VetraFi is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through our Banking Partner, Member FDIC.
← Education
Phase 1

Joining Up

Recruit through basic and AIT. Your first paycheck and your first big money decisions.

How to Build Your First Budget on Military Pay
Article
How to Build Your First Budget on Military Pay

A plan that survives the 1st-and-15th pay cycle, so your first real paycheck does not disappear by the 20th.

Read →
Set Up Direct Deposit and Split Your Pay With Allotments
Article
Set Up Direct Deposit and Split Your Pay With Allotments

How to route your military pay and use allotments to fund your goals before you can spend the money.

Read →
How to Read Your LES (Leave and Earnings Statement)
Article
How to Read Your LES (Leave and Earnings Statement)

Your LES is your military pay stub. Here's how to read every block of it, line by line.

Read →
Your Base Pay and the Military Pay Tables
Article
Your Base Pay and the Military Pay Tables

Base pay is the taxable core of your paycheck. It moves with your rank and your time in service, and it gets a raise most years.

Read →
What Is Taxable vs. Tax-Free in Your Military Pay
Article
What Is Taxable vs. Tax-Free in Your Military Pay

Simple rule: your pays are taxable, your allowances are not. Here's how that plays out on your LES, and the big exception for combat zones.

Read →
State of Legal Residence and Military Taxes
Article
State of Legal Residence and Military Taxes

Where your military pay gets taxed, why a PCS doesn't change it, and how the spouse rules work.

Read →
Earn It.
VetraFi – Banking for Warfighters.
HomeArticlesCareersContact UsTerms of UsePrivacy Policy
© 2025 VetraFi. All rights reserved
1 VetraFi, Inc. is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services will be provided by a licensed banking partner.

The VetraFi Shield Secured Card will be issued by a licensed banking partner, pursuant to licenses from Mastercard Inc. and may be used everywhere Mastercard credit cards are accepted. Please see back of your Card for its issuing bank.

‍By clicking on some of the links above, you will leave the VetraFi website and be directed to a third-party website. The privacy practices of those third parties may differ from those of VetraFi.

We recommend you review the privacy statements of those third party websites, as VetraFi is not responsible for those third parties' privacy or security practices.

2 Articles published here are provided by external authors and partners for general informational purposes only. VetraFi does not endorse and is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this content. This is not financial, legal, tax, or medical advice. Please consult qualified professionals for advice specific to your situation.

Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of our sponsor Banks (“Banks”). Banks are not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visualinformation does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.