Can law enforcement authorities access my safe deposit box without my knowledge or permission?
Mark Mellon, an attorney with the FDIC in Washington, says that if a local, state or federal law enforcement agency persuades the appropriate court that there's "reasonable cause" to suspect you're hiding something illegal in your box (guns, drugs, explosives, stolen cash or money obtained illegally), "it can obtain a court order, force the box open and seize the contents." But what about non-criminal matters, such as a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service, a company or other people over money they say you owe? McGuinn of Safe Deposit Specialists says the IRS can "freeze" your assets (effectively placing a hold on your bank accounts and safe deposit box) until the dispute is resolved. Private parties also can freeze your assets but doing so involves going before a judge and proving that there's a legitimate dispute over a debt.