simplified financial management and optimal professionalism.