What the Heck Does POC Mean?

We are often asked what POC means on a Final Settlement Statement.

Quick quiz - does POC stand for:

1. Primary Occupancy Charge
2. Pickled Onion Curry
3. Ponies On Causeway
4. Paid Outside of Closing

POC stands for Paid Outside of Closing, and refers to any fee that is not being disbursed at the closing. The two most common POC charges are the appraisal fee (if it has been paid by the borrower before the closing) and the yield spread premium (the rebate that the lender pays the mortgage broker).

When POC is listed on the Settlement Statement, the letters are often followed by the words Borrower, Seller, Broker, or Lender. This refers to who paid the fee. For example, if the borrower paid for the appraisal before the closing, the fee would be marked as "POC Borrower" on the Settlement Statement.

If a fee is marked as POC, it is not included in the bottom line on the settlement statement because someone has already paid it (in the case of a paid appraisal) or the borrower does not owe it (in the case of a yield spread premium).

POC fees are listed on the Settlement Statement because the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) states that all fees associated with a federally regulated mortgage must be shown on the Settlement Statement, regardless of whether they have already been paid or not.