What is a Bank Statement? (2024)

A bank statement is a detailed summary of all the financial activities for an account over a specific time period, highlighting the comings and goings of your finances. It provides a record of your money and regular reviews of your bank statements can be helpful for tracking expenses, spotting potential accounting errors and identifying fraudulent activity. Let’s learn more about how to make the most of your bank statement.

What is the purpose of a bank statement?

A bank statement helps you review your account’s activities during a certain period. Doing so can help detect fraud, accounting errors and refresh your memory of the period’s activities. A bank statement is also commonly used for account reconciliation, a process where you compare your statement with a second record of financial activities — like a personal accounts ledger or a budgeting app — to highlight any discrepancies.

Many rely on their bank statements for tracking expenses. By laying out your account’s overall activities, a bank statement can help you monitor your spending and spot trends that may have gone unnoticed during day-to-day spending. This can be helpful for budgeting purposes and finding ways to save money.

How to read a bank statement

Your bank statement may be simple, but it contains a lot of information. The style, formatting and exact contents of a bank statement vary by financial institution, but common elements you can expect to find are:

  • Statement period: This is the time frame covered within your statement. For example, from the first to the last of the month or other time frames that are approximately a month long.
  • Starting and ending account balances: Your statement includes starting and ending balances that let you quickly gauge where your money is trending. Some banks and credit unions may include average daily balances as well.
  • All completed transactions for the time period: These are commonly shown in chronological order. Each line item typically shows transaction date, its exact amount and the name of the payee. Your bank statement may not include pending transactions.
  • Fees and any interest earned: Statements for interest-bearing accounts will show interest earned over the statement period.
  • Bank information: The statement will clearly indicate the issuing bank, account number, and possibly personal information like phone number and mailing address.

How to get a bank statement

If your account has made at least one electronic fund transfer (ETF), for example an ATM transaction, debit card usage or direct deposit, within a given month, your bank is required to provide you with a bank statement. This could be either a paper statement in the mail or an e-statement sent through email. Alternatively, many banks also make statements accessible through their apps or online portals.

Choosing between these options is a matter of preference. Many financial institutions allow you to opt out of paper statements or set up e-statements through online portals.

How long do banks keep bank statements?

For any accounts surpassing $100 in transactions, banks — including those you’ve closed accounts with — keep records for a minimum of five years. Some institutions may choose to keep records longer, though they aren’t required to. Calling your bank or any previous institutions you’ve held accounts with about their record-keeping policies can help you stay prepared for future inquiries into your financial activities.

General guidelines for keeping bank statements?

A common rule of thumb is to consider any financial document that verifies information on your tax return as relevant and worth holding on to. If you keep electronic copies of your bank statements, maintaining at least one set of these backups may help prevent file loss. When disposing of unwanted bank statements and other financial documents, shredding paper copies and ensuring that electronic copies are fully deleted can help prevent your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

How often should you check your bank statements?

Aiming to review your bank statement at least once per statement period may help you spot accounting errors or fraudulent transactions early. The sooner you act to correct mistakes, the better your chances may be at recovering lost or stolen funds.

Regularly checking your bank statement may also help to keep tabs on any potential fees. Overdraft fees, minimum balance fees and maintenance fees can catch customers by surprise.

Can anyone check my bank statements?

Typically, the only parties that can check your bank statements or your account information are the account owner(s), authorized account managers and bank professionals. Banks take great care to maintain the privacy and security of their customers’ personal information. Unless you give out your account information to someone else, the only third parties that may be able to access your statements and other banking information are law enforcement professionals and legal representatives, and only with the appropriate request for documentation.

In summary

A bank statement serves as a snapshot of all the financial activities for an account within a given time period. This includes transaction history, account balances, fees and interest earned and personal information like, your account number. A bank statement can be a useful tool for catching accounting errors or fraud and tracking your spending habits. Customers can typically opt for paper statements, electronic statements or in some cases both. Checking with your bank on its statement policies can be a great first step toward making use of this valuable budgeting and financial management tool.

What is a Bank Statement? (2024)

FAQs

How do I get a bank statement? ›

Here's what to do:
  1. Visit your bank's website.
  2. Log in to Online Banking/Digital Banking/Internet Banking/eBanking etc.
  3. Click 'statements', 'e-documents', or 'download'
  4. Make sure you've selected the correct account.
  5. Choose a statement (or a date range)
  6. Choose the .pdf file format.
  7. Download*

What is considered a bank statement? ›

A bank statement is a record of all the banking transactions—including deposits, withdrawals and transfers—that apply to your account over a given period of time. Your bank statement may also include the starting and ending balances of the account, your account number and other important account information.

Why do I need to show my bank statement? ›

Loan officers use these bank statements to: Verify your savings and cash flow. Check for unusual deposits, withdrawals, or other activity in your accounts. Make sure you haven't taken on any recent debts.

