Source for you to use when confronted by those arguing the check belongs to the trustee as an individual: Your state's version of UCC section 3-110, specifically 3-110(c)(2)(i), which will probably read something like this (from the "model" code):
(2) If an instrument is payable to:
(i) a trust, an estate, or a person described as trustee or representative of a trust or estate, the instrument is payable to the trustee, the representative, or a successor of either, whether or not the beneficiary or estate is also named; [emphasis added]
"payable to the trustee" means it's payable to that person in his/her capacity as trustee, not as an individual.
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John S. Burnett
BankersOnline.com
Fighting for Compliance since 1976
Bankers' Threads User #8