The bank routing number located on your checks works very much like your address does for the post office. It is the way banks can find and communicate with each other. The nine digit code identifies the location and the branch of your specific bank. That way, when someone needs to send money to you, it can easily be transferred to the right bank for processing. So, if you're planning on conducting any type of financial transaction between banks or other financial institutions, you'll need to make sure that you do a bank routing number lookup to make sure that they have the right information.

If You Have a Printed Check

If you're not sure of the correct routing number for your branch, there are several ways to find it. If you have a printed check, the bank routing number will be found on the bottom left corner of the check. If you are the sender of the funds, you will need to conduct a bank routing number lookup service so you can send the money to the right place.

If You Don't Have a Check

You can also find your bank routing number by going to your bank's online website and looking up the number there. A link to the bank routing number lookup can usually be found somewhere on your bank statement. Make sure that you copy the number carefully because just one wrong digit could send the money somewhere into cyberspace and it could take a pretty long time to find its way back to the source. When dealing with money, accuracy is extremely important.

Types of Routing Numbers

Another thing you need to keep in mind is that while one house may have only a single address, a financial institution may have several. So, even if you find the correct routing number to your particular branch, you need to check and double check that the number is dedicated to the right type of transaction. For example, a bank may use one routing number for wire transfers and another for direct deposits, and a third one for automatic bill pays. It is very important that you not only locate the right number for your branch but also look for the type of transaction you expect to make.

You also need to make sure that you have the right number if you're planning on conducting any international transactions. When moving funds internationally, the bank must also have a Swift Code, which is a way for foreign financial institutions to be able to locate your bank. If you only have a routing number it may be impossible for the money to safely change hands.

Knowing how to do a proper bank routing number lookup can save you a lot of time when you're dealing with financial transactions. Since almost all of our business transactions are now being conducted electronically those who have not kept abreast of how to use this new technology may find themselves with complications in one way or another. But once you learn how to make good use of the bank routing number and swift codes, you'll be amazed at how much simple it all can be.