Combat Pay

SNAP regulation requires the exclusion of certain combat-related pay from household income. Combat pay earned by a service member while s/he is actively serving in a Federally-designated combat zone is noncountable for SNAP purposes. This allowance is usually paid in addition to the service member’s basic pay. However, combat pay earned by the service member prior to his/her deployment to a Federally-designated combat zone is countable.

Verifications

To verify combat pay, you should request the following documents:

A copy of the service member’s deployment order;
A copy of the service member’s leave and earnings statement (LES) immediately before deployment; and
A copy of the service member’s leave and earnings statement (LES) after deployment.

Leave and earnings statements can be printed through the service member’s online myPay account. This service is administered by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Identifying Combat – Related Pay

The following procedures must be followed to determine how much to exclude from the service member’s pay:

Verifying Federally-Designated Combat Zones

You must verify whether the combat zone described in the service member’s deployment order is one of the Federally-designated combat zones recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense.

To find a comprehensive list of combat zones, reference Volume 7A, Chapter 44 of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DoDFMR)

Refer to Section 440203, relating to Combat Zone Tax Exclusions (CZTE). Combat pay received for deployment or service in a Combat Zone (CZ) is excluded. Combat pay earned as a result of deployment or service in a Qualified Hazardous Duty Area or Direct Support Area is not excluded.

Analyzing the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)

Review the provided leave and earnings statements. Determine whether the service member is receiving Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) and/or Hazardous Duty Pay Location (HDP-L). These amounts can be found under the entitlements section of the LES.

Determining Which Payments are Countable and Noncountable

IDP and HDP-L payments received by the service member prior to his/her deployment are countable for SNAP.

IDP and HDP-L payments received after the service member has been deployed are noncountable for SNAP.

Note: If you have additional questions about interpreting leave orders or LES statements, please speak with your manager about contacting the service member’s supporting finance office or email the Defense Finance and Accounting Service at DFAS.Indianapolis-IN.JFL.mbx.dfas-in-systems@mail.mil.

Income Available to the Household

A service member may elect to have his/her military income deposited into a joint bank account that is shared by the service member and his/her family back home. This is the most common financial arrangement. Additionally, service members are also given the option to deposit their military income into separate allotment accounts. In this situation, the service member may choose to have a portion of his/her income deposited into a personal bank account with the remaining balance deposited into a second account to be used by his/her family.

It is the responsibility of the service member to decide how his/her military income is received and allocated. DTA needs to know the amount of the service member’s income that is made available to the household. Only income made available to the household is considered when determining SNAP eligibility and benefit level. Combat-related pay that is available to the household must then be excluded from the overall amount the service member allocates to his/her family. The applicant may verify this financial arrangement by using the telephonic signature line to provide a telephonic self-declaration. This option is allowed since it may be difficult for the family to collect a statement from the service member while s/he is serving in a combat zone.

If you send a VC-1 for a self-declaration of the financial arrangement, but then the client subsequent provides the telephonic self-declaration, you must mark the item as verified in the Verifications tab by selecting Other under Documents of Evidence, typing “Telephonic Self-Declaration” in the textbox, and clicking Save.

Reminder: If the client submits a written and signed self-declaration for any self-declarable verification item, you must accept the verification. Do NOT direct the client to resubmit the self-declaration using the electronic telephonic signature line to provide telephone verification.

Example

Regina Spekter comes in to a local TAO to apply for SNAP benefits for herself and her 10 year-old daughter. During her interview she states that her husband David is a soldier serving overseas.

Regina is informed that a portion of her husband’s military income may be countable for SNAP. She is advised to submit a copy of his deployment order, his leave and earnings statement immediately before deployment and his leave and earnings statement after deployment.

She is also advised to speak with her husband to determine how they intend to split his monthly military income. Regina must submit a written self-declaration to explain how much of David’s income will be made available to her. Regina must also identify whether any portion of that income is pulled from her husband’s combat pay allowance.

Two weeks later, Regina submits all requested verifications. She provides the Department with her husband’s deployment order. It’s confirmed that David is serving in a Federally-recognized combat zone. Therefore, combat pay that he earns in addition to his basic pay may be excluded. His most recent leave and earnings statement shows that he is paid $2,000 per month in basic pay and $225 per month in Imminent Danger Pay (IDP). David’s total military income is $2,225 per month. A bank statement shows this amount is deposited into a joint account that is shared by the couple.

Regina provides a written self-declaration that explains how her husband’s monthly military income is allocated. She states that $1,000 is available to her. The remaining $1,225 is earmarked for use by her husband overseas. Out of the $1000 in income available to her, $200 comes from the service member’s monthly combat pay allowance. This self-declared amount should never exceed the actual combat pay allotment received by the service member.

You must exclude this portion of combat pay from the total amount of military income made available to the family. See below:

A.	$2,000	David’s basic pay per month.
B.	$225	David’s Imminent Danger Pay (combat pay allowance).
C.	$2,000 + $225= $2,225	David’s gross monthly military income.
D.	$1,000	Portion of David’s income made available to the family.
E.	$1,000 - $200 = $800	Combat pay made available to the family must then be excluded from the amount found on line D.
F.	$800	Countable unearned income for SNAP.

You must enter this calculated amount in the Other Income Status page as an Assistance Payment. A detailed narrative must be written to explain how this amount was determined.