Be careful with this though. I learned recently that the hard way when a check was sent and lost in the mail. I had to petition with the bank to explain the i

Be careful with this though. I learned recently that the hard way when a check was sent and lost in the mail. I had to petition with the bank to explain the issue, which they had to investigate, and then determine the outcome. Bill pay services usually deduct the amount of the check to be sent from your account and put it into a holding account before sending the check. The check sent acts more like a certified check than a personal check (because in a personal check, funds aren't withdrawn until the check is cashed). I have always thought this is a little fishy - why the bank can't issue a personal check for me without withdrawing the funds from my account... but there may be regulatory or liability issues involved for the bank. Bottom line, if you count on the bank to send a paper check for you, it's not EXACTLY the same as if you send a personal check yourself.