Pay
Allotment Review
Allotments fund family support, savings, debt repayment, and unit dues. Section reviews allotments annually and after every life event. Wrong allotments hurt the Marine and the dependents.
Leader Steps
- Pull each Marine's allotment list at annual counseling
- Verify each allotment serves a current purpose
- Identify allotments to discontinue (paid-off debt, cancelled subscription, dissolved arrangement)
- Verify life-event-driven allotment changes complete
- Coach the Marine on adding or removing allotments
What Allotments Do
Allotments deduct from the Marine's pay and route to a designated recipient.
- Family support (spouse, ex-spouse per court order, dependent care).
- Savings (TSP outside the standard, banks).
- Debt repayment (auto loans, mortgages where allotment is the payment method).
- Unit charitable contributions.
- Insurance premiums.
- Other allowed types per FMR Volume 7A Chapter 42.
The Marine controls allotments. The section reviews for currency.
Annual Allotment Review
At annual counseling.
- Pull the LES allotment section.
- Walk each allotment with the Marine.
- For each, confirm: still active need, correct amount, correct recipient.
- Identify any allotment to discontinue.
A Marine with an allotment to a paid-off auto loan is a Marine losing money every month to a lender taking it.
Common Allotments to Discontinue
- Auto loan paid off but allotment still running.
- Subscription service no longer used.
- Insurance policy lapsed but premium still deducting.
- Court-ordered support that has expired (children aged out).
- Charity gift the Marine no longer wishes to support.
The Marine submits the discontinuation per FMR procedures.
Life-Event-Driven Allotment Changes
Marriage.
- Spouse may need allotment for shared finances.
- Existing allotment to a parent or other family member may shift priority.
Divorce.
- Court-ordered spousal support allotment may begin.
- Existing spousal allotment may end.
Birth.
- Childcare allotment may begin.
- Savings allotment for the child's future may begin.
Death of a dependent.
- Existing dependent-related allotments end.
Each life event prompts an allotment review.
Court-Ordered Support
Court-ordered child or spousal support runs through allotment per the court order.
- The Marine submits the allotment per court order documentation.
- Failure to submit creates legal exposure.
- Adjusting the allotment without court order modification creates legal exposure.
Coordinate with legal if questions arise.
Coaching the Marine on Adding or Removing
The Marine's responsibility. Section coaches.
- Brief on the allotment process via myPay or NSIPS.
- Brief on the timing (allotment changes typically take effect the following pay period).
- Confirm the Marine knows how to verify the change.
Special Pay Considerations
Some allotments depend on special pay. If special pay ends, the allotment may run against base pay.
- Brief the Marine on the impact.
- Adjust the allotment if needed.
Common Allotment Review Failures
- Annual review skipped, dead allotments run for years.
- Court-ordered support not started timely.
- Court-ordered support continued past expiration.
- Marine never briefed on self-management.
- Section assumes allotments are clean because the LES looks normal.
Where to Go Next
- BAH error catch for the parallel rate verification.
- GTCC delinquency for the parallel pay-impact issue.
- Personal financial management program for the broader financial health.
Same topic, other roles
References