Prove it!

Sometimes you write a check and it only shows up as a line item debit on your bank statement even though you get photocopies of your other checks on your statements. Many people do electronic transfers between accounts even for the payment of support. This creates a problem of proof. Many things can come back years later with a claim that you did not pay. Your bank only keeps records a certain number of years. You need to keep your own proof. Having all your statements online only, and not mailed, and/or with no copies of checks, is dangerous. If you had a support claim (for which there is no hard and fast deadline) or some other debt coming back years later claiming that you did not pay, you may find that there is no way for you to prove that you paid. Write checks for important and/or potentially disputed items and keep the photocopies of the checks. Relying on institutions is dangerous where they only keep things for a few years and the company changes hands or goes out of business. This happens even to large financial institutions as we've seen since the recession.