Free Military Financial Tools
Every calculator and guide uses official DoD and VA data. No accounts. No personal information. No ads.
Built by an NMLS-licensed mortgage professional and military family. Share freely with service members, veterans, and military families.
Starting Service
Understanding your pay, benefits, and first financial decisions.
Full pay including BAH, BAS, tax advantages, and civilian equivalent
Open →Look up base pay by rank and years of service
Open →Find your housing allowance by location, rank, and dependency status
Open →Every line on your military pay stub explained
Open →What happens if you never log into TSP — and what to do about it
Open →Why it looks different than expected and what to set up immediately
Open →Your financial foundation from day one
Open →Pay & Housing
Understanding what you earn and where it goes.
Look up BAH rates for any ZIP code, any rank
Open →Calculate combined BAH for dual-military couples
Open →Compare pay, BAH, and take-home pay between stations
Open →Cost-of-living allowance lookup by ZIP code
Open →Estimate drill pay, annual training, and TRS savings
Open →200+ duty station pages with local housing context
Open →Complete guide to military compensation and allowances
Open →PCS & Relocation
Planning a move without financial surprises.
Estimate DLA, mileage, per diem, TLE, and PPM profit
Open →Compare BAH, housing costs, and take-home pay at two stations
Open →Look up your BAH at your new duty station before you move
Open →Local housing context for 200+ installations
Open →Financial planning for your next move
Open →Deployment
Making the most of deployment pay and benefits.
See how HFP, FSA, CZTE, and SDP change your take-home pay
Open →Model Roth TSP growth including combat-zone contribution strategies
Open →Every dollar you earn downrange — CZTE, HFP, FSA, and SDP
Open →Quick-answer guide to what changes when you deploy
Open →How combat zone contributions create a triple tax advantage
Open →Retirement & TSP
Planning for 20 years and beyond.
Project your TSP balance at retirement with fund allocation modeling
Open →Estimate your pension under BRS or High-3
Open →Which system wins — and for whom
Open →Why junior enlisted are in the strongest position to benefit from Roth TSP
Open →BRS, High-3, TSP strategies, and retirement planning
Open →Education & Career
Maximizing GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, and education benefits.
Compare GI Bill, VR&E, and Tuition Assistance side by side
Open →Which to use — and in what order on active duty
Open →How Top-Up works and why using TA first usually wins
Open →How to use the official tool — and what it misses
Open →The benefit most veterans don't know about — and when it wins
Open →GI Bill, TA, VR&E, and military education benefits explained
Open →Buying a Home (VA Loans)
Understanding the VA loan benefit before talking to a lender.
Estimate your payment, funding fee, and BAH comparison
Open →IRRRL savings, break-even, and VA net tangible benefit checks
Open →A qualifying disability exemption can waive the VA funding fee entirely
Open →Every 2026 rate, exemption, and dollar amount
Open →Entitlement restoration, simultaneous loans, and subsequent use explained
Open →MPRs, Tidewater, and what to do if value comes in low
Open →How to actually compare them for your specific situation
Open →How assumptions work and what happens to seller entitlement
Open →What your housing allowance covers and when ownership makes sense
Open →Eligibility, funding fee, IRRRL, and when VA may not be best
Open →Veterans Benefits
Benefits that continue and grow after service.
Calculate combined ratings with bilateral factor and 2026 rates
Open →Compare TRICARE, employer plans, and Marketplace costs
Open →Why filing on active duty produces better outcomes
Open →Life insurance strategy before, during, and after service
Open →Why 50% + 30% does not equal 80% — the whole-person formula
Open →Combined rating formula, bilateral factor, and 2026 compensation rates
Open →Leaving the Military
Making the transition with financial confidence.
Compare military vs civilian compensation after taxes and benefits
Open →Key dates and deadlines for separating service members
Open →Know your military comp baseline before salary negotiation
Open →Compare TRICARE, employer plans, and Marketplace costs after separation
Open →The three-factor readiness test
Open →Options for your account — roll over, leave it, or withdraw
Open →180-day premium-free TRICARE after qualifying separations
Open →Get paid military salary while training for your civilian career
Open →Full financial arc of military separation
Open →About MilPayTools
MilPayTools is a free military financial education platform built by Dan Stevens, an NMLS-licensed mortgage professional and son of a 20-year Air Force veteran, in partnership with Col. Ryan Durand, USAF/USSF (Ret.). Every tool uses official DoD and VA data.
We are not a lender, financial advisor, or government agency — just clear tools and honest education for military families.
Learn more about why we built this →Share freely
These tools are free for everyone. If you work with service members, veterans, or military families and find these useful, you're welcome to share this page or any individual tool. No permission needed.
Share this page
milpaytools.com/resources