---
title: "How a Special Power of Attorney Works"
description: "How a special power of attorney lets you close on a home during a PCS or deployment, what it must say, and VA-specific rules to know."
url: https://combatproperties.com/special-power-of-attorney-pcs-move/
date: 2026-08-30
modified: 2026-08-27
author: "PJ Burns"
image: https://combatproperties.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Special-Power-of-Attorney-at-Closing.png
categories: ["Miscellaneous"]
tags: ["military power of attorney home purchase", "POA closing PCS move", "special power of attorney real estate", "VA loan power of attorney"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# How a Special Power of Attorney Works

PCS orders rarely line up neatly with a closing date. Deployments, training pipelines, and report dates can put a service member hundreds or thousands of miles away from the settlement table on the one day they are legally required to sign. A special power of attorney is the tool that solves this, but only if it is drafted correctly, and getting it wrong is one of the more common ways a closing gets delayed at the last minute.

**What Makes a Power of Attorney “Special”**

A general power of attorney hands someone broad, ongoing authority over your financial affairs, which is exactly the kind of document most lenders and title companies will not accept for a real estate closing. A special power of attorney (SPOA), sometimes called a limited power of attorney, does the opposite. It grants authority for one specific transaction and nothing else, and it expires once that transaction is complete. For a home purchase or sale, this is almost always the version you need.

**What a Real Estate SPOA Needs to Say**

A special power of attorney that only says your attorney in fact can “handle real estate matters” will get rejected by most title companies. The document needs to name the specific property, ideally by its legal description, along with the sales price, loan amount, lender, and the type of transaction involved. The more precisely the document matches the actual transaction, the less friction you will run into when it is time to sign. This is also where the [title company](https://combatproperties.com/real-estate-title-company-role) earns its role in the process, since it is the party that ultimately decides whether the document as written satisfies its requirements.

**VA Loan Rules Add Another Layer**

VA loans have their own overlay on top of standard SPOA requirements. The lender must confirm the veteran is alive and, if still on active duty, not missing in action, through what is typically called an alive and well verification on the day of closing. VA guidance also expects the special power of attorney itself to identify the property, lender, and loan terms rather than granting general authority, and lenders are expected to review and approve the document before closing is scheduled, not after. While many closing documents today can be signed electronically, the power of attorney itself is usually still required as a wet-ink original.

***Note: ****VA and lender requirements around powers of attorney can vary by lender and change over time. Confirm current requirements with your loan officer before drafting the document.*

**Timing: Don’t Draft This the Week of Closing**

The moment you know a deployment, school, or report date might conflict with an anticipated closing, start the paperwork. Lenders and title companies generally want to review and approve the power of attorney well in advance, not the day before settlement, and some title companies require a supporting affidavit if the document is more than about thirty days old by the time it is used. That means there is a real window to hit, not just an early deadline. Many service members can get a base special power of attorney drafted for free through their installation’s [legal assistance office](https://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving-pcs/pcs-relocation/legal-assistance/), which is a good starting point, but send the draft language to your lender and title company before it is signed and notarized so it actually matches what the specific transaction requires.

**Putting It All Together**

A special power of attorney can absolutely get a closing across the finish line, but it only works when it names the right property, the right transaction, and gets in front of the lender and title company early enough to be reviewed and approved. Treat it as a task for the moment you know a conflict is coming, not a detail to sort out the week of closing.

If you are working through a PCS timeline that might collide with a closing date, reach out to the title company early and they can help plan the paperwork for you.

*This article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or lending advice. Real estate rules, rates, loan requirements, and market conditions vary by situation, location, and loan type. Before making any real estate decision, consult a licensed attorney, CPA, lender, or other qualified professional.*