My bank paid my largest check first and then the smaller ones. Doing so created more overdraft fees on my account. Why did the bank pay in this order?

You may write your checks in numerical order, but that doesn't mean the checks will post in the same order. The same is true with point-of-sale or other electronic transactions. They don't necessarily post in the order in which you made the purchases.

Your bank's policy on posting will generally appear in the account agreement. If your bank adopts a different posting policy throughout its territory, it normally should notify you via your statement or an amendment to the account agreement.

When several items come to the bank for clearing, the bank may debit them from your account in several ways so long as they are consistent with their disclosed practices.

Last Reviewed: April 2021