One of my FI's friends gave us a check for our wedding and it bounced. So now we are out the gift plus another $15 bank fee. Is there any tactful way to handle the situation or should we just let it go.
Thank you
Yikes! I hate these situations - the embarrassment is on their end but the uncomfortability is on your end. I wouldnt let it go because first, your friends gave you this check as a gift that I`m sure they still intend for you to have and second, I`m sure they would prefer to know sooner than later for their own finances. In this day & age of automated payments, people are not as on top of the daily transactions in their accounts as they use to be. My fi uses his EZ Pass to & from work and I`m still not use to it hitting our account when his pass goes low because it`s not on a specific date.
I would just call and phrase it in a way that is kindest to their ears (as in DON`T use the word 'bounced'). Say something like 'I got a call from my bank and I just wanted to let you know there was a problem with the check' you dont even need to go into anything else as I`m sure they will take it from here. If it softens it more for you to say start off with 'I hate to call you on this but...'
As for the $15 fee, again its generally understood that the bouncee gets hit with a fee too and they will probably make good on that as well. If it was me, in this sitation I wouldnt get on them about the fee. If they didnt reimburse on that, I`d just absorb it because a subsequent conversation about $15 after it was a gift wouldn`t be my cup of tea.
Along the same lines, 2 Christmases ago, my boss gave me a very generous bones check that bounced. Boy was that an uncomfortable call to make (his wife called me back) but it all worked out.
Good luck, I`m sure it will all work out smoothly.
Of course I meant 'bonus check' not 'bones check'
Liz,
The thing that got me was the check was written from a closed account. He and my husband (how I love that word) are 'firehouse buddies' so I'm sure he will mention it to him..I just hope tactfully..lol..How are you doing ?
Well, I certainly was trying to go from the 'benefit of the doubt' angle. There are of course other oddities out there. There are probably 5 reasons I could come up with for that but who knows? But chances are this guy doesn`t want to be known at work as a deadbeat either. Keep me posted.
I am well. I just had something funny happen. In my recent number crunching on wedding funds, I kept forgetting to include that we paid the reception hall almost 1/2 the money already. So when I was working out how much we need to get a certified check for, I received a delightful surprise when I realized what I was doing and now we are in GREAT shape with money. I didn`t forget we paid them but it just slipped my mind in recent calculations. What a joy!
