Does DFAS require the principal's POA signature to be notarized?
Yes. DFAS customer-service power-of-attorney guidance requires the principal to sign the POA and requires that signature to be notarized.
Document Guides
DFAS Retiree & Annuitant Power of Attorney: Notary Requirements & Submission
For DFAS customer-service POA packets, the principal must sign and the signature must be notarized. Retiree and SBP annuitant authority rules differ—confirm DFAS acceptance before remote notarization.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary Compliance Review
Last reviewed September 20, 2026
Quick Answer
What are the DFAS notary and submission rules for retiree and annuitant powers of attorney?
DFAS customer-service power-of-attorney guidance requires the principal to sign the POA and requires that signature to be notarized. The agent then submits the package with government-issued identification, commonly through askDFAS or the phone options DFAS lists for retiree and annuitant customers.
Retiree and SBP annuitant rules are not interchangeable. DFAS materials distinguish pay-related third-party authority and state that DFAS is not authorized to accept a Durable Power of Attorney for annuitants. Confirm the live DFAS pages for your status before assuming a POA will change myPay access, retired pay elections, or survivor annuity administration.
A DFAS power of attorney is institution-specific paperwork for Defense Finance and Accounting Service customers. It is not a universal retirement POA for TSP, OPM, PBGC, or private plan administrators.
This guide covers notarization of the principal's signature, retiree versus annuitant distinctions, and submission expectations. It does not create DFAS authority, recommend estate-planning documents, or advise which agent to appoint. For Survivor Benefit Plan form signing, see DD Form 2656 spouse concurrence and DD Form 2656-5 RCSBP concurrence. Return to the retirement notary document center for multi-plan routing.
What a DFAS Power of Attorney Is For
DFAS publishes power-of-attorney instructions for customers who need a third party to interact with DFAS on designated matters. The customer-service POA page is the starting point for how the principal executes the document and how the agent submits it.
A POA accepted by DFAS for a defined purpose does not automatically authorize every account action DFAS administers. Live DFAS tables and notes limit certain pay-related actions, myPay access, and other self-service functions—even when a notarized POA is on file.
Treat DFAS as the recipient that decides whether your POA package is complete. Do not assume that a general durable POA drafted for banks or state courts will satisfy DFAS without checking DFAS wording.
Principal Signature Must Be Notarized
DFAS customer-service POA guidance states that the principal must sign the power of attorney and that the signature must be notarized. The notarial act is on the principal's signature—not a substitute for agent identification or DFAS intake rules.
The agent submits government-issued identification with the package as DFAS directs. Missing principal notarization or missing agent ID are common reasons packages stall.
Keep the POA unsigned until the notarial session unless applicable law and the notary expressly permit the requested act for a previously signed record. Do not backdate the notarial certificate.
- Use a POA form or instrument DFAS will accept for the intended purpose
- Principal appears for the notarial act and signs as required
- Notary completes the certificate for the principal's signature
- Agent gathers government-issued ID for submission
- Submit through askDFAS or the DFAS phone/mail channel listed for retirees or annuitants
Retiree vs. SBP Annuitant Authority
DFAS treats military retirees and SBP annuitants under different third-party rules. Do not copy a retiree POA workflow onto an annuitant pay case—or the reverse—without reading the matching DFAS page.
| Actor | Pay-related third-party authority | Durable POA treatment (per DFAS materials) | Practical checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military retiree (retired pay) | Separate third-party / POA rules; certain pay and myPay actions may be limited even with a POA on file | Often discussed for retirees; confirm live DFAS customer-service tables for what the POA can and cannot do | Read the customer-service POA page and any retiree-specific notes before assuming myPay or election changes are authorized |
| SBP annuitant | Pay-related representation typically follows Representative Payee, guardianship, or other DFAS-authorized pathways—not a generic POA assumption | DFAS states it is not authorized to accept a Durable Power of Attorney for annuitants | Use the annuitant third-party / powers-of-attorney page; do not rely on a durable POA drafted for other institutions |
Confirm your status (retiree vs. annuitant), the exact DFAS action requested, and the live DFAS table before notarizing or submitting.
Not a Substitute for TSP, OPM, or PBGC Authority
A DFAS-accepted POA does not automatically authorize Thrift Savings Plan account actions, Office of Personnel Management civil-service retirement actions, or Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation claim or appeals representation.
