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Air Force
Military and Family Readiness Center-Personal Financial Management Program
308 N 1st Street
Bldg. 52, Suite 1201
Altus AFB, OK 73523-5008
580-481-6761
312-866-6761
312-866-6345
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Resources are available to help you understand and manage your finances, including one-on-one financial counseling to assist you and your family with financial readiness. Services are designed to focus on money management issues throughout your active-duty lifecycle and into retirement. Financial readiness educational opportunities range from basic planning to long-term investing. Check out the information below to see what’s available at your installation.
Check with your military pay center or civilian pay office to ask for possible entitlements.
Your monthly Leave and Earnings Statement is one of the most important financial documents you have for mastering your money and achieving your financial goals. Use the LES to budget your monthly expenses and plan for a purchase.
Finance Office Comm: 580-481-6944 DSN: 312-866-6944
Your monthly Leave and Earnings Statement is one of the most important financial documents you have for mastering your money and achieving your financial goals. Use the LES to budget your monthly expenses and plan for a purchase. Here’s how to decipher the code.
Identification:
Entitlements:
Any retroactive entitlements and/or allowances will be added here. Check to make sure you are receiving the correct entitlements.
Remember! Any advance pay is just a loan and has to be repaid to the government.
Deductions:
Check to make sure you have the correct deductions being taken.
Allotments
An allotment is a designated amount of money that is automatically distributed for you, from your pay. Be sure you know what they are, who is receiving them, and if/when will they be paid in full. Reserve and National Guard do not have allotments.
Ex. Air Force Emergency Relief, Privatized Housing, Government Indebtedness, Child Support, etc.
Summary
The Summary section includes the total of all entitlements, deductions and allotments. The End of Month Pay is the amount to be paid. Check to ensure that all the numbers are added correctly.
DIEMS
The Date of Initial Entry to Military Service determines your retirement plan. See local Personnel Office for errors
Retirement Plan
The Retirement Plan is based on DIEMS and/or choice: Final Pay: <19800907; High-3: 19800908 – 20171231; REDUX: 19860801 – 20021231; BRS: > 20180101.Visit https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement.aspx to learn more
Leave:
Federal Taxes:
Check to make sure that your marital status and exemptions are correct as they factor into your withholding amounts. Visit https://apps.irs.gov/app/tax-withholding-estimator to learn more.
FICA Taxes
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act contains information on Social Security and Medicare Taxes withheld. Visit https://www.ssa.gov/ to learn more.
State Taxes:
Check to make sure that your State, marital status, and exemptions are correct as they factor into your withholding amounts. Visit your State’s Department of Taxation and Finance to learn more.
Pay Data
The Pay Data section includes information associated with your housing allowances. It is labeled as Basic Allowance for Quarters or Basic Allowance for Housing. The type and dependent is based on your dependency status. The Variable Housing Allowance (VHA) Zip is used to vary your BAH rate based on your location. The Joint Travel Regulation is a location code used to calculate Cost of Living Allowance and 2D JTFR is the code for your dependent’s location. If you made a donation through an Allotment, it will appear in the Charity Year-to-Date field. The PACIDN is the Unit Identification Code. The Training Program Code is used by the Reserve and National Guard.
Thrift Savings Plan:
The Thrift Savings Plan section is broken out by Traditional and Roth TSP contributions. Any changes to TSP contributions and updated address will be made on https://mypay.dfas.mil/.
If you are under the Blended Retirement System, you will see the Service Automatic and Matching Contributions in this section.The TSP Year-to-Date total amount of contributions will include tax deferred and tax exempt amounts.
Check your TSP Account under “My Account” at https://secure.tsp.gov/tsp/login.html to make sure that the numbers on your LES match. For more information on the TSP, visit http://tsp.gov/ to learn more.
Remarks
The Remarks section is used to provide you with general notices from varying levels of command, as well as the explanation of starts, stops, and changes to pay items within the “Entitlements”, “Deductions”, and “Allotments” fields. Check this section first if you have any questions as the answer may be found here.
Stay current on your pay. Understand when additional pay or allowances aresupposed to begin and when they should end. For example, Hostile Fire orImminent Danger Pay, Hardship Duty Pay, Hazardous DutyIncentive Pay, Family Separation Allowance, Cost of LivingAllowance, etc.
