Below the payee line, you write the dollar amount out in words. This line is what your bank legally treats as authoritative if it ever conflicts with the numeric box, so it needs to be accurate.
The standard format
Write the whole-dollar amount in words, then "and," then the cents as a fraction over 100:
- $1,240.00 → "One thousand two hundred forty and 00/100"
- $87.50 → "Eighty-seven and 50/100"
- $3,006.09 → "Three thousand six and 09/100"
Draw a line through any remaining blank space after the amount so nothing can be added to it.
This is the single most error-prone field on a handwritten check. Check Writer 123 generates this line automatically from the numeric amount, so it's always correctly formatted and always matches.