Omni Financial · Financial Literacy Month 2026 · Tue, April 7 · 6 min read
Your Leave and Earnings Statement — the LES — is the most important financial document you get every month. Most service members glance at it, confirm the number hits their account, and move on.
That’s a mistake.
Your LES tells you exactly what you’re being paid, what’s being taken out, and why. Understanding it is the difference between accidentally leaving money on the table and knowing exactly where you stand.
Here’s how to actually read it.
Entitlements: What You’re Owed
This section shows every form of pay you’ve earned for the period. The main ones:
- – Base Pay — your monthly salary based on rank and years of service
- – BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) — a non-taxable allowance based on your rank, location, and dependency status
- – BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence) — a non-taxable food allowance, different for officers and enlisted
- – Special and Incentive Pays — flight pay, hazardous duty pay, combat zone tax exclusion, and others based on your assignment
BAH and BAS are non-taxable, which means they represent significantly more real value than the same dollar amount in taxable base pay.
Deductions: What’s Coming Out
This section shows everything subtracted from your gross pay:
- – Federal and State Income Tax — withheld based on your W-4 elections
- – FICA (Social Security and Medicare) — standard payroll taxes
- – SGLI premiums — automatic life insurance deduction
- – BAS repayment — if you’re receiving meals in a dining facility
- – Garnishments or debts — any collections owed to the government
Check this section carefully. Errors in tax withholding or unexpected deductions show up here first.
TSP: Your Retirement Line Item
If you’re enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan, your contribution appears in the deductions section.
- Under BRS, the government matches up to 5% of base pay — but only after two years of service
- If you’re not contributing at least 5%, you’re leaving free money behind
- Both traditional (pre-tax) and Roth TSP contributions appear here
If you see nothing in this line, log into myPay and set up your contribution. This is the single highest-return financial move available to you.
Common Mistakes to Catch
A few things worth checking every month:
- 1. BAH rate not updated after a PCS or dependency change — you may be owed more
- 2. Tax withholding not adjusted after marriage or having a child
- 3. Old allotments still running after they should have been cancelled
- 4. TSP contribution set to a flat dollar amount vs. percentage — flat amounts don’t scale with pay raises
- 5. SGLI coverage level not matching your actual needs
How to Access Your LES
Your LES is available in myPay at mypay.dfas.mil. You can view, download, and print the last several months. If you’re having trouble reading a specific line item, the DFAS website has a full LES guide, and your unit’s finance office can walk through it with you.
Bottom Line
Your LES isn’t paperwork. It’s a snapshot of your financial life — what you earned, what was taken, and what’s building toward your future. Ten minutes a month reviewing it is worth far more than the time it takes.
Know your numbers. Catch errors early. Make sure every line is working in your favor.
