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KateHorrell

Helping Military and Veteran Families Be Confidently Prepared for The Next Stage of Life

Your Military Retirement Move: Travel, Household Goods and Storage

28 November 2023 This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

This post is part of The Comprehensive Military Retirement Checklist . Be sure to read all the other posts that go with the checklist, too!

As with all information on this website, this is not an official source. We gather and distill information so that’s easy to access and understand, but we can’t share every possible variation and exception. Always refer to official sources and verify that information provided applies to your unique situation.

Travel Allowances

The travel allowances are slightly different for a final move. You will not receive Temporary Lodging or Dislocation Allowances . However, you will receive Mileage Allowance in Lieu of Transportation (MALT) and Per Diem for travel days .

Household Goods

The Department of Defense, in its infinite wisdom, has taken down the  Move.mil website and migrated some of its content to MilitaryOneSource. It has some helpful information Your local personal property office is also a great resource, especially if you have specific questions.

Retirement moves are authorized to a home of selection . Your home of selection may be anywhere in the  United States, and that move will be covered up to the usual weight limit, based on rank and dependency status .

Members may also choose an non-US location, but will be responsible for costs that exceed the cost of a CONUS location. That amount is determined by calculating the cost of transporting your entire weight allowance to the farthest possible location from your last duty station but still within Continental United States. While a typical Home of Selection can be anywhere in the US or a non-US home of record, the calculations for someone choosing an “any other place” move are only calculated using CONUS locations.

From the Joint Travel Regulations, 051003(B)(3) :

One retiree talks about how it works in this article: Expat Retiree Profile: Early Retirement in New Zealand (With Kids).

You may schedule this move as soon as you have retirement orders, or wait up to three years after retirement. (The three-year timeline is for retirements after 24 June 2022 . So if someone tells you it is 1 year, they probably don’t know about that change.)

Extensions to the Moving Timeframe

An extension to the three-year limit may be granted for specific situations. Each branch handles extensions a little differently, but generally extensions are authorized when:

• The service member is enrolled in an educational program
• The service member is receiving medical treatment
• There are other extenuating circumstances. Examples that are usually given include legal action, delay in selling a home, etc.

That said, the services have shown a wide range of latitude in granting exceptions. My personal position is that if an extension would help, you should definitely request one, but don’t make any plans with the expectation that it will definitely be approved. 

Storage (Temporary and Non-Temporary)

You are authorized both temporary and non-temporary storage for your retirement move.

Temporary storage, or short-term storage, is up to 90 days. Your household goods will be moved to the final location you’ve designated, and will be delivered to you from that storage location. Once you’ve designated a short-term storage location, you can’t change it because your household goods have already been moved. Think carefully before choosing the temporary storage option, as you will almost always be responsible for storage costs that exceed the 90 days. I know that 90 days sounds like a long time to get settled, but many things can delay that timeline.

Non-temporary storage, or long-term storage, happens in the area of your last duty station. Non-temporary storage is authorized for up to 1 year. Extensions may be possible for additional time. Just like extensions on the final move, it’s generally meant for specific reasons and not for the general convenience or preference of the service member, but, also like final moves, it doesn’t hurt to ask. My advice? Assume that it won’t be approved, ask anyway, and be pleasantly surprised if it is.

You will likely be billed for the cost of storage beyond 3 years, but the government will pay the cost of delivery.

Some people misunderstood the change that extended moving entitlements from one year to three years, and think that it also applies to non-temporary storage. It does not.

The Trick If You Don’t Know Where You Are Going To Move

As discussed above, you are automatically eligible for up to 12 months of household goods (HHG) storage at the government expense, but you must designate that you are putting your HHG into non-temporary storage when it is stored. Non-temporary storage will be at the location of your final duty station, unless you were stationed overseas. You may then request up to four one-year extensions of storage for very specific reasons . You must request the extension prior to the expiration of your existing storage, and renewals are not guaranteed. (I’ve heard rumor that it is getting harder to get extensions, but I don’t have any facts or figures on that.) At the end of your storage, the military will delivery your HHG to your Home of Selection (HOS).

