When will I get my Final Pay/W-2 after separation?

SPC Melanie Warner — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:41:51 -0500

What is the max time the Military can hold a paycheck/ W2?

I seperated on Augest 12th 2022. I took leave Aprox. a month prior to receiveing my draft DD214. The 28 days i took of leave (end june-mid july) was not removed from my leave days. Finance says they have been attempting to get ahold of my prior unit, without sucess. Mind you, finance is directly next to my old Company. we share the same smoke pit.... Anyway, because my LES is showing 42 days of leave and i told finance that i took 28 of that (my mistake?) its now been 5 months without my final pay and Im unable to get my W2 from my pay. Previous unit is located in Stuttgart, Germany so going back in person is not really an option. Anyone experiance a similar issue?
*update*
Seems Finance has decided to stop waiting on the unit. I received and email stating they are relaseing my pay, Thank you Everyone!

Response by COL Randall C. made Jan 19 at 2023 7:50 PM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:50:32 -0500

When someone separates from the military, the final pay is held until a pay audit is conducted on the servicemember's account. The GOAL is that is is completed within 60 days, but I've regularly heard of SMs where it has taken six months or more to complete.

Suggest you contact the DFAS customer service [login to see] , option 4) and push the processes since you don't have a servicing pay entity supporting you now. If after you contact them and there doesn't seem to be any progress (give them at least a couple of weeks), then call and request that DFAS customer service transfer you over to an Ombudsman (they normally will do this when it's a situation they can't handle easily).

Regarding the W2, there is no reason you shouldn't have access to it now. Remember - your W2 reflects the money that you actually received during the year, not the money you were entitled to receive. If you log onto myPay, there should be a W2 reflecting your military pay from 1 JAN 22 through your last paycheck (probably Mid-July I would guess). Once the audit on your account is completed and reconciled, then you'll get a final paycheck in 2023 (Yes, you'll have to remember to include the W2 on your 2023 taxes even though you've been out of the military for 15+ months at that point).

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2023 12:31 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 00:31:40 -0500

It sounds like the issue is your old unit failing, or your finance failing to actually contact your unit. I know that here in Italy our Finance is infamous for closing cases from DFAS without telling the unit they need more documents. I don't say this often, but you may want to file a Congressional complaint if you have exhausted every other avenue of approach, including contacting your old unit.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 20 at 2023 4:52 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:52:03 -0500

This thread reminds me that there are smarter people than I.