paying credit card bills using cash

[Stephen1]

I expect that you will since the bank took your identification.

My bank takes ID for any cash deposit. Even $1. I suspect it would for a penny. Cash deposit = ID required.

 

[quincy]

My bank takes ID for any cash deposit. Even $1. I suspect it would for a penny. Cash deposit = ID required.

Ditto.

 

[LdiJ]

My bank takes ID for any cash deposit. Even $1. I suspect it would for a penny. Cash deposit = ID required.

Interesting. I make cash deposits all the time and I am never asked for ID.

 

[quincy]

Interesting. I make cash deposits all the time and I am never asked for ID.

The bank requires account information for any deposit. At the start of any in-person bank transaction I have had, my banks always have asked for ID along with any deposit slips.

 

[Taxing Matters]

If IRS comes after me for some other tax related matters (which have nothing to do with I paid my brother’s credit card bills with cash) then, will the IRS automatically get the information that I paid my brother’s credit card bills with cash as well (because that bank took copy of my driver license when I paid my brother’s credit card bill) and can question me about that also?

In an IRS audit the examiner or agent may ask you about anything on your return. The examiner/agent would have access to the CTR report from the IRS computer system so seeing a CTR for $45,000 and nothing on the return to explain it would likely prompt the question about what the source of the funds was. If the IRS service center sends you letter about some other matter on your return, on the other hand, it's unlikely that will result in an inquiry about the cash transaction. Of course, the Service Center may generate a letter specifically about the deposit, too, after computer matching. So it matters what level of examination is done.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Interesting. I make cash deposits all the time and I am never asked for ID.

The best practice is for banks to know who is making the deposit. If you frequently make cash deposits such that the tellers recognize you then there is no need to get ID from you. But if they don't know you, they should find out who is making that deposit.

 

[LdiJ]

The best practice is for banks to know who is making the deposit. If you frequently make cash deposits such that the tellers recognize you then there is no need to get ID from you. But if they don't know you, they should find out who is making that deposit.

Again, I am never asked for ID when I am making a deposit. I am sometimes asked for ID when I am making a withdrawal, but never when I am making a deposit. Of course I don't make huge deposits. Its mostly the kids giving me cash when they use my Amazon account to order things...which is frequent.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Again, I am never asked for ID when I am making a deposit. I am sometimes asked for ID when I am making a withdrawal, but never when I am making a deposit. Of course I don't make huge deposits. Its mostly the kids giving me cash when they use my Amazon account to order things...which is frequent.

I'm not disputing that you aren't asked. I'm simply saying that the best practice is that the bank know who is making that deposit. Not all banks, especially smaller ones, follow best practices, sometimes to their detriment. The various reporting rules imposed on banks and the general principle they must follow of knowing their customer means that if they don't follow those best practices they may miss something they should have reported or acted upon and that can come back to bite them if the government learns of that failure.

Now, that doesn't mean that the bank always needs the ID. They just need to know with whom they are dealing. If you go into the bank often and are known to the tellers with whom you deal, for example, that personal knowledge of who you are is enough for the teller to then act on whatever reporting may be required. In that case, getting ID serves little purpose and the bank might not ask for it.

I'll give you two personal examples. First, I once had a girlfriend who worked as a teller at my bank. She obviously knew who I was when making deposits so she had no reason to ask for my ID when I made cash deposits. Second, I lived in a very small town for a few years and the local bank tellers (there were only two banks) literally knew every one of their customers on sight. I never needed ID there or even my account number because the tellers knew me and knew what accounts I had there. But living in places like Philly and DC and dealing with big banks the tellers had no idea who I was and they always asked for ID for cash deposits.

 

[quincy]

... I'll give you two personal examples. First, I once had a girlfriend who worked as a teller at my bank. She obviously knew who I was when making deposits so she had no reason to ask for my ID when I made cash deposits. Second, I lived in a very small town for a few years and the local bank tellers (there were only two banks) literally knew every one of their customers on sight. I never needed ID there or even my account number because the tellers knew me and knew what accounts I had there. But living in places like Philly and DC and dealing with big banks the tellers had no idea who I was and they always asked for ID for cash deposits.

The bank tellers even knew your account numbers? Geez. That is one very very small town.

 

[Taxing Matters]

The bank tellers even knew your account numbers? Geez. That is one very very small town.

They didn't need to know the actual account numbers. They knew the types of accounts I had and could easily find the right account just knowing my name. Indeed, all the businesses in town had counter checks customers could use if they forgot their own check book. There were counter checks for each of the two banks in town. You just picked the one for your bank, filled in your name and the amount, and signed it. No need for an account number. The banks knew who you were. Pretty much everyone in town knew everyone else, if not personally than at least by reputation or family connection. It was a pretty small town, less than 3,000 population at the time. I've lived in all kinds of communities over the course of my life, from very small towns to the biggest urban centers, and literally from the East Coast to the West Coast and points in between. Somes places I've lived were exclusively White. Others were majority Black. And yet others were majority Latino and all kind of mixes between. It has given me a very good appreciation for the vast diversity of this country and why we have the kinds of divisions that we do.

 

[quincy]

They didn't need to know the actual account numbers. They knew the types of accounts I had and could easily find the right account just knowing my name. Indeed, all the businesses in town had counter checks customers could use if they forgot their own check book. There were counter checks for each of the two banks in town. You just picked the one for your bank, filled in your name and the amount, and signed it. No need for an account number. The banks knew who you were. Pretty much everyone in town knew everyone else, if not personally than at least by reputation or family connection. It was a pretty small town, less than 3,000 population at the time. I've lived in all kinds of communities over the course of my life, from very small towns to the biggest urban centers, and literally from the East Coast to the West Coast and points in between. Somes places I've lived were exclusively White. Others were majority Black. And yet others were majority Latino and all kind of mixes between. It has given me a very good appreciation for the vast diversity of this country and why we have the kinds of divisions that we do.

Interesting. I have lived in small towns and large cities, and I came to know over time the bankers/tellers in each, but never did I walk into a bank without needing ID for transactions. I guess they all operate differently.

 

[Stephen1]

in my latest transaction that included cash they had me input my bank card with its PIN, just like when it was all checks. I assume that they are tying the cash to the person whose bank card and PIN were used - me. No other ID was requested.

 

[quincy]

in my latest transaction that included cash they had me input my bank card with its PIN, just like when it was all checks. I assume that they are tying the cash to the person whose bank card and PIN were used - me. No other ID was requested.

Your bank card and PIN are identification.