PCS Moves realizations

[Eagle5US]

As my time in service progresses, I begin to wonder more and more how the younger troops aren't in absolute survival mode with some things.
I attended many of my briefings this week for my PCS move, including finance. We are doing a partial "Do it yourself" or "DITY" move to our new station: Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Finance calculates it as 2121 miles from Ft. Lewis, WA.

Now the money part: In filling out the paperwork for the DITY, here is the logic-
If the gov't is going to pay a contractor 100% to move a specific weight-> they will pay the service member 80% of what they would pay the contractor. Of that 80% authorized, they take 25% off the top for taxes-so you only get 60% of what the contactor would get. AND this remaining 60% counts as income.

Based on a round figure, say $1000 getting paid to a carrier:
service member authorized: $800
less 25% for taxes $200
Leaves snuffy with $600 when United Van Lines gets a grand!

Let's go one step further...
For me to DRIVE to Leonard Wood I'll get paid by the mile to drive my POV, and my passengers will as well.
Now that gas prices are at / about $3/GAL this is pretty important. I was stupified when the SSG briefed the new milage rate is $.15 per mile for the driver and $.02 for the passenger
FIFTEEN CENTS A MILE!!! That works out to a little over $350 to drive from here to there. Friggin YIKES!
I asked why so low? His reponse was odd-DoD is encourageing people to fly to their next duty station and have their vehicles shipped by private carrier. That way there is no per diem to pay when they travel and it saves DoD money. "OK, so who pays to ship the vehicles?" I ask. "The service member pays the shipping cost, then files it as a claim on his travel voucher at destination-for which he gets reimbursed the per mile rate it would have cost him to drive.
Bottom line-PVT. Snuffy still out the $$$.

Things certainly are changing-it used to be about setting the soldier up for success and making sure he was taken care of. That POV seems to be dwindling. Sad....

Eagle

[M4Guru]

i'm loading a U-Haul as we speak...had to take a break for a good ol Fayetteville thunderstorm.

The day that Uncle Sugar could have picked up my goods was AFTER my report date...that was a big help, so I was forced to do a DITY move.

I feel your pain, man.

[jatx]

Don't forget that you can deduct your unreimbursed fuel, meals and lodging expenses incurred during the move, as well as $.18 per mile, according to the IRS. Plus, the difference between the actual cost of the moving van/trailer and what the Army payed you should also be deductible as an unreimbursed expense. Other items related to the move, like utility and telephone connection fees, should also be deductible.

Keeping track of the receipts is a pain, but is well worth it.

However, it still upsets me to think about the burden you describe being placed on Snuffy, who may not know much about taxes and probably hasn't built up much in the way of savings to draw on for what amounts to a "no interest" loan or outright subsidy to the government.

ETA: After thinking about it some more, your meals during a move are not deductible, so I take that back. I am able to deduct mine because I am self-employed.

[jatx]

Also, the IRS's position on moving expenses can be found in Publication 521, which includes specific guidlines for members of the Armed Forces.

Specifically, this quote w/r/t PCS moves may be of interest:

"If your reimbursements or allowances (from the Army) are less than your actual moving expenses, do not include the reimbursements or allowances in income. You can deduct the expenses that are more than your reimbursements."

Whether or not itemizing deductions will be of greater value than the standard deduction will depend on each individual's total circumstances, though, so both calculations should be done. I use the online version of TurboTax and it makes all this pretty simple to handle.

I hope this helps.

[The Reaper]

For my last several moves, I always did a partial DITY.

Forget the money. The real issues are that if you already have a truck, you get to take the first few weeks of essentials, since the movers almost never get there when you do, you get first dibs on what to haul (small, heavy, portable items), AND that any high value (guns, custom knives, prints, paintings, jewelry, electronics, motorcycles) personal, OR refusable items by the carrier (flammables, ammunition, reloading components). If it exceeds your truck capacity, rent/borrow a trailer.

Finally, if you bust weight, rather than you having to pay an outrageous sum for it out of pocket, they just don't pay you for hauling it.

I usually took 6,000-8,000 pounds myself, and let the movers deal with the drawer contents, dishes, mattresses and fridges, etc. My last convoy, I drove my truck with an 18" trailer grossing 18,000 pounds, the wife and kids rode in a motorhome towing the family car. Great way to move.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR

[gtcrispy]

Appreciate the information. I will most likely moving everything myself and driving from Ft. Bragg to Ft. Lewis in a few months.

[MtnGoat]

I personally like to do the partial "DITY" move to a new base. Mostly if you have a family, but works the same for a single soldier. Like TR said, it all about those high value (guns, custom knives, prints, paintings, jewelry, electronics, motorcycles, "Training Aids", ETC), OR refusable items by the carrier (flammable, ammunition, reloading components, "Training Aids"). I've had everytime something stolen from me during a move. The move from Bragg to Carson I had all of my tools stolen and some lawn items for some reason. Then the tool thing happen agian on the move back this time to Bragg. So Now I'll take all of the "good" items with me in a DITY move.

Also, if you have to have the GOV'T contractor move your stuff. You can buy (or use their's if its a 2-day packing) good "moving" boxes (tax write-off) (Not much) pack it yourself and then have them do the top off packing material and seal the box up for you.

Now that gas prices are at / about $3/GAL this is pretty important. I was stupified when the SSG briefed the new milage rate is $.15 per mile for the driver and $.02 for the passenger
FIFTEEN CENTS A MILE!!!

Now that needs to get changed!! I wonder how?? Humm

[Warrior-Mentor]

I swear by the partial DITY for the same reasons. In addition, DVDs and CDs should be included in the list of things to DITY...too easy for movers to hock them at Pawn Shops for cash. Your stuck figuring out which disks you had and trying to prove that you had them and get reimbursed for it. Pain in the ***.