The New York Times [unpaywalled] – “It’s hard to avoid hassle — or fraud — when you’re required to pay with paper and ink. Here’s why checks persist and why some people don’t mind…But if you haven’t used a check in years and consider it a badge of honor, that may say a lot about where you live and what you pay for. In many industries, checks continue to be a popular form of payment, and sometimes they are required. According to consumer survey data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which tracks the percentage of payments that consumers make by check, the following industries receive the most check payments: Contractors, like electricians and plumbers, get 25 percent of their payments by check. Charitable and religious organizations are next at 22 percent. Landlords, government taxing authorities and professional-service firms also receive double-digit percentages of their payments by check. Consider a collection plate at church. Sure, you could fill out a slip to pay by credit card. But there’s a ritual associated with writing a check in the moment. “I want to feel the act of giving,” said Anne Thomas, 65, who lives in State College, Pa., and works and volunteers in churches…”