How long is your pay held after separation? I've been out a week and while I have a savings, I'm getting a little worried. Is this common?

SPC Lisa Nolasco — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 10:50:10 -0400

I also took the separation pay as I RCPed as a SPC. Is that maybe why they're holding my final pay longer? I also owed CIF 100 dollars. What is the longest they can hold your pay?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 10:58 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 10:58:21 -0400

I believe technically they can hold your pay as long as you have an outstanding debt, but you'd think they would just pay CIF with what you have incoming.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 11:07 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:07:02 -0400

If I remember, based off the last conversation I had about this with transition, they hold your final pay 30 days till after your ETS.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 11:09 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:09:29 -0400

Hunt the good stuff, lets reword " I'm inpatient and did not read the fine print"

Response by SPC Lisa Nolasco made Jul 3 at 2018 11:13 AM

SPC Lisa Nolasco — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:13:21 -0400

No. I did know that they would hold my pay. I'm just asking people how long they waited. Thanks.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Jul 3 at 2018 12:17 PM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 12:17:26 -0400

Anything between 30-60 days.

Response by SSgt Holden M. made Jul 3 at 2018 1:47 PM

SSgt Holden M. — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 13:47:58 -0400

For me it was just a matter of my final check after my terminal leave was up so it might be a little different but it was a month after what would have been my last pay day because I was told somebody at DFAS had to calculate up the amount I was to receive and then it had to process for payment.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 2:21 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 14:21:14 -0400

Should be 30 days

Response by SPC Lisa Nolasco made Jul 3 at 2018 2:22 PM

SPC Lisa Nolasco — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 14:22:14 -0400

Thank you to the people that actually answered my questions.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jul 3 at 2018 2:33 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 14:33:54 -0400

30 days is what they tell you. Did you pay CIF directly and get cleared by Finance?

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jul 3 at 2018 3:20 PM

SFC Stephen King — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 15:20:09 -0400

https://www.dfas.mil/militaryseparations.html
Final Pay and Debt
Wondering why you haven't received your final pay? The timeline varies based on your service and specific situation. For questions about what you'll be paid and when you'll get it, go to your separating office first.

Before you receive your final pay your finance, or administrative, office audits your pay account. If your finance office finds debts of any amount on your pay account – it can take up to 120 days or more to get your final check. Even small debts that are less than your final pay amount can delay your pay.

Examples of common small debts:

Tuition debts
Travel overpayments
Property loss debts that you haven’t settled
Small pay adjustment debts
No matter what your particular situation, getting educated about your service’s procedures for separation will help you avoid debt. For more specific service information, view your service page.

militaryseparations.html

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 3 at 2018 4:05 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 16:05:56 -0400

Google DFAS # and ask for Military Pay.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 3 at 2018 4:46 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 16:46:08 -0400

As long as they want- seriously normally up to 30 days is common, and theyu will take the CIF claim 1st.

Response by SGT Darin Jenkins made Jul 5 at 2018 2:38 AM

SGT Darin Jenkins — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 02:38:36 -0400

When I got out in Dec 7 they held my pay until the end of march you have to be all over DFAS bug the hell out of them. But wait for them call them everyday...

Response by SPC Lisa Nolasco made Jul 6 at 2018 3:51 PM

SPC Lisa Nolasco — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 15:51:30 -0400

UPDATE-

Got my separation pay yay not my final check yet but were ok now.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Dec 27 at 2020 5:33 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 17:33:47 -0500

Answer: until they are done.
Your entire account between you and Uncle Sam goes in for audit, to ensure they don't owe you and you don't owe them and over pay, then take it back etc.

The fact that you had a debt complicated it. Would have been faster to pay CIF with a cash collection voucher. I realize that may or may not have been possible for you personally at the time. Was it tied up in a FLIPL? That could really stymie things. 75 days is the regulatory length of a FLIPL, which can, and does get extended by the Appointing Authority.

If nothing is wrong 30-45 days is normal. US Army and I were "even" and it took 30 days after we said goodbye after 22 years of TDY vouchers, over a dozen PCSs, deployments, and one particularly nasty year long BAH fight about who did or didn't in process Ft Campbell with CPL Owens, 36B, who refused to let me make copies of anything....