While it is important to review your military Leave and Earnings Statement every month, it is extra important whenever you have any changes. This includes things like a Permanent Change of Station move, a promotion, a time-in-service or regular annual raise, or any other action that could impact your pay and allowances.
While these events can occur any time of the year, January is a big one for everyone in the military. An annual pay raise and increase in Basic Allowance for Subsistence take effect in January, plus BAH and other allowances may change.
If you don’t know how to get your LES, here are the directions: MyPay New User Guidance.
So, here are the main things you want to look for in reviewing this specific LES:
Increase In Base Pay and BAS
All military service members received a 4.6% increase in their base pay for 2023. Basic Allowance for Subsistence rates have increased for all service members, too.
Basic Allowance for Housing
Many locations and ranks will receive more for BAH in 2023. Don’t worry if your location’s BAH rate went down – you are probably covered under the BAH rate protection rules. If so, your rate won’t go down, even if the area’s rate does.
The Usual Stuff on Your Leave and Earnings Statement
Don’t forget to also check the usual things that you should be checking your LES every month:
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- base pay, BAS, BAH, any special pays you should be getting
- SGLI and FSGLI are being deducted if you think you have that coverage
- TSP contributions are being withheld, and going into the right account (traditional or Roth)
- there aren’t any deductions or allotments that you don’t recognize
- your leave balances look right
- read the remarks section – anything wonky should be noted there
It’s always important to check your military Leave and Earnings Statement each month, but this month is extra special. Today, take five minutes and make sure that everything looks right. It could potentially save you a lot of trouble in the future!
Stay Informed!
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Do you have any advice or experience with updating the federal tax withholding (W-4) on the “new” form/”new” W-4 TSP web interface. In the past, we’ve adjusted our claimed exemptions each year to aim for a $0 return. We need to make a new adjustment for 2023, yet the form appears to only allow for submitting the number of dependents thus triggering the “standard” tax withholding. I can request for an additional amount of withholding to occur, but no place to decrease the standard tax withholding. I used the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, so I have a target amount we’d like withheld, yet no place to specify a specific amount. Thank you for any advice you may have!