Receiving Cashier's Checks From Fidelity Investments: A Step-By-Step Guide

To receive a cashier's check from Fidelity Investments, you must first ensure that you have a Fidelity account. You can then request a cashier's check by filling out the appropriate deposit or contribution form and enclosing a printed version with your check. Make sure to write your account number and, if applicable, the contribution year, in the memo field of your check. You can also request a check online or by calling a Fidelity representative. After submitting your request, you should receive your check within 5-10 business days.

Cashing a cashier's check with Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments accepts cashier's checks, along with Federal Reserve checks, U.S. Treasury checks, and institutional checks.

To cash a cashier's check with Fidelity Investments, you can either use the Mobile Check Deposit service or deposit the check by mail.

Mobile Check Deposit

To use the Mobile Check Deposit service, you must have an eligible account. These include HSA and most Fidelity brokerage accounts and IRAs. You can find your eligible accounts listed in the account selection menu on the "Deposit a Check" screen.

Once you have confirmed your account eligibility, follow these steps:

• Endorse the check: Sign the front of the check and endorse the back with "For Deposit Only to my Fidelity Account." If the check is made payable to the Fidelity account owner(s), include the payee signature(s). Checks made payable to National Financial Services (NFS)/FBO [account holder's name] are also accepted.
• Take a photo of the check: Ensure that the photo is clear and that all four corners of the check are visible. The background should be dark and contrasting.
• Fill in the deposit details: Ensure that the account information and amount entered match what is written on the check.
• Submit the deposit: Deposits submitted before 4:00 p.m. ET on a business day will generally be posted on the same day. Check deposits are not processed on weekends or bank holidays.
• Confirm the deposit: Check the Pending Transfers tab on the Account History page. A status of "Pending" means the deposit is under review, while "Check Received" indicates that the deposit has been successfully credited to your account.
• Safeguard the paper check: Once the deposit is credited to your account, properly safeguard the paper check to prevent it from being presented for payment more than once.

Deposit by Mail

To deposit a cashier's check by mail, follow these steps:

• Complete the appropriate deposit or contribution form: You can find the required forms on the Fidelity website.
• Write your account number and contribution year on the check memo: Include your account number and, if applicable, the contribution year in the memo field of your check.
• Make the check payable to Fidelity Investments: The check should be made payable to "Fidelity Investments" for retirement accounts (all types).
• Mail the check and form: Allow five business days for U.S. mail delivery. You can find the appropriate mailing address for your account type on the Fidelity website.

Check types accepted by Fidelity

Fidelity accepts the following types of checks:

• Cashier's or bank checks
• Federal Reserve checks
• U.S. Treasury checks
• Institutional checks, such as those issued from a workplace retirement plan, e.g. a 401k plan
• Checks payable to one or more Fidelity account owners (second-party checks)

Check Types Not Accepted by Fidelity

Fidelity does not accept the following types of checks:

• Checks made payable to cash
• Checks in a foreign currency or drawn on a foreign bank
• Stale-dated checks (generally, checks dated more than 180 days prior to receipt)

Endorsement Requirements

An endorsement may be required when depositing second-party checks. This is generally required if the check payee name does not match the owner name(s) of the Fidelity account the check is being deposited into.

Depositing Checks

You can deposit checks using the Fidelity Investments app or by mail.

To deposit a check using the app, open the app and select "Transact" at the bottom of the screen. Select "Deposit Checks" and agree to the terms of use. Select the account you want for the deposit, enter the dollar amount on your check, and sign it. Then, snap a photo of the front and back of your check and select "Submit".

To deposit a check by mail, complete the appropriate deposit or contribution form and enclose a printed version along with your check. Make checks payable to "Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC" for brokerage, cash management, and 529 accounts. For mutual fund accounts, make checks payable to the specific Fidelity fund name, such as "Fidelity Government Cash Reserves".

Check types not accepted by Fidelity

When depositing a check by mail, there are several types of checks that are not accepted by Fidelity. These include:

• Checks made payable to cash
• Checks in a foreign currency or drawn on a foreign bank
• Stale-dated checks (generally, checks dated more than 180 days prior to receipt)
• Checks requiring activation codes
• Non-negotiable items

Additionally, when depositing a check through the mobile check deposit service, there are a few other types of checks that are not accepted. These include:

• Checks that have already been deposited (duplicate checks)
• Checks with different written and numeric amounts
• Checks issued more than 180 days before the date of deposit

Endorsement requirements

When depositing second-party checks, an endorsement may be required. This is generally the case if the check payee name does not match the owner name(s) of the Fidelity account the check is being deposited into.

For institutional checks, no endorsement is necessary. However, they should be payable to Fidelity Management Trust Company (FMTC)/FBO [account holder's name].

Other checks deposited through the service should be endorsed "For Deposit Only to my Fidelity Account." Additionally, checks made payable to Fidelity account owner(s) should include the payee signature(s). Checks endorsed and payable to National Financial Services (NFS)/FBO [account holder's name] are also accepted.

Check delivery methods

There are several ways to receive a cashier's check from Fidelity Investments.

By Mail

You can deposit a check by mail by following these steps:

• Complete the appropriate deposit or contribution form and enclose a printed version with your check.
• Write your account number and, if applicable, contribution year, in the memo field of your check.
• Make checks payable to:

• Deposits intended for Brokerage, Cash Management, and 529 accounts: "Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC"
• Mutual fund accounts: Fidelity fund name, such as "Fidelity Government Cash Reserves"
• Retirement accounts (all types): "Fidelity Investments" or "Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company" (New York residents: "Empire Fidelity Investments")
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): "Fidelity Management Trust Company" (or "FMTC"), "FBO [your name]"

Mail your check to the appropriate address, depending on the type of account and whether you are using U.S. mail or overnight/certified mail.

Mobile Check Deposit

You can also use the Mobile Check Deposit service to deposit a cashier's check into eligible HSA and Fidelity brokerage accounts and IRAs. To use this service:

• Log in to the "Deposit a Check" screen and select the eligible account from the account selection menu.
• Take a clear photo of the check, ensuring that it is well-lit and in focus, and submit it through the Mobile Check Deposit service.
• Endorse the check with "For Deposit Only to my Fidelity Account" and securely store the physical check until you have confirmed that the deposit has been successfully credited to your account.

Please note that there are specific requirements for check types, endorsements, and funding amounts, as outlined on the Fidelity website.

Frequently asked questions