A second question for you knowledgeable gentlemen.
If I put $30,000 in legal tender in the bank, and later I go in and try to withdraw all or part of it (say it’s only $100), do they HAVE to give it me ?
Yes. Failure to pay depositors on demand (checking account deposits are demand deposits) is a violation of law and can lead to the bank being shut or at least the executives and board being sanctioned or removed. Notably, at many branches, you may have to wait or make prior arrangements to get $30,000 in cash, but they will gladly give you a bank draft for that amount.
They simply might not have it in the branch. A lot of branches would have to put in a special order for that much cash. Of course it depends on where you are and what kind of flow the branch usually has.
The branch will probably counsel you to either use a bank check or wire the money to the destination. The number of idiot old people who withdraw their savings to give to a scammer is huge. And their families always blame the bank for not protecting them. It’s a no-win situation.