Pay and allowances All-service

Family Status Compensation Delta

Compare one pay setup with and without dependents so you can see how much family status changes the monthly estimate.

Best used for a narrow housing-and-allowance sensitivity check.

Active, Reserve, or Guard context for this compensation scenario.

Current military paygrade.

Completed years in service used for the base-pay row.

Select whether this scenario is with dependents or without dependents.

Primary duty-station ZIP used for BAH.

Advanced assumptions (optional)
Special pay (monthly)

Optional monthly special/incentive pay to add to compensation.

Estimated deduction rate

Estimated share of gross pay withheld for taxes and deductions.

Cost-of-living factor

Local cost proxy where 1.00 is baseline; higher values mean higher costs.

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)
  • Special pay entered in this scenario
  • Cost-of-living factor used by this tool
  • Deduction rate assumption shown in this tool

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 this page when family status is the only thing you want to change. It flips that single assumption and leaves the rest of the pay profile alone.

Worked example

Example: a member can keep grade, ZIP, and component fixed, then see how much the monthly estimate moves when the dependent-status assumption changes.

When to use it

Use it when family status is the only variable under review and you do not want other changes muddying the result.

When not to use it

Do not use it when location, grade, or component are also changing. In that case the result stops answering a single clean question.

What the result means

The monthly difference shows how much the estimate moves when only the family-status assumption changes.

Official sources used

Direct links to the official pages this tool relies on.

Site assumptions

  • Flips dependent status while holding the rest of the scenario constant.
  • Uses the same BAH table and pay-date assumptions on both sides.
  • Remains a planning estimate rather than an official entitlement determination.

What is included

  • Current pay profile
  • BAH treatment by dependent status
  • Monthly and percentage change output

What is not included

  • Any other scenario changes outside family status
  • LES-specific withholding details
  • Official entitlement adjudication

Verify with

  • The linked DFAS and DTMO pages
  • Your finance office if family-status timing affects real pay

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.

What usually drives the family-status difference?

BAH treatment is usually the largest driver. The tool keeps the rest of the pay profile fixed so you can isolate how much the dependent-status assumption changes the estimate.

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.