FAQ: Can I withdraw money from my escrow account?

Generally speaking, no.  An escrow arrangement is a three-way contract between the paying party (or 'principal'), the escrow agent and the receiving party. 

Legal control of the funds sits with the escrow agent - you can't withdraw your funds unless the escrow agent decides to pay them to you.  The escrow agent will not do so unless the escrow agreement permits that, because he will be at risk of being sued by the receiving party for breaching the escrow agreement.

In those circumstances, the receiving party would usually seek to recover the money that shouldn't have been paid to you from the escrow agent. 

In case of ambiguity, most escrow agreements will allow for the escrow agent to seek legal advice before making a payment that could possibly breach the terms of the escrow agreement.