How do bank statements look? ›

Regardless of what bank they're from, most bank statements look fairly similar. They typically include an overview of the account and bank, followed by an account summary and a detailed breakdown of activity over a specific period. The bank statement usually covers a period of one month, but it can also be quarterly.

How do I get proof of bank statement? ›

Getting a copy of your bank statement is easy. Your online banking page will list out all of your statements. From there, you can download a PDF or order a paper version by mail. You can also call your bank's customer service line for help.

Is a bank statement the same as a bill? ›

A statement is a document outlining all outstanding unpaid invoices (or bills) for a certain customer. Unlike invoices, statements are typically sent or made available at certain intervals. For example, many businesses send statements at the end of each month or quarter to individuals who have an outstanding balance.

Is a bank statement proof of bank account? ›

Proof of funds refers to a document that demonstrates the ability of an individual or entity to pay for a specific transaction. A bank statement, security statement, or custody statement usually qualify as proof of funds. Proof of funds is typically required for a large transaction, such as the purchase of a house.

Are bank statements free? ›

Most banks provide free bank statements online; some automatically mail paper statements to your home, but others will charge you for hard copies. You'll need to provide a bank statement when you apply for a loan, file taxes, or file for divorce.

What happens if you don't have a bank statement? ›

If you need a paper copy of a bank statement, or a copy of an older statement that's not available online, you may need to visit a bank branch or request the statement by mail. Visiting a local bank branch could be the fastest option as you won't need to wait for the mail.

Do bank statements show everything? ›

Bank statements contain all transactions that were completely processed during the time period covered by the statement. You should verify that your name, address, and additional contact information is accurate and up to date. Typically, this information can be found at the top of your bank statement.

Can I refuse to show my bank statement? ›

In general, you don't have legal grounds to refuse to show the IRS your bank statements and, in any event, refusing would be pointless because the IRS can easily obtain them from your bank, which will readily comply because they have no interest in getting into trouble with the IRS on your account.

How long does a bank statement take? ›

Paper statements will be sent to the statement address in 3-5 working days.

What can someone do with my bank statement? ›

Bank and credit card statements usually contain your name, address, and details about your account that can be used by identity thieves to commit fraudulent acts, while any other mail you receive may also contain similar information.

Can anyone verify bank statements? ›

Third parties, such as lenders and underwriters, property owners, rental agencies, or government officials can review bank statements and other financial information as part of the application process to assess the risk of the person applying for a loan or other service.

What is acceptable proof of funds? ›

Proof of funds usually comes in the form of a bank security or custody statement. These can be procured from your bank or the financial institution that holds your money. Bank statements are the most common document to use as POF and can typically be found online or at a bank branch.

How recent does a bank statement need to be? ›

Bank statements are important to verify debit and credit activity. They should be kept in hard copy or electronic form for one year.

Can I print a bank statement? ›

You need to use your Online Banking from a web browser, not your mobile app. Have a look for your bank below and follow the instructions. Alternatively, you can search Google for instructions on how to download your transactions as a PDF file or, visit your bank branch for a printed copy.

Is a bank statement proof of receipt? ›

A receipt or bank statement is the most common way to provide proof of payment. Receipt copies can be obtained from the seller either online or in person. If you need to use a bank statement, access it through your online bank account.

Who can access your bank account without your permission? ›

Only the account holder has the right to access their bank account. If you have a joint bank account, you both own the account and have access to the funds. But in the case of a personal bank account, your spouse has no legal right to access it.

Who sends the bank statement? ›

A bank statement is sent by the Bank manager to the account holder informing about debit or credit given by the bank.

Is a debit card statement a bank statement? ›

Debit card information is reported as part of your monthly bank account statement, much as is your savings and checking account information.

What documents are bank statements? ›

A bank statement is an official document that summarizes your account activity over a certain period of time—typically one month. You'll find records of all transactions—both incoming and outgoing—so you know exactly what was going on with your funds during that period.

What type of evidence is a bank statement? ›

3. As a bank statement is an external party document, hence it is more reliable in comparison to shipping documents which can be tampered with by employees through self or in collusion. 4. Certificates for the investment made are issued by outside parties are more reliable.

How do I send a bank statement? ›

These days, the easiest and most common way to submit your bank statements is to simply print them directly off your bank's online banking platform.

Do I need printed bank statements? ›

Regular statements, pay stubs

Keep either a digital or hard copy of your monthly bank and credit card statements for the last year. It's a good idea to keep your digital copies stored online if you choose to go paperless.

Do you need ID for a bank statement? ›

Proof of identity - which can be a valid driver's license, ID card, or passport. Proof of banking details - a full-page, recent bank account statement that shows your bank logo, full bank account number, and the bank account holder name.

