Foreign and Canadian Check Processing Is Ending

Important Update for Members Receiving Foreign Checks

Foreign and Canadian Check Processing Is Ending

Starting November 9, 2026, Sound Credit Union will no longer accept checks drawn on banks outside the U.S., including Canadian checks. If someone abroad sends you money by check, please talk with them about switching to an electronic option.

This change is part of a broader, industry-wide move away from paper checks and toward faster electronic payments, as the Federal Reserve ends its processing of foreign and Canadian checks.

Other ways to get paid from outside the U.S.

If you receive money from a person, employer, or organization abroad, here are a few easy swaps for a paper check:

• International wire transfer. The sender can wire money directly to your Sound Credit Union account. Ask us for our incoming wire instructions to pass along to them.
• Electronic payment or bank transfer. Many banks and payment services can send funds electronically to a U.S. account, often faster than a check in the mail.
• A U.S. check or electronic payment. If the sender also has a U.S. bank account, they can pay you with a check drawn on that U.S. account, or send an electronic payment from it.

Not sure which option fits? Each sender’s situation is a little different, and our representatives are happy to talk it through with you.

What to do now

Identify anyone who sends you checks from outside the U.S., contact them before November 9, let them know Sound will no longer accept foreign or Canadian checks after that date, and arrange an electronic payment method using your account information.

Questions? Contact us