We mergered 27 banks into one in late 1999 and now we have several router numbers that are expired. I know we need to give the Fed 60 days notice before they will start to return these items. Does anyone know if we have to wait until the Fed starts returning them or can we go ahead and send them back now as noncashable items? We have notified our customers twice in the last year.

If the checks actually make it to your bank for "presentment", I would be hard pressed to say it would be OK to return them. I would be concerned about "wrongful dishonor".