Checks retained to the depositor that have been paid by the bank are known as?

The term used to describe checks that have been presented to the bank, paid, and then returned to the depositor is "cancelled checks." These checks serve as a record of transactions that have been completed, confirming that the funds were transferred from the payer's account to the payee's account. When a check is cancelled, it is effectively marked as having been processed and no longer available for payment, thereby providing the depositor with proof of payment.

In the context of financial transactions, this term is crucial for maintaining accurate records and for reconciling bank statements. Cancelled checks also can be significant for auditing purposes, as they help verify that payments were made and received as intended. This distinguishes them from other types of checks, such as cleared checks, which refer to checks that have been processed by the bank but may not necessarily have been returned to the depositor. Voided and pending checks describe checks that are not valid or not yet processed, thus not applicable in this scenario.