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Military Money Guides
Written from active dutyThe decisions behind the calculators. PCS moves, deployment pay, and retirement elections, explained in plain English by someone who lives them.
Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force
Our calculators give you the number. These guides give you the decision. Should you do a PPM? How do you capture every dollar on a deployment? Should you take the BRS lump sum? They’re written from inside the military, not from a corporate desk, and every figure traces to an official 2026 source. No fluff, no "10 money tips," just the real math and the gotchas nobody warns you about.
Showing the 9 guides that cite DLA Calculator. See all guides
Guides for the DLA Calculator
9 publishedPCS & Moving
DLA: The Move-In Money Nobody Explains
Dislocation Allowance is a flat payment that lands around your PCS to cover the random costs of setting up a new household. It is real money, it is tax-free, and a surprising number of people do not know how it works.
7 min readPCS & Moving
DFAS SmartVoucher: How to File a PCS Travel Voucher, and What DFAS Form 9098 Is For
SmartVoucher is the DFAS tool that asks you questions and builds the DD Form 1351-2 for you. DFAS Form 9098 is the claim for Temporary Lodging Expense that rides with it. Here is who can use SmartVoucher, the four steps, which form goes with which claim, how long DFAS says payment is taking this week, and what each part of the settlement is worth.
6 min readPCS & Moving
The PCS System Is Being Rebuilt: HomeSafe's Contract Is Gone, a Pentagon Activity Now Runs Household Goods, and the Services Were Ordered to Cut Discretionary Moves in Half by 2030
Four Pentagon memos between May 2025 and January 2026 changed how a military move works and how many there will be: the Global Household Goods Contract was terminated for cause, the Personal Property Activity at Scott AFB now owns the program, PPM reimbursement is back to 100% of the government cost, and the services must cut discretionary PCS budgets 10% in FY2027 and 50% by FY2030. What each one means for your orders and your money.
9 min readPCS & Moving
PCS Per Diem Went Up October 1: The FY2027 Standard Rate Is $113 Lodging Plus $68 M&IE
The fiscal year 2027 per diem rates took effect on October 1, 2026. The standard lodging rate rose from $110 to $113, M&IE stayed at $68, and the change reaches every PCS drive, every TLE claim and every TDY on or after that date. Here is what it is worth on our data, by distance, by rank and by duty station.
8 min readPCS & Moving
Your PCS Mileage Rate Went Up Mid-Year
The MALT rate rose from $0.205 to $0.235 a mile on 1 July 2026. Here is what it adds to a real move, and which rate your voucher is actually paid at.
5 min readPCS & Moving
Getting Paid to Drive: MALT and Per Diem on a PCS
When you drive your own car to a new duty station, the military pays you per mile plus a daily allowance for the trip. Here is exactly how the 2026 numbers work so you can check that finance paid you right.
7 min readPCS & Moving
TLE vs. TLA: Which Lodging Money You're Owed on a PCS
Temporary lodging during a move has two different programs with similar names, and which one you rate depends entirely on whether your move is stateside or overseas. Here is the difference and how many days you get.
6 min readPCS & Moving
The PCS Timeline That Actually Works: An 8-Week Countdown
A PCS goes sideways when things get done in the wrong order. Here is the week-by-week countdown I follow, from the day orders drop to the day you sign in at the new base.
8 min readPCS & Moving
Should You Do a PPM in 2026? An Honest Profit Breakdown
A personally procured move can put thousands in your pocket, or it can cost you a weekend and a sore back for almost nothing. Here is how to tell which one your move is, before you sign for the truck.
9 min readHow these guides are sourced
Every figure comes from a primary 2026 source: the Joint Travel Regulations, DoD Financial Management Regulation, DFAS pay tables, IRS publications, or U.S. Code. Each guide lists exactly which. Worked examples are clearly labeled illustrations, never real-person claims. Read more about our research methodology and update cadence.
REF: Military Toolkit Guides, effective 2026
Official 2026 DoD, DFAS, DTMO, IRS, and VA sources
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.
Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial