May a title agency retain "interest revenue" earned on escrow deposits?

A title agency can retain "interest revenue" earned on escrow deposits unless the depositor states otherwise. This means that when funds are placed in escrow, the agency can earn interest on those funds through investment or savings accounts. However, it is imperative that the agency's policies or agreements do not specify that the interest is to be returned to the depositors.

In situations where there is no specific agreement dictating otherwise, the agency retains the right to keep any interest that accrues. This practice allows agencies to potentially offset operational costs and generate revenue from the funds they manage.

For those interested in the surrounding context, other options might suggest an obligation to return the interest to the depositor or to share it with the title insurer, but as long as there is no explicit instruction from the depositor regarding the interest revenue, the title agency is within its rights to retain it. Additionally, the implication that interest could only be kept in certain transactions or required to be shared with insurers does not align with the standard operational guidelines for title agencies under Missouri law, which prioritize the clarity of the depositor's instructions.