Deployment Income Scenario Planner
Projects your deployment pay month by month. Use before orders drop to model how IDP, HFP, FSA, and HDP-L stack on top of your base pay, and to see the CZTE window's effect on take-home.
Complete required fields, then select Calculate.
Estimate confidence: PENDING INPUT
Data as of 2026-01-01
Included in estimate
- Base pay (paygrade + years of service)
- BAS
- BAH (ZIP + dependent status)
- Deployment timeline assumptions (months, one-time costs, and monthly adjustment rate)
Not included
- Service-specific incentive pays not entered (for example sea pay or flight pay)
- Future pay-table or allowance updates after the data date
- Personal tax credits/deductions beyond the selected deduction assumption
What this tool is for
Use when you need to understand the full income picture for a deployment, covering not just the gross monthly rate but the timeline as deployment supplements come online and fall off.
Worked example
Example: a Navy O-3 with 5 years of service deploying for 7 months with IDP and FSA will see a month-by-month projection showing when FSA starts (30-day threshold), when IDP is prorated vs capped, and total compensation across the window.
When to use it
Use it when you have approximate deployment dates and want to budget or compare deployment vs shore income.
When not to use it
Do not use it to determine tax liability. Use the CZTE & Tax Impact Calculator for the tax exclusion estimate.
What the result means
The month-by-month projection is a planning estimate. Actual entitlements depend on official orders and finance processing.
Official sources used
Direct links to the official pages this tool relies on.
Site assumptions
- IDP is prorated at $7.50/day capped at $225/month per 37 U.S.C. § 310.
- HFP is a flat $225/month and is mutually exclusive with IDP.
- FSA of $300/month begins after 30 consecutive days away from dependents.
- HDP-L levels ($50/$100/$150) are entered manually. The site does not look up location-specific rates.
What is included
- Base pay, BAH, BAS at entered paygrade and ZIP
- IDP or HFP (mutually exclusive)
- FSA starting at the 30-day threshold
- HDP-L at the entered level
- Month-by-month view across the deployment window
What is not included
- CZTE tax exclusion (use the Tax Impact Calculator)
- Combat Zone Special Pay (separate from IDP/HFP)
- Hardship Duty Pay – Mission (HDP-M)
Verify with
- Your deployment orders and finance counselor
- DFAS deployment pay explainer
- 37 U.S.C. § 310 for IDP, § 427 for FSA
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official government site?
No. This is an independent planning utility, not an official U.S. Government website. Do not submit CUI, ITAR, classified, or sensitive personal information. Always verify estimates with official sources before making financial decisions.
How accurate are these estimates?
These are planning estimates based on official DFAS, DoD, and service-specific sources. Actual pay may vary based on your specific situation, special pays, tax withholdings, and other factors. Use these tools for planning purposes and verify with your finance office.
When was this data last updated?
Check the source and assumptions sections on this page for the current effective date used by the site. If the linked official pages have changed since then, use the official pages first.
Does the timeline total include one-time costs?
Yes. The timeline total is the sum of all monthly compensation values. One-time costs are shown separately and should be subtracted from the total to get your net timeline value.
This estimate uses simplified planning assumptions. Review the linked methodology and official source pages before making financial decisions. Spotted an error or have a suggestion? Send a note.