Travelers Checks???

[Caress of Steel]

I have some American Express travelers checks that my (deceased) mother got several years ago. She signed her name on all of them at the time she got them but did not date them. My question is...can I redeem these for cash? Would I do that at any bank? I have notarized copies of her death certificate.

Thanks for any advice.

John

 

[mykulmorris]

Send 'em to me... I'll "take care of 'em" for you!!!


OK, I believe they'll be redeemable at almost any bank, call yours for the headsup.
-Cheers!
-M

 

[Gollnick]

Read the fine print on the checks. They may have some sort of expiration date. Otherwise, if they are signed, cashing them should be no problem.

Remember, these checks are not free. Your mother paid money for them, money which American Express has been holding at zero-percent interest ever since (which, given the recent economy, may actually be a favorable rate of return). AND, she paid a fee to buy them too.

You should, ethically, get that money -- which she apparently wanted you to have -- back.

If there is an expiration, then it will depend on which state the checks were issued in. My GUESS (I'm not a lawyer) is that that money went into the state's unclaimed property fund and you can make a claim and get it back from the state. It'll take a bit of research, but the resources are now all online.