Consumer complaint received 2025-12-16 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Complaint narrative:
Complaint Against : USAA Federal Savings Bank Product/Service : Bank account / Servicemember account handling Issue : Refusal to honor valid Power of Attorney for deployed servicemember ; interference with SCRA rights Short summary for CFPB form : USAA is refusing to allow me to act under a valid Power of Attorney for my XXXX daughter, an active-duty servicemember, citing only the current status of your relationship with USAA. USAA had advance notice of her deployment, did not raise any POA concerns before she left, and is now blocking me from managing her accounts while she is XXXX. This interferes with her financial readiness and violates her rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act ( SCRA ).

Full Complaint Narrative USAA has stated in writing : Due to the current status of your relationship with USAA, we are unable to authorize you to act as a Power of Attorney on behalf of another USAA member. 

I am the mother of XXXX XXXX, an active-duty servicemember who is currently XXXX overseas. She executed a valid Power of Attorney ( POA ) prior to XXXX so that I could manage her USAA accounts and insurance while she was away. USAAs refusal to honor this POA is improper, unsupported by law, and is directly harming her ability to maintain financial stability during XXXX. 

1. USAA has not explained what action XXXX is expected to take now that she is XXXX I asked USAA weeks ago what XXXX is supposed to do to resolve this POA issue now that she is XXXX. I have not received any clear answer. 

XXXX is currently XXXX overseas and does not have the ability to manage POA paperwork or initiate new administrative changes. 

If USAA expects her to revoke and reissue a new POA from a deployment/war zone, this is unreasonable and unsafe and contradicts the intent of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act ( SCRA ) to limit distractions and burdens while on XXXX XXXX. 

USAA has not offered any workable alternative that would allow her to manage her finances securely while XXXX. 

2. USAA had full advance notice of her XXXX and ignored it USAAs own chat records show that the bank was notified of XXXX XXXX status and start date on at least the following dates : XX/XX/year> XX/XX/year> XX/XX/year> XX/XX/year> Her XXXX orders began on XX/XX/year>. 

Despite this extensive advance notice : USAA did not raise any concerns about her POA before she left. 

USAA did not request any updates, changes, or additional documentation prior to XXXX. 

USAA waited until after she was already XXXX to assert that I could not act under her POA because of my relationship with USAA.

Waiting until she is already overseasand then restricting POA accessis negligent and harmful. 3. USAA is interfering with
a deployed servicemembers ability to manage her finances XXXX executed a valid Power of Attorney specifically so that : I could manage her accounts, Handle payments and insurance, and Make sure her financial affairs remained stable while she is XXXX. 

By refusing to honor this POA, USAA is : Interfering with her financial readiness, Creating administrative and financial hardship during XXXX, Forcing a deployed soldier to resolve domestic financial issues from overseas, Denying her the right to choose her own representative, and Disrupting access to accounts and funds that she can not reasonably manage herself due to XXXX conditions. 

This is exactly the kind of financial disruption SCRA is meant to prevent.

4. USAA has given no valid legal reason for rejecting her POA A financial institution may have limited grounds to refuse a POA, such as : If the POA is legally defective, If there is evidence of fraud or exploitation, or If the servicemember has revoked the POA.

None of these apply here.

USAAs only stated reason is : the current status of your relationship with USAA.

This is not a lawful basis for disregarding a servicemembers duly executed POA. It appears that USAA is effectively penalizing XXXX because of a dispute or conflict USAA has with me as a customer. That is improper, retaliatory, and unsupported by law.

5. USAAs refusal to honor the POA violates the spirit and protections of SCRA USAAs actions are inconsistent with the purpose and protections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, including : SCRA 502 ( Purpose ) designed to prevent financial and legal actions that impair a servicemembers ability to perform military duties.

SCRA 527 and 533 aimed at protecting servicemembers from financial hardship and access issues during active duty.

SCRA 535A protects access to financial services while deployed.

By blocking her chosen POA from managing her accounts, USAA is creating financial hardship and administrative burden for a deployed servicememberprecisely what SCRA is supposed to prevent.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation