Cashing a paycheck is essential, but reading a military paystub can be a confusing part of the process. This is especially true if you face deployment and your spouse needs to understand how to read a paystub for taxes.

If you’re unsure of how to read a military paystub, you may find yourself with questions about each line item. It’s crucial to know what each line represents to ensure your pay is correct.

To learn how to read a military paystub, keep reading for a complete breakdown of every field item.

Personal Information

Fields 1-9 deal with your complete name, social security number, and paygrade. They also cover what branch of the military you serve in as well as your terms of service. Check these lines for your pay period and any deductions you can expect during this time frame.

Retirement and Other Deductions

The next group of lines (10-24) discuss specific withholdings, such as taxes and social security benefits. If you have allotments, entitlements, or other deductions, you’ll see them written here.

Your retirement plan is also specified in these fields, along with the date when you enlisted.

Information for Leave

If you’re on leave, you’ll see this information in fields 25-32. The amount of leave you had from the previous fiscal year will is here, along with how much leave you previously used.

You can also expect to find information about your estimated leave balance and how much leave you’ll lose if you don’t use it all.

Federal Taxes

Fields 33-38 discuss your federal taxes. This is where you’ll find fiscal year pay, marital status, and exemptions. You’ll also find how much money has been withheld for taxes so far.

Federal Insurance Contributions Act

FICA is addressed in fields 39 to 43. You’ll have all the information you need for how much you paid into FICA, along with what percentage of your pay is deducted for Medicare.

State Tax

As you review fields 44-49, keep an eye on your state tax information. Your wage period will be here, along with how much money was already paid to state tax and exemptions.

Additional Pay Data is listed in fields 50-62, and covers Basic Allowance for Quarters, Variable Housing Allowance, and what is going towards rental housing. Here you’ll find your dependents and their information, along with how many people live with you and share costs, along with COLA information.

If you’re in the Reserves or National Guard, line 61 will provide information for Training Program Codes.

Fields 63-75 discusses the Thrift Savings Plan, with information about how much of your base pay you’re contributing to TSP. It also discusses how much you’ve paid into TSP this year, entitlements, and deductions.

It’s essential to understand how to read a military paystub, whether you’re in the military or responsible for paystub maker software.

Cumulative Fields

Field 76 discusses general remarks, field 77 covers how many entitlements you have this year, and field 78 is yearly deductions for the calendar year, both being cumulative.

The Takeaway of How to Read a Military Paystub

Now that you know how to read a military paystub, be sure to share this information with your spouse so you both can understand what each field line represents and how to locate pertinent information.

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