Should I cash this check?

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timmyo

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I received a dividend check from my employer yesterday. A little while afterward, he took the check back and changed the date to the end of December 2005. I didn’t ask him why he did it at the time. I speculate that he changed the date because the money had to be distributed out by the end of 2005 or more taxes would have to be payed on the money. I don’t know for sure though, but it seems logical that it has something to do with accounting or tax purposes. The dividend is legitimate, but I just don’t like the back dating thing he did.

Is what he did immoral? Am I obligated to ask him why he did it? I really don’t want to ask him, but my conscience is bothering me, although I am known to be a bit scrupulous. Can I cash the check, no questions asked? What do you think. Thanks in advance.
 
It is honest money right? Perhaps you don’t want to claim it as 2005 income?

You should be fine… but if you doubt, indorse it over to CA
 
If it’s honest money, and you say it is, then go ahead and cash it. Probably somebody made a mistake somewhere and your employer was just correcting it. Unless you have solid evidence of wrongdoing, I wouldn’t make an issue of it; life is hard enough without making it harder.
  • Liberian
 
I disagree. If it is bothering you and you cash the check,

it will only bother you more. Call the IRS anonymously and
ask them your question. Then you will know what to do. No
amount of money is worth a guilty conscience, and you can’t
be too honest. That said, focus on your own honesty rather
that that of your employer.
 
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cheeto1:
I disagree. If it is bothering you and you cash the check,

it will only bother you more. Call the IRS anonymously and
ask them your question. Then you will know what to do. No
amount of money is worth a guilty conscience, and you can’t
be too honest. That said, focus on your own honesty rather
that that of your employer.
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Unfortunately, you cannot call anonymously. They record all the phone numbers just in case they get false tips.

PF
 
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WanderAimlessly:
Unfortunately, you cannot call anonymously. They record all the phone numbers just in case they get false tips.

PF
Click to expand...
use a payphone
~ Kathy ~
 
The IRS…??? This is ridiculous. The poster already mentioned that the dividends (honest and earned) were for 2005. Of course the employer would make the entry of r 2005.

If he doesn’t…that is his problem with the accountants.

So he re-dated the check to coincide with the period in which it was earned.

Big deal!!!

Cash the check already… you have nothing wrong or questionable.

(unless you don’t delcare the income 🙂 )
 
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MrS:
The IRS…??? This is ridiculous. The poster already mentioned that the dividends (honest and earned) were for 2005. Of course the employer would make the entry of r 2005.

If he doesn’t…that is his problem with the accountants.

So he re-dated the check to coincide with the period in which it was earned.

Big deal!!!

Cash the check already… you have nothing wrong or questionable.

(unless you don’t delcare the income 🙂 )
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Yep - I agree here. The empolyer is going to pay the taxes either way - he is not getting out of his obligation.
 
Just cash the check already…Dang …if it presents a moral problem to you… do this…endorse it and then email me and I will give you my mailing address and you can send your endorsed check to me with permission to counter sign and cash it…Everyone wins …your boss gets what he wants…you get what you want…(no money)…with silly guilt. And I get what I want…to help you and spend your money so you have no guilt! I sacrifice for you guys and expect nothing in return! 👍
 
Mike Dye:
Just cash the check already…Dang …if it presents a moral problem to you… do this…endorse it and then email me and I will give you my mailing address and you can send your endorsed check to me with permission to counter sign and cash it…Everyone wins …your boss gets what he wants…you get what you want…(no money)…with silly guilt. And I get what I want…to help you and spend your money so you have no guilt! I sacrifice for you guys and expect nothing in return! 👍
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I like this idea best. Only it’s ME you should send the money to. 😉
 
Cash the check–there shouldn’t be a problem w/ the changed date. (Though my understanding was that the date on the check was irrelevant–it’s when the money is received that matters to the IRS as far as ‘when to claim’. At least, that’s the explanation I got when I was working for pay and had paychecks that covered the last day or two in the previous year and the rest in the new year, and the money was received in the new year (and that was when there was a solid week between the dates being paid for and the received date–for instance, a week running from 12/26-1/2 was actually paid on 1/9, and even the 12/19-12/25 check would count as ‘new year income’ because it wasn’t paid until 1/2.)

(I’d be highly annoyed if my employer pulled something like that and the money had to be reported in 2005–my 2005 taxes are done and dusted and have been for a couple weeks now. I’m pretty sure the money can be reported as 2006 income since it was received in 2006.)
 
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