While the actual size or our planet is not changing, our ability to network, communicate and do business globally is making the world smaller. Money is moving from person to person, business to business, and country to country in numerous ways. One of the most conventional and easiest ways to make any payment is to send a check. 

Check issuers often don't differentiate whether the checks they are issuing are being sent domestically or internationally. In today's digital age, it surprises many financial institutions how many checks are still being issued. Although most believe that checks will eventually be retired and become a fairly insignificant payment method, they are still being used today and must be dealt with. Financial institutions have an efficient process for checks issued domestically; the question is, how do we handle the international ones?

Checks issued from another country pose a significant service challenge. The credit union must ask the following questions to determine whether or not providing this service makes good business sense:

1. Do members need this service? 
2. What is the risk of member retention if the service is not offered? 
3. How is the service of international check clearing provided? 
4. How does a credit union reduce the risks associated with fraud?