Special power of attorney refers to a person delegating specified powers to an attorney to act on their behalf. Unlike general power of attorney which gives wide-ranging decision power, special power of attorney limits the area of decision making or the specific decisions possible. For example, special power of attorney could be granted just for medical decisions or just to sell a specific house. In order to enact special power of attorney, a person must sign a special power of attorney form which will specify in detail the powers given to the attorney and contain details from both parties like the attorney’s certification.
[Last updated in January of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]