Military Money Moves
PCS Money Moves: Entitlements Families Leave Unclaimed
Part of: The Complete Guide to the SCRA
A PCS feels like a cost. It is actually a set of entitlements, and the government under-pays the families who do not know to claim each one. The move is going to happen either way. The only variable is how much of what you are owed lands in your account, and how much of the SCRA’s protection you switch on around it.
The four travel entitlements, plainly
| Entitlement | What it pays | The catch families miss |
|---|---|---|
| Dislocation Allowance (DLA) | Flat sum for setup costs (deposits, hookups) | Once per PCS, by grade and dependency; can be advanced |
| MALT | 20.5 cents/mile (2026) to drive your POV | Paid on the official route; per authorized vehicle |
| Per diem | Daily rate for travel days | Dependents add on: 75% first, 50% each additional |
| Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) | Lodging + meals in the housing gap | Up to 14 days CONUS; often $1,000+ left unclaimed |
These stack. A mid-grade family with dependents driving a multi-day route routinely clears several thousand dollars across DLA, MALT, per diem, and TLE combined. The exact figures live in the Joint Travel Regulations and the Defense Travel Management Office tables, which update annually, so confirm the current rate for your grade before you file.
The PPM (formerly DITY): the move that can profit
If you move some or all of your household goods yourself under a Personally Procured Move, the government pays you an incentive based on what it would have paid a contractor to move that weight. Move efficiently and the reimbursement can exceed your actual costs, legally. It is more work and more paperwork (you need certified weight tickets), but for a lighter household it is one of the few PCS lines that can put money in your pocket rather than just reimburse you.
The SCRA layer around the move
The entitlements pay for the move. The SCRA protects everything the move touches.
- Break the lease penalty-free. PCS orders let you terminate an apartment lease without an early-termination fee, and a car lease on qualifying orders. Do not eat a lease-break penalty a federal statute already waived.
- Keep your tax state. A PCS does not re-home you for tax purposes. Your legal residence is protected, and you and your spouse can elect a single home state. A move into a no-income-tax state can be worth more every year than the entire PCS reimbursement was once.
- Spouse residency travels with you. A military spouse keeps one tax state through every PCS, so wages are not taxed by a state you live in only because of orders.
- Duty-state car tax, exempted. In annual vehicle-tax states, the SCRA can exempt your car from the new duty state’s personal property tax.
Claim all of it
PCS money checklist
- Before the move: request a DLA advance if you need the cash up front, and confirm your travel entitlements with your Transportation and Finance offices.
- Send the SCRA lease-termination notice with your PCS orders. Do not pay an early-exit penalty.
- Driving? Log the official mileage for MALT and keep travel-day records for per diem, including dependents.
- Keep every lodging and meal receipt for TLE, up to 14 days CONUS. This is the most-missed line.
- Considering a PPM? Get certified empty and loaded weight tickets. No tickets, no incentive.
- After the move: file your travel voucher promptly, and revisit your state tax election if you moved to a lower- or no-tax state.
- New annual vehicle-tax state? File your LES with the county to exempt your car.
This page is general education, not tax or financial advice. Travel rates and allowances change each year; verify your specific entitlements with your installation Transportation Office, Finance office, or Military OneSource before you file.
The law behind this: 50 U.S.C. § 3955
SCRA lease termination on PCS or deployment orders, the penalty-free exit that rides along with a move: read the statute.
Frequently asked questions
What is dislocation allowance and how much is it?
Dislocation Allowance (DLA) is a flat payment that partially reimburses the miscellaneous costs of relocating a household: deposits, hookups, and setup. It is generally paid once per PCS and the amount is set by pay grade and whether you have dependents, published by the Defense Travel Management Office. You can often request it as an advance before the move. It is separate from, and stacks with, your travel entitlements.
Do I get paid to drive to my new station?
Yes, two ways. MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation) pays a flat per-mile rate for driving your own vehicle on the official route. For 2026 the MALT rate is 20.5 cents per mile. On top of MALT you receive per diem for travel days: the member gets the full daily rate, and dependents are reimbursed at 75% for the first dependent and 50% for each additional one.
What is TLE and why do families miss it?
Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) reimburses lodging and meals at your old or new duty station while you wait for housing, up to 14 days for a CONUS move. Families forget to claim it because it feels like a normal hotel bill, but it can be worth well over $1,000 depending on family size. Keep every receipt and file it.
Can a PCS change my legal tax state?
No, and that is a protection worth guarding. Under the SCRA your state of legal residence does not change just because orders moved you, and since 2023 a servicemember and spouse can elect the same home state for tax purposes. A PCS to a no-income-tax state, done right, can lower or erase state income tax without you abandoning your domicile.
Sources
Heads up: SCRA Saver publishes general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws change and every situation differs. Confirm details with your installation legal assistance office (free for service members) or a licensed professional.