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LES doesn't stand for Llamas, Eels and Seals

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  As Airmen, every two weeks we receive a Leave and Earnings Statement and our wallet gets a little fatter. For some just putting that extra money in their pockets is good enough, but it shouldn't be.

An LES is a very significant document. It has valuable information, personal and financial. So, just setting it aside every two weeks may not be the right move. Knowing what each box on your LES means can be finance- and stress-saving deed.

"Being able to read your LES is key," said Della Gooding, financial specialist at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. "Knowledge is power. If you have the knowledge of where your money is coming from and where it's going, then you have the power."

Everyone makes mistakes, and there is no exception to military pay. Whether overpaid or underpaid it will be corrected, which could mean taking back some of that pay in subsequent pay checks.

"It is important to take the time to review your LES so you know that you are getting paid correctly," said Ms. Gooding.

The first thing to check on your LES is your entitlements. Basic pay and career-dependent pay, such as flight pay, special duty pay and hostile fire pay, are taxable incomes. Non-taxable incomes are housing, subsistence and clothing allowances, as well as the Cost of Living Allowance. It is imperative to ensure you are receiving the correct amounts for each entitlement.

"If you are unsure of what your base pay should be, there is a new pay chart produced each year that will provide pay information based on rank and time-in-service," said Ms. Gooding.

The next thing to check is deductions. This includes federal and state taxes, Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes toward Medicare and Social Security, mid-month pay and other expenses.

Additional items to check are allotments, leave balance, including earned and used leave, and additional pay information such as dependents, rent amount and charity information.

"You should make sure your deductions are correct, your tax exemptions are correct, your leave balance is correct and you're paying taxes to the correct state," said Ms. Gooding. "Your LES is your responsibility."

You will also find a section of the LES dedicated to the Thrift Savings Plan. Shown in that section is the percentage of base, special, incentive and bonus pay you have chosen to be set aside for the plan. It also states how much pay has been deducted for the year.

Overall, understanding your LES is vital knowledge of your military pay. Checking the document each pay period can not only increase your comprehension of where your money is coming from and where it is going, but it can save you time and stress if you catch errors early.

(This story is the first article of a five-part series on finance issues.)