MacDill AFB  Military and Family Support Center

Advance pay is a "loan" on income not yet earned, and it must be paid back within 12 months. Although it seems like a good idea and you can afford it now, things could change during that year placing you in a financial bind. Before taking advance pay, carefully consider your spend plan. The Military and Family Readiness Center is available to assist you in determining if this new debt is your best option.

The cost of living varies depending on the area but it falls within national averages.

The Tampa Bay Area is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The median age is 41 and nearly 20% of Tampa Bay's population is in the 18-34 age groups. The median household income is $55,634 (2016-2020 US Census Bureau).

The minimum required insurance coverage is $10,000 Personal Injury Protection (PIP) per person plus Property Damage Liability coverage in the minimum amount of $10,000. Any person who has vehicle in Florida for more than 90 days during a 365- day period must purchase Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability insurance coverage. The 90 days do not have to be consecutive.

The policy must be purchased from an insurance carrier licensed to do business in Florida (if you are new to the state, you may ask your agent to transfer your current insurance to a Florida policy). 

TLA is used to partially reimburse a member for the more than normal expenses incurred during occupancy of temporary lodging and expenses of meals obtained as a direct result of use of temporary lodging Outside Continental United States (OCONUS). The OCONUS base handles the paperwork and processing of TLA.

Temporary Lodging Expenses (TLE) is designed to partially offset/reimburse members for lodging and meal expenses when a member/dependent(s) occupy temporary quarters in CONUS (Continental United States) in conjunction with a PCS.

For more information please see: https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/travelpay/armypcs/tle/

The https://portal.afas.org/ea-eligibility/,https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/loans/, https://www.nmcrs.org/pages/financial-assistance-and-counseling. Societies are all official charities of the Department of Defense. All are private, non-profit organizations that promotes the military mission by providing worldwide emergency assistance, sponsoring education assistance programs and offering a variety of base community enhancement programs that improve quality of life for military members and their families. Each relief society assists with rent, food, shelter, vehicle repairs (including parts and labor) and emergency travel for death or serious illness of immediate family members.

Appointments to meet with a financial counselor can be made by calling 813-828-0145 or emailing FSC.frontdesk@us.af.mil

Some common areas of assistance for financial education include creating an effective financial plan for a household, credit and debt management, retirement planning, savings and investments, insurance and risk management, car- and home-buying strategies, military pay and allowances, consumer advocacy topics related to predatory lending or scam prevention and many other financial topics.

Government Travel Card

You are authorized to use the government credit card to pay for permanent change of station-related expenses such as lodging and food. Keep in mind that charges on the card may be monitored for misuse or overuse. Do not overuse the travel card if you stay beyond your authorized time in billeting.

Housing and Utility Costs

Rentals and properties to purchase are both plentiful. Three-bedroom rentals average at about $2,400. The median price for a three-bedroom home is $390,000; however housing prices can vary drastically. Utility costs will vary considerably throughout the year. The summers usually bring high electric bills.