Understanding Your Military Leave and Earnings Statement

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 expenses and plan for a purchase. Learn what it is and how to review it when you receive each paycheck.

What is the LES exactly?

In the civilian world, it’s known a “pay stub.” In the military, the LES is your monthly report on earnings, deductions and leave balance. Your statement covers:

• Monthly base pay
• Additional entitlements, such as special pays or allowances
• Deductions
• Allotments
• Tax withholdings
• Thrift Savings Plan contributions
• Insurance deductions
• Available leave or vacation days earned

Where to access your statement

Access your LES online through the myPay system or the U.S. Coast Guard Pay & Personnel Center. You’ll need a login and password or a computer with a Common Access Card reader.

Regularly review your LES

Stay on top of the information in your LES, especially income and deductions. Mistakes can happen. Review these items every month and when you have career or personal changes, such as a promotion or marriage, to confirm all information is correct.

• • Entitlements show how much you were paid through your basic pay and various supplements.
  • Deductions list what has been taken out of your pay — including taxes and retirement contributions.
  • Allotments are designated amounts of money automatically distributed for you, from your pay. Be sure you know what they are for, who is receiving them and when they will be paid in full.
  • Summary shows how much money was deposited in your account after deductions and allotments were distributed.
  • Leave reflects the amount of chargeable leave you have available. Active-duty service members earn 2.5 days of leave each month, totaling 30 days per year. Learn how military leave works.
  • Command Agency Contribution shows what your service branch or command is contributing on your behalf toward a specific benefit, most commonly your Thrift Savings Plan or flexible spending account.

For additional information and to access your LES statement, visit DFAS myPay.

Additional items to review on your LES

• Track your Social Security. Sign up for a my Social Security account to verify and track your earnings or to use the retirement estimator tool.
• Stay current on your pay. Understand when special pay — like deployment pay, hazardous duty pay and other special duty pay — is supposed to begin and when it should end.
• Mistakes happen. Regardless of who made the error, a “no pay due” could be the result. Watch for overpayments too.
• Find an error? Contact your command administration or installation finance office.

Still have questions? Learn more about your military paycheck including basic pay, allowances, retirement savings and more.

Connect with an accredited Military OneSource financial counselor.

Financial security is critical to military readiness. Get answers to your financial questions, from setting a budget to helping your pay go further to creating a savings plan and more.

Connect with Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 or start a secure live chat 24/7/365. OCONUS/International? View calling options.