Posted on Jan 19, 2023
When will I get my Final Pay/W-2 after separation?
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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!
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!
Military Pay
Finance
Stuttgart
Transition
Career Counselor
Edited 2 y ago
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 3
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).
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).
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SPC Melanie Warner
Sir,
I contacted DFAS C.S about 3 months in. They told me to call the finance office at my last duty station. After contacting them, I was told of the issue that arose during the audit. I was said that I would recieve 55% of my check and told to attempt to contact my old unit as they have had no luck. I recieved the 55% on Dec 15th. I've emailed back a few times since Dec 12th asking the next step if the unit does not respond and they have not replied again.
In referance to the W2, I looked back on my pay and the "W-2 release date" says January 24th 2023. I appreciate your response and I will see if it updates on said date.
I contacted DFAS C.S about 3 months in. They told me to call the finance office at my last duty station. After contacting them, I was told of the issue that arose during the audit. I was said that I would recieve 55% of my check and told to attempt to contact my old unit as they have had no luck. I recieved the 55% on Dec 15th. I've emailed back a few times since Dec 12th asking the next step if the unit does not respond and they have not replied again.
In referance to the W2, I looked back on my pay and the "W-2 release date" says January 24th 2023. I appreciate your response and I will see if it updates on said date.
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COL Randall C.
SPC Melanie Warner - Sent you a DM with contact information for a milpay ombudsman at DFAS.
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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.
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SPC Melanie Warner
Lead finance spc. in Kleber emailed this morning saying he was going to release my check! Ironically, after a few weeks of no reply, I post on here and it gets solved without any other action.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC Melanie Warner what they are saying is that they will pay you for your leave. When/if your unit processes your leave form, you will owe a debt of one month of base pay.
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