Moving is hard work. Whether you’re moving yourself or having someone else move you, there are a couple of tricks to make the move easier. Well, actually, there are many tricks (you can see pages and pages of them in Printables to Make Your PCS Move Smooth and Organized), but there are a couple of key… | Read More…
Travel Allowances for Military Moves
The entitlements that come with military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves are confusing. In addition to the movement of household goods, Dislocation Allowance (DLA), and Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) and/or Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA), most PCS moves are authorized travel allowances to drive from the old duty station to the new duty station. Monetary… | Read More…
What Military Moving Expenses are Tax-Deductible?
PCS moves are expensive. Even with all the allowances, you’ll sometimes have some out-of-pocket expenses, especially if you have pets. Thankfully, unreimbursed moving expenses can be deducted from your income taxes, and they’re a most valuable type of deduction. Disclaimer: I am not a tax professional. Do not make any decisions based solely on the… | Read More…
Everything About Dislocation Allowance (DLA) & 2019 Rates
Planning a move? Make it a smooth move with Printables to Make Your PCS Move Smooth and Organized. Dislocation Allowance (DLA) is a military allowance designed to partially reimburse service members for some of the costs incurred when relocating a household. It is authorized for PCS moves, when ordered to move into military housing for the government’s… | Read More…
Printables to Make Your PCS Move Smooth and Organized
Alright, folks…it’s been a long time coming, but here is my shockingly long guide to packing up your house and life for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move! It is so long that I’ve actually had to make a table of contents to help you navigate. If you can’t see a full table of contents… | Read More…
How To Renew Your Driver’s License From Out-of-State
Military families move around a lot, and that can make many things complicated. Thankfully, most states let you retain your out-of-state driver’s license if you are living elsewhere only because of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. But what happens when your driver’s license is expiring? How can you renew it without traveling to… | Read More…
My Military Moving System Fix
Last month, NPR republished a story on how the military doesn’t have much control over the system that handles moving household goods of service members who receive Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. I think we’d all agree that is a relatively true statement. Or complete understatement. Either way. The generally consensus is that the… | Read More…
Military Spouse Professional Gear Allowance
If you’re a military spouse, and you work or volunteer in the community, you may be eligible for your own military spouse professional gear (pro-gear) weight allowance when you execute permanent change of station (PCS) orders. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there aren’t a lot of things that qualify. In particular, computers… | Read More…
Military Spouses and Drivers Licenses
Note: all information and links about military spouses and driver’s licenses is accurate as of 31 July 2017. However, this is not legal advice. If you’re not sure about the rules in your state, use the links listed below to verify the regulations or check with your base legal office. It’s the big question: do… | Read More…
The Ultimate PCS Guide To Your Household Goods Delivery
I’ve had lots of positive feedback to The Ultimate PCS Guide to Packing Out, and a request for a similar piece talking about household goods delivery. Thankfully, this one won’t be quite as long! Generally speaking, a regular delivery of household goods will take less than a single day. A little preparation before the delivery arrives… | Read More…