Military Pay & First Budget
Your pay is a bundle, not one salary. See what's taxed, what's tax-free, and what actually lands in your account.
Basic pay and BAS from the 2026 DFAS tables; look up your BAH with the official DoD calculator. Taxes are estimates you set, since they depend on your bracket and state. A 50/30/20 rule on gross pay double-counts your tax-free allowances.
Your first military paycheck looks nothing like a civilian one. Base pay is taxed, but BAH and BAS are tax-free and already meant for housing and food, which is why a 50/30/20 rule on gross pay double-counts. This decodes the check: what's taxable, what's tax-free, what comes out, and what's actually left to budget.
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