Financial Assistance

Personal Financial Management Program

The Fleet and Family Support Center's Personal Financial Management Program goals are to:

• Assist Navy personnel in establishing and maintaining sound money management practices.
• Empower service members and their families to better manage financial resources and meet financial goals by developing their skills and increasing their knowledge.
• Provide a continuum of training, information and counseling services.

The FFSC provides individual financial counseling sessions to all service members and their families. To assist you and your family in being financially prepared, the FFSC offers workshops on topics that include basic money management, investing, home buying, credit card management, car buying, consumer awareness, the thrift savings plan and much more.

Protect your financial health; it is important to you and your career. Need help with your Finances? Here’s how to seek help:

• Talk to your command financial specialist. They have tools to help and will respect your privacy.
• Visit one of six FFSCs in Hampton Roads for valuable and confidential advice and assistance.
• Contact the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society’s Shipmates Helping Shipmates if you’re in financial trouble.
• Banks and credit unions are tasked to help you; let them work for you.

Watch your money carefully while in transit as many unexpected expenditures can deplete your resources quickly. To help prepare for the move, stop by your local personnel support detachment and ask about the following entitlements: per diem, temporary lodging allowance outside the continental United States, temporary lodging expenses in the continental United States, mileage allowance in lieu of transportation, advance pay and, most importantly, dislocation allowance.

Temporary lodging allowance for OCONUS: Overseas moves allow members to draw TLA based on the local rate for a maximum of 60 days after arrival overseas and 10 days prior to departure. The allowance is 65% of local per diem for members, 35% for spouse and 25% for each additional family member. Check into availability prior to sending the whole family, as it is sometimes cheaper to have family members remain in the United States until quarters are available.

TLE for CONUS: CONUS moves qualify you for up to $290 per day for a maximum of 10 days to cover lodging and meals in temporary quarters at your present duty station and at your destination. Entitlement can be split between the two locations. Computation is based on rank, number of dependents, lodging amount and whether you have cooking facilities or not. Overseas moves qualify you for only five days of TLE stateside, once overseas entitlement changes to TLA. Entitlement is not authorized for separations, retirements or when government housing is available.

Don’t forget: When taking advance pay, repayment starts immediately, reducing your monthly income, in some cases, drastically. Also, don't forget about the loss of your spouse's income until you are settled in your new area.

If you will be staying in temporary lodging upon arrival, expect to pay at least $77 per night at local hotels, but take into account prices will vary based on location and season. When asking for rates, be sure to ask for a military discount. There are Navy lodges located on or near bases at Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana-Dam Neck Annex, Navy Gateway Inns and Suites Naval Weapons Station Yorktown-Cheatham Annex and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.