Comparing dates in SQL

I have a very annoying problem that probably has a simple answer but I just can't see it. In the Member table in my database is an field DateJoined representing the date a particular member joined. What I want to do is perform an update only to those members that joined after a specific date. My problem is that I can't seem to get the SQL command correct to compare the dates. Here is the full statement I have

Code:

---

UPDATE Member SET Balance = Balance+550 WHERE (DateJoined > 9/3/2004);

---

The SQL compiles fine, and it runs without error. The problem is that it updates every record in my table, not just the ones after 9/3/2004. There are records in there with dates from 2003 in there, and in fact only one record is after the date above (the reason I picked it to perform tests with). Is my statement wrong, and if so how should I fix it? (If it's of any consequence i'm using MSAcess).

Thanks in advance, Mike.

# signs ... Date literals need to be surrounded by # signs ...

i tried that, but now its updating no rows at all....

ok, i've sorted it....it was reading the date in a different format to the way I expected. Here (in england) we right dates in the format dd/mm/yy but it was reading it in the format mm/dd/yy. Such a simple problem but it's taken me all night to figure it out!

you can also use the YYYYMMDD format to forget about date issues.

like :
20030401

i'll remember that in future, thanks :) As for now, i've finally got it all working.