Unable to connect locally? Contact Military OneSource via secure live chat or call 800-342-9647.
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.
Germany is a high cost of living area so you may wish to prepare as much as you can, as soon as possible. Start with a basic spending plan of your current income, expenses and debt payments. There are many tools available to help you such as the Office of Financial Readiness Managing Your Money and PCS Financial Tips for Military Families. There are many out-of-pocket expenses associated with making a permanent change of station move. Consider additional savings for lodging costs while awaiting reimbursement of temporary lodging allowance, upfront moving-in expenses and potentially a rental vehicle while awaiting your shipped vehicle. Use the tools available or visit your local Airman and Family Readiness Center to start your PCS moving fund and spending plan.
Personal Financial Management
Personal financial readiness counselors at the M&FRC can assist you in preparing a personalized financial plan. Financial services include information about your entitlements, FICO credit score and report, basic savings and investing education, consumer rip-offs, insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, credit and debt management and more.
Local Currency
The monetary unit in Germany is the Euro. The exchange rate to convert dollars to Euros fluctuates daily. Many on-base facilities will accept Euros and U.S. dollars.
Community Bank and Service Credit Union are full-service financial institutions located on Spangdahlem Air Base. Each financial institution offers checking and saving accounts, foreign currency exchanges, personal loans, certificates of deposit, bill-paying services, 24-hour automatic teller machines and a variety of other services. On-base ATMs allow customers to make withdrawals in dollars or in Euro.
Most items purchased on the German economy are subject to a 19% value added tax. In general, U.S. forces personnel may, if the merchant agrees, obtain tax relief with a VAT relief form which are available at the 52D Force Support Squadron VAT/utility tax avoidance program office. Ensure you carry one along when you're out shopping. The goods or services purchased must be for personal use only.
Money Matters
Car insurance is expensive in Europe. USAA, GEICO, Atlantic Trust and AIU are available. Everyone needs renters insurance, too. Ask about discounts for renters and auto insurance as you shop around. If you are going to drive a vehicle, consider ADAC emergency roadside assistance. AAA is not valid outside of the continental U.S.
If you have a car that has a warranty, please check with the dealer/manufacturer to ensure that the warranty will be honored in Germany. In some cases when the car is shipped to an overseas location, the warranty is voided.
Take advantage of programs and resources designed to ease the stress of making a permanent change of station move. The Air Force Aid Society's child care for PCS provides 20 hours of free child care within 60 days on either side of your PCS via the Family Child Care homes. The Airman's Attic, open to all ranks, is a valuable asset to the Saber Community by providing free items that include kitchen essentials, electronics and a wide variety of donated items.
When you receive PCS orders, you probably will be issued a government travel card. The Government Travel Card – similar to a credit card – comes in handy when paying for moving expenses, but it also must be used wisely to avoid running up extra expenses.
Follow these steps to manage your travel card:
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
Termination of motor vehicle leases – Section 535 of the SCRA states that leases of motor vehicles used for personal and business transportation may be terminated, without penalty, if the person, after executing the lease, enters military service or receives notice of a PCS outside of the continental U.S. or deployment for a period not less than 180 days. To effectuate a termination, the member must deliver a written notice of termination and copy of their orders to the lessor. Additionally, they must return the vehicle.
Termination of telephone service contracts – Section 535a of the SCRA states that a service member, without penalty, may terminate their cellular phone contract if they receive military orders to relocate, for a period not less than ninety days, to a location that does not support the service. To terminate the contract, the member must deliver written or electronic notice of termination and military orders to the service provider. The service provider must allow the member to retain their telephone number if the relocation is less than three years and the member resubscribes within ninety days of relocating to an area where service is provided.
If you have any questions regarding the SCRA, contact your local legal service office or visit the U.S. Air Force Legal Assistance website.
The Overseas Housing Allowance is paid to service members living in private housing at overseas duty stations. You can find your maximum rental allowance on the OHA Calculator Page. If your rent is below the maximum rental allowance, the amount you actually pay will be used to compute your allowance. If your rent is above the maximum rental allowance, you receive the maximum.
Move-in Housing Allowance is a one-time payment to all OHA recipients designed to cover average move-in expenses, such as utility activation, at an overseas location. To determine your MIHA use the OHA Calculator Page. The amount will be listed under monthly allowances.
To receive advance OHA, your lease must first be approved by the local Housing Office. Once the lease is approved, the Housing Office can authorize the advance. The servicemember will need to complete an AF Form 1039 to request the advance. All housing expenses (advance rent, security deposit) requested must be documented. The completed AF 1039 must be signed by your unit/squadron commander, then taken to the Spangdahlem Finance Office with a copy of your lease for processing and payment. Service members may use eFinance to complete the AF Form 1039. Normally an advance housing allowance must not be paid more than 3 workdays before the member is required to make payment under a lease and/or within 30 days after occupancy, the amount of the advance should not exceed the total of 1 year's allowance expected to be accrued by the member and, the repayment is set up over a 12-month period.
The purpose of an advance payment is to give funds to a member to meet extraordinary expenses incident to a government-ordered relocation. It is intended to assist with the out-of-pocket expenses, not typical of day-to-day military living, that precede or exceed reimbursements incurred in a member's change of duty locations.
Members can receive an advance of up to three months of basic pay minus mandatory deduction with a repayment schedule over a period of 12 months. Contact your local finance office for more details.
Temporary Lodging Allowance is designed to partially offset the cost of temporary housing and meals incurred while awaiting permanent lodging. TLA is paid in 10-day increments.
Contact your local finance office or the Spangdahlem Housing Office for more details.
IN-PROCESSING
Finance In-Processing at the 52d FW is accomplished by one-on-one appointment reserved through each unit’s Command Support Staff. All receipts, flight itineraries, 2 copies of PCS orders plus amendments (front and back), and your Government Travel Card billing statement are required. Once the voucher is completed, it will be reviewed for accuracy and forwarded to the Air Force Financial Services Center, located at Ellsworth AFB, for processing/payment. The standard processing time for all PCS travel vouchers is approximately 20 days.
All Air Force civilian employees and Active-Duty Accessions will need to set up an appointment for assistance with filing PCS vouchers.
GSU IN-PROCESSING
If you are assigned to Spangdahlem but performing duties at a geographically separated unit (GSU), please contact your local Financial Manager to complete your travel voucher.
SPANGDAHLEM DISBURSING OFFICE
The Spangdahlem Disbursing Office is responsible for the safeguarding of cash, checks, vouchers and other negotiable instruments in support of personnel assigned.
The Overseas Cost of Living Allowance is a non-taxable allowance designed to offset the higher overseas prices of non-housing goods and services. Overseas COLA is not a fixed amount. COLA adjustments are either immediate or made incrementally, depending on whether the payment will increase or decrease, as well as whether the change is based on currency or data.
A COLA rate query by location is available at the: Department of Defense's Defense Travel Management Office website.