Mistakes happen. Regardless of who made the error, a “no pay due” could be theresult. Watch for overpayments, too.
Find an error? Contact your command administration or finance personnel.
What Else I Should Know
Personal Financial Managers and Personal Financial Counselors are available to help you achieve and maintain financial readiness at every step of your military journey through flexible, no-cost personal support services.
Cost of Living in Altus, OK: What You Need to Know
With a cost of living index of 69, Altus, OK is one of the most affordable cities in the country. Living here is 31% cheaper than the national average and in line with the Oklahoma state average. Altus is a smaller community of 18,670 residents, where everyday costs can differ substantially from nearby larger cities.
Housing costs are the biggest factor in Altus's cost of living. The median monthly rent is $897 (32% below the US median of $1,319), and the median home value sits at $124,800 (59% below the national median of $304,900). At current prices, the median home costs roughly 2.2x the median household income — well within traditional affordability guidelines.
The median household income in Altus is $55,550, which is 26% lower than the national median of $75,149. Residents spend roughly 19% of household income on rent. This is a comfortable ratio, well below the 30% threshold that financial experts recommend as a maximum. Lower incomes here are balanced by the significantly lower cost of living, stretching each dollar further.
Data sources: US Census Bureau (ACS 2023), Zillow Home Values, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities, BLS Average Prices, and NOAA Climate Normals. Updated monthly.
Housing and Utility Costs
Rentals and property to purchase can be challenging, but several developments are being built to help with more available housing.
Three-bedroom rentals start at about $1200 and up depending on the location in town, and purchase prices for three-bedroom homes begin at $150,000 and can range to the upper $300,000s as they vary drastically depending on the location and the size of the lot.
Utility costs will vary considerably throughout the year.
The summers usually bring high electric bills, and winters bring high gas bills.
Temporary Lodging Allowance
TLA is used to partially reimburse a member for the above normal expenses incurred during occupancy of temporary lodging and expenses of meals obtained as a direct result of use of temporary lodging outside the continental United States.
The OCONUS base handles the paperwork and processing of TLA.
Temporary Lodging Expenses
TLE is intended to partially reimburse members for lodging and meal expenses when a member/dependent(s) occupy temporary quarters in the continental U.S. in conjunction with a permanent change of station.
Personal Finance
Achieving financial security might be easier than you think.
The Military & Family Readiness Center, Military OneSource, and the Office of Financial Readiness have wealth of resources and information to assist you with managing your finances.
Learn some personal finance basics like how to pay down debt, manage a checking account, choose good investments and create a family budget.
Read up on different military pay and compensation benefits, consumer rights and military savings programs. Discover how to create a financial plan for every phase of your life.
Find in-depth resources on these topics as well as investing, credit management and much more at the FINRED website. Military OneSource and FINRED offer free services and resources so you can prepare for a secure future.
Preparing to Move
Whether you are moving to another state or another country, relocation can be a challenge. That’s why the War Department provides programs and services to support all aspects of your life before, during and after your move.
Get information and resources on entitlements and benefits, packing and shipment options, moving checklists, housing, talking with your children about the move, connecting with your new community, confidential counseling and finances.
Making a permanent change of station can be expensive. There are many hidden costs involved in moving, and it is important to plan for these hidden costs. Your spending plan can be reviewed to start saving extra money early to assist with the moving expenses. If you are married, your spouse should be involved in the development of the revised spending plan.
The Personal Financial Management Program can be of tremendous value to you in making sound decisions affecting your personal financial administration. Remember, it is not your level of income but how you manage the income that matters over the long term.
Please contact the Military and Family Readiness Center at 580-481-6761 for information on personal financial management counseling and other financial matters that may be affected by your move.
Basic Allowance for Housing
Basic Allowance for Housing is an additional pay that is intended to help service members pay for housing based on the housing costs in local civilian housing markets when government quarters are not provided. The amount of BAH a service member receives is based on their rank, the location of the housing and whether or not the service member has dependents.
Financial Counseling
You don’t need to tackle issues like mounting debt or saving for college, or retirement alone. The Military & Family Readiness Center and Military OneSource financial counselors are available . Financial counseling gives you an opportunity to talk to a trained professional — one who is familiar with the issues that affect service members — about your questions and receive referrals to services and programs that meet your specific needs.