However, there is a trick. If you file your final travel claim, that travel claim locks in your HOS and you can’t designate a different location for later HHG delivery (or you maybe can, but you may have to pay excess charges.)

This rule could change at any moment, but if you aren’t sure where you will settle, ask a LOT of questions of the personal property office. It appears that you have more options if you haven’t filed your final travel claim.

Personally Procured Moves

You may choose to do a personally procured move (Do It Yourself/DITY move) for your final move. The only difference is that you may not be authorized an advance of the cost of the move.

Short Distance Moves

If you currently reside in government quarters, you may be required to vacate quarters before you are actually moving. In this case, you may be eligible for a local area move from government quarters to a temporary local residence. While this does not count as your retirement move, it does require authorization and funding. Situations may vary, and this is something that definitely needs to be coordinated with your local personal property office to ensure that you have the right documentation for the move to be paid.

The last move with the military is a great benefit that lets you get yourself and your belonging to your new home! Understanding the little details can ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible.

About Kate Horrell

28 November 2020 at 2:25 pm

Great article. If SM is living in GQ and has obtained a job and staying in the same area, will the mil still pay for the less than 10 mile move?

28 November 2020 at 3:06 pm

Hi Heather – your specifics may vary, but in general, you should be eligible for a short-distance move to get you out of government quarters. This may retain your retirement move in case you want to use it before the expiration period. Definitely check with your personal property office to see your options!

19 May 2021 at 11:56 pm

Hello! Any ideas where the NTS location would be if you are retiring from overseas, Japan specifically? My husband hasn’t been stationed stateside since 2007 & is likely retiring from Japan. Thank you!

21 September 2022 at 12:39 am

Would lodging and per diem also apply to a SrA discharging after completion of enlistment? If it does, how come the DD Form 2278 (July 2021) does not reference either item or show number of authorized days? It only appears to show “Estimated Constructive Costs” in Block 8. Thanks

14 March 2023 at 8:32 am

Thanks for the insight. FYI there’s an update to the limit window for retirement moves from one year to the from the start. still with up to 6 years with waivers applied – one year at a time. You might consider putting an edit in this article to keep it relevant for others like me who find this helpful and clear any confusion. Happy Supporting!

14 March 2023 at 9:51 am

OH, gosh, thanks Donald. I had changed it in several places in that article but had missed two. That’s not helpful at all! I appreciate your note!!

14 March 2023 at 8:34 am

edit to my comment: *from one year to three from the start of retirement.

25 March 2023 at 9:36 am

Where in the JTR does it say you can schedule your retirement move as soon as you have your orders? I was looking for it and could not find it.

26 March 2023 at 4:30 pm

Daniela, it doesn’t say it specifically because it is true of any orders. You can move when you have orders.

20 June 2023 at 8:53 am

Thanks for the update on the 1 year to the 3 year rule. Can you tell me the JTR reference that includes the wording “The three-year timeline is for orders written after 24 June 2022”. My orders were Written and approved as of Jan 2022 but my official retirement date was 30 Jun 20022. So, technically the date of my retirement order ia 30 Jun 2022 but I could see where someone could potential deny the 3 year rule since the wording in the article states for orders written after 24 Jun 2022. Just want to validate what teh JTR states so I can properly file with my Home of Station move documents. Thanks Steve

20 June 2023 at 9:54 am

It looks like you are in luck. Here’s what the JTR says in section 051003 I

https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jan/04/2002917147/-1/-1/0/JTR.PDF#page=249

“I. Time Limitations for Travel to the HOS. A Service member and dependent must begin travel to an HOS within 3 years of the Service member’s termination from active duty unless additional time is authorized or approved through the Secretarial Process. A Service member is eligible for the 3 year time limitation if the active duty termination effective date is on or after June 24, 2022. The 3 year time limitation does not apply retroactively to a travel authorized for a Service member or dependent with an effective active duty termination date before the effective date.”

