A checking account is a deposit account at a bank or credit union that allows you to deposit and withdraw money easily and ...

If you write a check for $500, the money stays in your account until the check is cashed, which could take several days or weeks or even longer, depending on who the check was made out to.

In other words, if there are discrepancies between your current and available balance, there may be purchases you’ve made that simply haven’t shown up in your checking account yet.