Pay Questions

A lot of wives ask about pay... when we get paid, how much will it be, etc. etc. I feel like I have said/typed this post a hundred times; but it is vital information! It is frightening not knowing about money... So here it is again!

About your pay questions:

1. It could take up to 30 days after your husband goes to Basic Training; but I know that is an issue the Army is working on to get the pay to family as soon as possible. Don't count on your pay until it is in your checking account.

2. You are paid on the 1st and the 15th. For the 1st you are paid for the second half of the previous month. In other words, you are paid for the work you have done, not the work you are about to do. (So if you are getting a raise for being in the Army for 4 years on June 19th, you will get a prorated amount in the July 1st pay.)

3. It is better to have a direct deposit program. Do you already have a bank? If he is going Active Duty I recommend USAA. It is a Bank/Insurance (Auto, Home, Renters, etc. etc.) that caters to the Military. It is FABULOUS!
- Make sure both names are on the account and you have Power of Attorney your bank requires.

4. Health Insurance: I am not sure exactly how it works with him going to Basic... You should be able get Tricare Prime if you live near a post/base and go on post/base for your Health Care. This is free with no deductibles. I personally prefer Tricare Standard where you go off post, but you do have Doctor co-pays with that (For Active Duty family members your deductible is $150 individual, $300 for family).
- Dental insurance, I go off post and it is $12.12 a month from our pay check. But we pay nothing extra when I go to the Dentist, not matter how many times a year I go and I always go off post. (Others have said they have paid deductibles for their dental; this shouldn't happen. When ever you recieve a bill call United Concordia and double check.)

5. They amount your Soldier will be paid can be found on this chart: http://www.defenselink.mil/militarypay/pay/bp/01_activeduty.html This is the most accurate you will find on the internet because it is actually released by the Military.

6. What is Deducted from your pay:
- Federal and State Taxes (We don't get out of paying those unless they are deployed)
- FICA Medicare and Social Security.
- SGLI/Army Life Insurance. We pay $27 a month for my husband's SGLI (Should something happen the Soldier, the Army has a $450,000 Life Insurance policy to every soldier)
- $5.50 for Family SGLI ($100,000 Life Insurance policy on the family member should something happen to the Family Member).
- We choose to deduct other amounts for our Roth IRA, Mutual Funds, and Savings accounts. These are to be set up by the soldier should he so choose.

7. You can view your Soldier's pay stub online through https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx He has to set you up to view it with your own separate Log On and Password. YOU MAY NOT USE HIS. It is actually against the UCMJ (Army Code of Law) to use his Log On and Passwords for any .mil websites.

Terms to know:
- BAH is a tax free allowance for housing if you live off post/base. You will not receive this should you live on post/base.
- BAS is another tax free allowance for Substance (Food)
- DEERs. This system allows you to have a dependent Military ID, access to the Commissary/PX, and access to Tricare Insurance. Your children will also be in this system. Every Military dependent (Wife/Husband/Child) is enrolled in DEERs.

FYI: We should be getting a 3.4% raise in January of 2010. New BAH/BAS rates have not been announced.