32-7-117. Deposit of funds required -- disbursement. - Montana Statutes

     32-7-117. Deposit of funds required -- disbursement. (1) All money deposited in an escrow to be delivered upon the close of the escrow or upon any other contingency must be deposited with a financial institution, as defined in 32-6-103, doing business in this state and must be kept separate, distinct, and apart from funds belonging to the escrow business. The funds, when deposited, must be designated as "escrow accounts" or given some other appropriate designation indicating that the funds are not the funds of the escrow business.
     (2) A person may not knowingly keep or cause to be kept any funds or money with a financial institution, as defined in 32-6-103, under the heading of "escrow accounts" or any other name designating the funds or money as belonging to the clients of any escrow business, except actual escrow funds deposited with the escrow business.
     (3) Escrow funds are not subject to execution or attachment on any claim against the escrow business.
     (4) Any interest received on funds deposited with an escrow business in connection with any escrow that is deposited in an authorized depository must be paid over to the depositing party to the escrow account and may not be transferred to an account of the escrow business. This section does not limit or restrain the right of the depositing party to contract with respect to the interest received on the deposits by an independent agreement.
     (5) An escrow business may not disburse funds from any escrow account until cash, items, or drafts in an amount sufficient to fund any disbursements from the account have been received and deposited in the account and are available for withdrawal from the account as a matter of right. If sufficient funds are available for withdrawal from the account as a matter of right, required disbursements must be made within 5 business days of the receipt of sufficient funds. For the purposes of this subsection (5), the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Available for withdrawal from the account as a matter of right" means that the bank or savings and loan association in which an item has been deposited considers the item available for withdrawal as a matter of right and that a final settlement will occur in writing with respect to that item.
     (b) "Item" means any check, including a cashier's check, negotiable order of withdrawal, share draft, traveler's check, or money order.

     History: En. Sec. 10, Ch. 651, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 65, L. 2003.