Focused guides for the search questions behind military pay planning.
These are the side-by-side breakdowns I wish someone had handed me before my first PCS. Each one answers a high-stakes money question — "will I actually take home more in Texas or California?", "how much does adding a dependent really change my BAH?" — with real 2026 numbers, an assumptions table, and the SCRA and tax traps that quietly cost service members money. Base pay is federal and identical nationwide; these guides focus on what actually varies: housing allowance, state tax, and dependency status.
Every comparison above pairs with a calculator. Open one in another tab and plug in your exact rank, years of service, duty ZIP, dependency status, and TSP percentage.