Can police look at bank statements? ›

The police may get such records through a search warrant signed by a judge based upon an affidavit laying out their probable cause to believe evidence of a crime will be found in such records.

Who sees my bank statement? ›

Typically, the only parties that can check your bank statements or your account information are the account owner(s), authorized account managers and bank professionals. Banks take great care to maintain the privacy and security of their customers' personal information.

How much should you keep in checking? ›

The general rule of thumb is to try to have one or two months' of living expenses in it at all times. Some experts recommend adding 30 percent to this number as an extra cushion.

Can employers see your bank account? ›

Federal law does not prevent employers from asking about your financial information. But, the federal EEO laws do prohibit employers from illegally discriminating when using financial information to make employment decisions.

How far does a bank statement show? ›

A transaction history differs from a bank statement in that it is a record of all transactions for that bank account for a set period that you have chosen. Typically, a bank statement only covers one month of transactions and may leave recent or pending transactions out.

How long do bank statements stay on record? ›

Bank and Credit Card Statements

Banks are required by federal law to keep records for five years. Check with your bank for specific details about how to access your old statements.

Do bank statements expire? ›

Most bank statements should be kept accessible in hard copy or electronic form for one year, after which they can be shredded. Anything tax-related such as proof of charitable donations should be kept for at least three years.

Is it safe to send a copy of my bank statement? ›

If you do not redact your bank statements before sending them to someone, you could be putting yourself at risk of identity theft or fraud. You may be surprised at how much a fraudster is able to do with only the information on your bank statement.

Can someone take money from my bank account with account number and routing number? ›

If fraudsters can combine your bank details and other easy-to-find information — such as your Social Security number (SSN), ABA or routing number, checking account number, address, or name — they can easily begin to steal money from your account.

Can someone open a bank account in your name without you knowing? ›

This person may be the actual fraudster or someone the criminal has manipulated into acting as a front for the fraud. The accounts are then used to either launder money or commit future fraud. Criminals use stolen credentials and personal data to open accounts in the names of individuals without their knowledge.

Is it possible to edit bank statement? ›

Yes, with the right document editing tool, like EaseUS PDF Editor, users can change the name or value on the bank statement digitally.

How do bank statements verify income? ›

Bank statements are among the most common documents used for income verification. Bank statements show the movement of funds into and out of an account and provide insight into the borrower's income, spending, and debt repayment history. Retired and self-employed borrowers often use bank statements as proof of income.

How do I get bank statement online? ›

To generate an account statement:
  1. Click My Accounts > Account statement. ...
  2. Select the account for which you wish to generate a statement.
  3. Select an option for the statement period. ...
  4. Select the start and end dates if you select the By Date option. ...
  5. Select an option to view, print or download the account statement.

Can I get a bank statement directly from the bank? ›

If you need a paper copy of a bank statement, or a copy of an older statement that's not available online, you may need to visit a bank branch or request the statement by mail. Visiting a local bank branch could be the fastest option as you won't need to wait for the mail.

Can you get a bank statement from an ATM? ›

How can I get my bank statement from an ATM? You can get your bank statement from an ATM by using your card and entering your PIN. On the menu, select 'Account statement' or 'Get statement' and you can either view or print it.

Can I print a copy of my bank statement? ›

If you want paper copies of your online statements for your current, savings accounts or credit card, you can save and print PDF versions from your Online Banking service.

How do I check my bank statement on my phone? ›

Credit validation
  1. Open Google Pay .
  2. Scroll down the screen and Tap See all payment activity. All transactions.
  3. Tap a transaction to see the UPI transaction ID.

How long does it take to get a bank statement? ›

Paper statements will be mailed 7 to 10 business days after you submit your request.

Can a bank refuse to give you a statement? ›

Is the bank required to send me a monthly statement on my checking or savings account? Yes, in many cases. If electronic fund transfers (EFTs) can be made to or from your account, banks must provide statements at least monthly summarizing any EFTs that occurred each month.

Can anyone get my bank statement? ›

Can anyone check my bank statements? Typically, the only parties that can check your bank statements or your account information are the account owner(s), authorized account managers and bank professionals. Banks take great care to maintain the privacy and security of their customers' personal information.

Do debit cards have bank statements? ›

Personal Information

Debit card transactions are included in the monthly account statement for your personal or small-business bank account. You can access these statements electronically in many cases, or opt to receive a printed copy by mail each month.

What is 3 months bank statement? ›

A bank statement is a list of all transactions for a bank account over a set period, usually monthly / year. A mini statement is a list of recent 3 or 5 transactions carried out by a customer.

Can someone check my bank account balance? ›

Keep your information secure

Can bank tellers see your balance? Yes. But that helps them to assist you with your banking needs. They will also have access to your personal information to verify your identity as a safeguard against fraud.

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