if checkbox is checked, do this

Question

I would use .change() and this.checked:

$('#checkbox').change(function(){
    var c = this.checked ? '#f00' : '#09f';
    $('p').css('color', c);
});

--

On using this.checked
Andy E has done a great write-up on how we tend to overuse jQuery: Utilizing the awesome power of jQuery to access properties of an element. The article specifically treats the use of .attr("id") but in the case that #checkbox is an <input type="checkbox" /> element the issue is the same for $(...).attr('checked') (or even $(...).is(':checked')) vs. this.checked.

Try this.

$('#checkbox').click(function(){
    if (this.checked) {
        $('p').css('color', '#0099ff')
    }
}) 

Sometimes we overkill jquery. Many things can be achieved using jquery with plain javascript.

It may happen that "this.checked" is always "on". Therefore, I recommend:

$('#checkbox').change(function() {
  if ($(this).is(':checked')) {
    console.log('Checked');
  } else {
    console.log('Unchecked');
  }
});

it's better if you define a class with a different colour, then you switch the class

$('#checkbox').click(function(){
    var chk = $(this);
    $('p').toggleClass('selected', chk.attr('checked'));
}) 

in this way your code it's cleaner because you don't have to specify all css properties (let's say you want to add a border, a text style or other...) but you just switch a class

I found out a crazy solution for dealing with this issue of checkbox not checked or checked here is my algorithm... create a global variable lets say var check_holder

check_holder has 3 states

1. undefined state
2. 0 state
3. 1 state

If the checkbox is clicked,

$(document).on("click","#check",function(){
    if(typeof(check_holder)=="undefined"){
          //this means that it is the first time and the check is going to be checked
          //do something
          check_holder=1; //indicates that the is checked,it is in checked state
    }
    else if(check_holder==1){
          //do something when the check is going to be unchecked
          check_holder=0; //it means that it is not checked,it is in unchecked state
    }
     else if(check_holder==0){
            //do something when the check is going to be checked
            check_holder=1;//indicates that it is in a checked state
     }
});

The code above can be used in many situation to find out if a checkbox has been checked or not checked. The concept behind it is to save the checkbox states in a variable, ie when it is on,off. i Hope the logic can be used to solve your problem.