Thanks for asking! I’ve made the post more clear AND I’ve learned how to send a link to a specific page of a document. Win-win!

Congratulations on your retirement.

20 June 2023 at 1:04 pm

Thank you ma’am. Appreciate the quick response and helpful information.

30 June 2023 at 10:04 pm

I was told I only get MALT when traveling to HOS for retirement. I thought I also get per diem for travel days, but not get free travel days.

3 July 2023 at 8:28 am

Sounds like a possible miscommunication. You’re authorized “MALT Plus,” which is MALT plus a flat rate per diem. Some personnel may not understand what the Plus stands for.

Alternately, you got a clerk who doesn’t know what they are doing and you’re going to have to argue with them. But the JTR is clear – it’s section 051003 if you need to print it out and show it to them.

7 July 2023 at 11:26 am

Hi, noticed HOS says “anywhere in the continental United States” but it actually includes anywhere in the US including Alaska and Hawaii

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/transition-retirement/separation/deciding-where-to-live-when-you-leave-the-military/

1 August 2023 at 9:40 am

Hi there! I will be starting my PTDY and skillbridge next July but I would like to move my family and HHGs in March using our retirement PCS entitlement before I leave my duty station (I’ll live with a friend). Is this authorized?

1 August 2023 at 6:03 pm

You can move your family as soon as you have your retirement orders in hand. When that will happen will depend on a bunch of factors. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!

28 October 2023 at 10:11 pm

Hello, I would like to put my HHG into storage prior to starting a skillbridge and terminal leave (totaling 6 months). The HHG will be in storage for 6 months before my official retirement date. How long will the Army pay for the HHG storage? 6 months beyond retirement (12 mo total) or 1 year beyond retirement (18 mo total)?

And would the 3 years for shipping be from retirement date or date HHG entered storage?

3 January 2024 at 4:30 pm

We retired October 31, 2023 and are having trouble submitting our final travel claim. We’ve tried submitting to DFAS but they don’t process this for the Navy using the smart voucher. We talked to many people at MNCC with no luck. My husband’s last command hasn’t gotten back to us in months. Do you have any guidance on how to submit the final travel claim for retiring from the Navy.

10 January 2024 at 8:23 pm

I had my stuff in NTS for skillbridge. At end of skillbridge and prior to my DOS, the AF extended HYT so I withdrew my retirement and did not separate but I havnt found a place to live yet. What do I do?

15 January 2024 at 5:26 pm

Wow B – that’s definitely a unique situation. I have a suspicion what will happen, but really only your household goods office can say for sure.

29 March 2024 at 6:37 pm

We are doing a PPM move and having to go into an Airbnb till we get a place. Since we are doing a PPM, can we still get to use the Temporary Storage for 90 day? If so, do you know how that works with temp controlled and reimbursement?

1 April 2024 at 2:45 pm

Great question. I don’t want to tell you the answer that I *think* I know because I can’t prove that it works. Check out these document so you’re prepared when you go ask at the transportation office. https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/part-iv/dtr_part_iv_411.pdf https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/part-iv/dtr_part_iv_app_k_1.pdf

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Military retirement pay is one of the top three benefits of military service along with medical and other benefits. Also, all military retirements are protected from inflation by annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as measured by the Department of Labor. 

Military Retirement Plans

A military retirement plan could be considered one of the best retirement plans around. There are a few options depending on when you began your service. Know your options and how to calculate your military retirement pay to find out which option is best for you.

If you began your military service before Sep. 7, 1980, you’re eligible for the Final Pay Retirement system. Your retired pay is calculated by multiplying your final base pay by 2.5% for every year of service.

If your military service began between Sep. 8, 1980, and July 31, 1986, you are eligible for the High 36 Retirement System. High 36 is very similar to the Final Pay Retirement System except your retired pay is calculated using an average of the three highest paid years of service.