Service members and eligible family members can access financial counseling thru Military OneSource for free from anywhere in the world through installation programs. These counselors understand the financial challenges you face as a service member and the resources available to help you manage and plan your fiscal future.
The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the United States Air Force.
A private, non-profit organization, AFAS promotes the Air Force mission by providing worldwide emergency assistance, sponsoring education assistance programs and offering a variety of base community enhancement programs which improve quality of life for airmen and their families.
The AFAS assists with rent, food, shelter, vehicle repairs including parts and labor and emergency travel for death or serious illness of immediate family members.
Child Care for Permanent Change of Station
Sponsored by the AFAS, this program offers relocating families 20 hours of free child care per child within 60 days of a PCS.
Child care is authorized for both inbound and outbound families.
Care is normally provided by a on-base licensed family childcare provider, however, being in a remote location, the CDC/YC accommodate the needs, but parents must coordinate in advance with these agencies.
Give Parents a Break
The AFAS recognizes that Air Force families are subject to unique stresses due to the nature of military life, including deployments, remote tours of duty and extended working hours.
In an effort to help these families, the AFAS, in cooperation with the Air Force childcare community, has agreed to provide funding for childcare under our Give Parents a Break program.
The purpose of this program is to offer eligible parents a few hours’ break from the stresses of parenting.
Active-duty Air Force families may use this time to suit their personal needs.
AFAS will pay the cost of having the base Child Development Center open once a month for families referred to the program.
Families will not be charged for the care.
Respite Care
The AFAS Respite Care Program is intended for active-duty Air Force families who have a family member with special needs.
The goal of the program is to provide a break for a few hours a week or month to families who have the responsibility of 24-hours-a-day care for an ill or disabled family member.
This person may be a child, spouse or parent living in the household.
AFAS assistance for respite care is based on need, the need for respite time as well as financial need, and assistance is always given as a grant.
Families with a special needs family member who have the financial means to pay for care should do so.
Our program is intended to assist those who cannot afford the care and would otherwise never get a break.
Families are referred to the AFAS for respite care through the Exceptional Family Member Program or the Family Advocacy Office.
Be advised that Altus AFB is a remote location and may not have the availability or resources.
PCS Pet Expense Reimbursement Entitlement
A service member is eligible to be reimbursed the cost to ship one household pet.
For moves within CONUS, they may be reimbursed up to $550, and for OCONUS they may be reimbursed up to $2000.
This reimbursement is for a singular household pet per PCS order, and any additional pets will need to be shipped at the member’s expense.
While the service member is only allowed to reimburse 1 pet, they are allowed to choose which pet they reimburse.
If a member can fly with a pet for $85 and had to ship the second for $1,000, they can chose whether to reimburse either the $85 or the $1,000.
If a mil-to-mil couple are traveling on separate valid PCS orders, both may seek reimbursement for a household pet, two household pets total.
Each should claim a pet when they file their travel vouchers.
Note: hotel pet fees are a valid expense to be reimbursed; av household pet is defined by the JTR as a cat or dog.
The member must provide all receipts, including those under $75.
These receipts must be itemized, if at all possible, include the name of the pet, and if shipped via cargo because of the pet’s weight they must include the weight of the animal.
Provide a non-availability letter, if provided, and all documentation submitted to receive the non-availability letter, such as a mission impact statement.
Non-availability letters allow a member to book their own commercial travel.
Members who have additional questions about non-availability letters should contact their local TMO office.
A service member can ship their pet as soon as their PCS orders become effective.
Please refer to the following websites for relocation information:
Government Travel Card
Use your government credit card only for those expenses authorized, and make sure you stay within your daily allowances. Save all receipts especially if your expenses exceed your authorizations since they may be tax deductible items.
Contracts
Take care in signing financial contracts after you arrive. Pay special attention to certain types of contracts such as rent to own agreements. Those contracts can result in final costs that may range as high as 300% more than the actual cost of the item purchased.
If you have concerns or questions about any sales agreements or interest rates, the staff at the M&FRC and Legal Office would be happy to review them with you before you enter into any final agreement.