We’re a big fan of virtual mailboxes here at Vault50.com. A few of our writing staff are based in different places around the world. As European and U.S ex-pats living abroad, virtual mailbox services have been a massive benefit.
And while there are many obvious advantages to using one, (the ability to maintain a virtual address and have your mail safely managed remotely being the biggest pros), a service that offers check deposit facilities is also very handy indeed.
Anyway, if you’re interested in learning about what we consider the best virtual mailbox services available, you should head here.
If you want to learn more about the check deposit function that most services provide, keep on reading.
Table of Contents
What is a check deposit facility?
A rudimentary question maybe, but let’s cover this first. A virtual mailbox check deposit facility is exactly what it sounds like.
When you have signed up to a service and you pay a monthly subscription for them to manage your incoming mail, at your request, the service will deposit checks on your behalf, without you ever needing to receive them.
You can deposit checks received in your virtual mailbox without having to deposit them yourself.
How do check deposit facilities work?
When using a mailbox service your mail will be delivered to the virtual address that you choose upon signing up for the service.
For instance, one of our readers currently lives out in Vietnam. They have a US virtual address that is managed by US Global Mail.
When mail arrives at that US address, an image of the envelope/package is scanned by the service provider and an alert is sent via the app and email.
The user then checks the email/notification, sees what the mail is, and then decides what they want to happen next.
The next step options include requesting for the mail to be opened and the content scanned, for it to be shredded or forwarded to the living address.
If a check has arrived, one of your options is to request that it be deposited.
Steps for depositing a check
- Submit a check deposit request via the app or online portal.
- The service will mail the check to your bank on file (normally within 24 hours).
- You receive an alert that the check has been sent
- The bank receives and processes the deposit.
- Depending on check clearance time, the money should show in your account with 5-7 working days.
How much does it cost to use a check deposit service?
The cost of using a check deposit service does vary across providers, however, the charge is minimal (usually between $3 & $5 plus postage).
Benefits of using a Check Deposit Service?
There are a number of benefits to using your virtual mailbox check deposit facility. Let’s take a look at some of them now.
- Convenience – Deposit checks without needing to ask a family member back home to do it for you.
- Easy – Very easy to setup. Once you have, the service can manage any checks that you receive.
- Fast – Most providers will mail the check to your bank within 24hrs of your request. Depending on the speed of your bank there money can be in your account in just a few days.
- Affordable – Most virtual mailbox providers charge reasonable rates for the deposit service.
And there you have it, the whys, hows, and benefits of using the check deposit facility of a virtual mailbox service.