If your military service began between Aug. 1, 1986, and Dec. 31, 2017, you qualify for REDUX Retirement System or the High 36 System. This system is based on your highest 36 months base pay. After your 15 year service anniversary you will receive a Career Status Bonus (CSB) and your retirement pay is reduced. If you have 30 years or more of service, there is no pay reduction.

Blended Retirement System (BRS)

If you began your military service after Jan. 1, 2018, you are eligible for the Blended Retirement System (BRS) . With BRS, you will receive 40% of your base pay after 20 years and a bonus at 12 years, which is 2.5% of your annual base pay. The military will contribute 1% of your base pay to your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) .

If you are determined to be medically unfit for service with a DoD disability rating of at least 30%, you are eligible for disability pay. This is calculated using percentage of disability or years of credible service.

Retired Pay Base

There are two ways of calculating your military retired pay base, the final pay method and the high 36 method. The final pay method sets the retired base pay equal to the final basic pay. The high 36 method is the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay. The date you began your military service will determine which method is used to calculate your retired pay base.

Retired Pay Multiplier

Final pay and high 36 plan multiplier.

For the Final Pay and High 36 retirement plans each year of service is 2.5% to your retirement multiplier. Depending on the type of service, active duty or reserve, your years of creditable service will be calculated differently. 

REDUX Plan Multiplier 

If you qualify for the REDUX retirement plan, your multiplier is reduced for each year less than 30 years of service at retirement. 

Disability Plan Multiplier

The disability retirement multiplier will be the highest of the assigned disability percentage at retirement not exceeding 75% or by the applicable retirement plan multiplier and years of service.

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

All military retirement plans include an annual Cost of Living Adjust (COLA). Each retirement plan adjustment is based on changes with the Consumer Price Index. For the Final Pay, High 36, Disability, and BRS retirement plans, the yearly cost of living adjustment is equal to the percentage increase of the CPI.

For the REDUX retirement plan the COLA is about one percentage point less than the other retirement plans. If you have the REDUX plan you’ll be given a on time adjustment at 62 years of age to make up the difference in COLA to equal what it would have been for High 36. The COLA will then revert to the previous percentage.

The Blended Retirement System

Should you switch to the new Blended Retirement System? We have the details to help you decide.

Retirement Pay

National Guard & Reserve members who complete a minimum 20 qualifying years of service become eligible for retired pay at age...

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) offers service members flexibility in investment planning.

Concurrent Receipt of Disability Pay lets you get military retirement pay and VA disability compensation at the same time.

It's important that all retirees periodically review their military retirement pay to ensure all information is up-to-date.

Retirees residing in the United States can have their paychecks sent by EFT to a financial institution.

Military retiree and annuitant pay day is always on the first business day of the month.

Retired servicemembers are permitted to continue some allotments that they had in effect while on active duty.

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FinanceBuzz

15 Simple Ways To Travel Cheap During Retirement

Posted: April 30, 2024 | Last updated: April 30, 2024

Many retirees have travel ambitions during their golden years, yet the potential cost of globetrotting may keep some from realizing those dreams.

Fear not: Traveling, even internationally , can be done on a budget with some smart planning.

To help you hit all the destinations on your bucket list, here are 15 tips for people hoping to retire — or even  retire early — and travel on a budget.

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Be flexible with dates

If you are a retiree, you might be able to keep more money in your bank account by being flexible so you can save on flights and hotels once you step up your travel game .

This could mean booking a vacation in advance and choosing to leave and return on the dates with the cheapest flights. Or it might mean being open to booking a trip when airfares suddenly plunge or hotels reduce their prices to fill empty rooms.

Are you a homeowner? Don't let unexpected home repairs drain your bank account.

Travel during off-season

Traveling to hot destinations during “shoulder” seasons — when travel demand briefly dips — is a great way to avoid major crowds and save some cash.

For European destinations, the shoulder season is typically spring or fall. Visiting hot spots — such as Paris or Rome — during these seasons is a favorite strategy among travel enthusiasts because the weather is still pleasant and it’s easier to score great deals.