Each administrator publishes its own power-of-attorney or representative rules. Submit the instrument each recipient requires; do not treat one notarized POA as universal retirement authority.
For military deployment-related POA context that is not DFAS retiree/annuitant intake, see deployed service member power of attorney. For other retirement forms, use the retirement document center.
Submission Through askDFAS and DFAS Channels
DFAS directs customers to submit POA packages through askDFAS and lists phone options for retiree and annuitant assistance. Confirm the current intake path on the live DFAS pages at the time you submit.
Include the notarized principal signature and the agent's government-issued identification as required. Incomplete packages delay processing even when the notarial act was valid.
After submission, DFAS—not the notary—decides whether the POA is accepted for the requested purpose.
Foreign Execution and Apostille: Confirm With DFAS
DFAS customer-service POA materials reviewed for this guide do not clearly spell every foreign notarization, consular, or apostille path for principals signing outside the United States. Do not invent apostille or embassy requirements for DFAS.
If the principal will sign abroad, ask DFAS which notarial formats, authentications, and delivery methods it will accept for that package before booking any session.
iRemoteNotary is a national and international online-notary organization. Remote online notarization may be available when DFAS accepts it for the exact package—but foreign-execution details remain a DFAS confirmation item.
Remote Online Notarization: Recipient Confirmation Required
Recipient confirmation is required. DFAS materials establish that the principal's signature must be notarized, but they do not establish a blanket DFAS policy accepting remote online notarization for every retiree or annuitant POA package, electronic original, or overseas signing workflow.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. That answers whether the notary may perform the act—not whether DFAS will accept the electronic document, certificate, or delivery method for your case.
- Ask DFAS whether remote online notarization is acceptable for your exact POA package
- Confirm whether an electronic original is accepted or a paper wet-ink package is required
- Confirm agent ID and askDFAS / phone submission instructions
- Confirm retiree vs. annuitant pathway and whether a durable POA is even authorized
- Keep the POA unsigned until the confirmed notarial process begins
Confirm DFAS Acceptance Before Booking
Do not schedule remote online notarization based only on the word “notarized.” First confirm with DFAS that the planned format satisfies DFAS requirements for your retiree or annuitant status.
Has DFAS confirmed remote acceptance?
After DFAS confirms that remote online notarization is acceptable for your principal's POA package—and that a POA is the correct authority path for your status—you may start a secure session with a commissioned U.S. online notary.
Important Limits
This guide is educational. It does not create DFAS authority, appoint an agent, change retired pay or annuity elections, or provide legal or financial advice.
An online notary verifies identity and completes the authorized notarial act. The notary cannot promise DFAS acceptance, convert an annuitant durable POA into authorized DFAS representation, or expand a POA to TSP, OPM, or PBGC.
Return to the retirement notary document center for other retirement-document paths.
Frequently asked questions
Does the agent also need identification?
Yes. DFAS directs the agent to submit government-issued identification with the POA package. Follow the live DFAS submission instructions.
Can an SBP annuitant use a Durable Power of Attorney with DFAS?
DFAS states it is not authorized to accept a Durable Power of Attorney for annuitants. Use the annuitant third-party guidance and ask DFAS which Representative Payee or other pathway applies.
Will a DFAS POA work for TSP, OPM, or PBGC?
No. Do not treat a DFAS POA as universal retirement authority. Each administrator has its own representative or POA rules.
Does DFAS accept remote online notarization for POA packets?
This guide does not claim blanket DFAS acceptance. Confirm with DFAS for the exact package, electronic format, and submission method before booking.
What if the principal will sign outside the United States?
Ask DFAS which foreign notarization or authentication steps it requires. Do not assume apostille, consular, or remote formats without DFAS confirmation.
Can a notary decide what DFAS authority the POA creates?
No. The notary performs the notarial act on the principal's signature. DFAS decides whether the package is accepted and what the agent may do.
Related pages
Sources and Official References
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Power of Attorney(opens in a new tab)
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Accessed September 20, 2026
Powers of Attorney / Third Party Reps (Annuitants)(opens in a new tab)
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Accessed September 20, 2026
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Accessed September 20, 2026
Confirm DFAS acceptance first
Verify with DFAS that a POA is the correct authority path for your retiree or annuitant status and that remote online notarization is acceptable for the principal's signature. Only then start a secure session with a commissioned U.S. online notary.