Prioritize purchases

If travel is a priority, cutting back on spending in other areas can make vacations more feasible.

That might mean fewer dinners out or cutting back on things like expensive gift-giving.

Grow Your $$: 11 brilliant ways to build wealth after 40

Look up exchange rates

Your dollars will go further in specific destinations when the U.S. dollar is particularly strong compared to foreign currencies.

For example, if a trip to Japan is on your travel bucket list, you may want to look up exchange rates and plan your trip when the dollar is strong compared to the Japanese yen.

Monitor flight prices

Begin monitoring flight prices a few months before your trip. Get familiar with what a typical round-trip costs and regularly monitor the prices.

That way, if a deal pops up, you will recognize it and can jump on it.

Beware of foreign-transaction fees

Foreign transaction fees can really add up on international vacations. Check out what sort of fees your credit cards charge.

In some cases, it may be worth it to apply for a credit card with perks like no foreign transaction fees and ATM fee reimbursement.

Retire Sooner: Take this quiz to see if you can retire early

Make the most of travel rewards

Savvy travelers can save big by taking advantage of travel credit cards to earn travel rewards . Many credit cards let customers use points to book travel, including flights and hotels.

If you plan to travel by air frequently, it may also be worth it to sign up for a frequent flyer program so you can use miles to pay for future flights.

Travelers who plan ahead can save money. 

Airlines typically have their flight schedules planned 11 months in advance, so you can track flight prices for months before booking.

This will also provide ample time to shop around and get the best deal on a hotel.

Combine destinations

If two or more travel destinations on your bucket list are relatively close together, you can save big money by combining multiple destinations into one trip.

For example, many tourists visiting Europe will hit two or more countries on the same trip. You can book a “multi-city” flight or a round-trip that flies into one city and out of another.

9 nearly secret things to do if you fly Southwest

Skip the rental car

The cost of rental cars can really add up. And while renting a vehicle might still seem convenient, plenty of hot tourist destinations have easy-to-navigate public transportation options.

It’s also often wise to book accommodations within walking distance of the sites you plan to see.

Find travel buddies

Finding friends who will split travel costs — like hotel rooms, gas, rental cars, groceries, and more — can cut your overall vacation cost significantly.

Even planning a trip with just one other travel buddy or couple can lead to major savings.

Skip overpriced hotspots

A weekend with the family in Disneyland or at a beachfront condo may seem like a dream. But savvy travelers can save a lot by avoiding hotspots known to overcharge tourists.

If a hotspot is a must-see destination for you, consider being flexible about the dates and seasons you travel so you can take advantage of opportunities to save.

Do some grocery shopping

Food prices can add up quickly on vacation, especially if the accommodations you’re staying in do not have much of a kitchen.

Doing some grocery shopping — either before leaving or after you arrive at the destination — can help keep spending on food in check.

If you’re traveling by plane and can fit all your essentials into a carry-on bag, you’ll save a lot by not shelling out extra cash to check a bag. Checking just one bag can add $30 or more to your costs each time you board a plane.

Pro tip: If you are looking for budget flights, make sure you’re not booking a “basic economy” trip that charges extra for carry-on bags — unless you plan to pack extremely light.

Rent your home

If you are dreaming of a long vacation — say, a month or longer — you might be able to earn some passive income to add to your travel budget by renting out your home.

You can rent your home on a travel marketplace, such as Airbnb, or find a short-term tenant.

Bottom line

Retirement is a great time to see the world, but planning long or extravagant vacations on a fixed budget might seem intimidating.

However, with some careful planning, you can build fulfilling travel goals into your retirement budget and lower your financial stress .

More from FinanceBuzz:

• 7 things to do if you’re barely scraping by financially.
• 6 genius hacks Costco shoppers should know.
• Find the best travel credit card for nearly free travel.
• Can you retire early? Take this quiz and find out.

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