Bonus

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On the Army side they very clearly stated that we would receive an indebtedness letter from DFAS with the option of paying back over 3 or 12 months vs a lump sum. Has anyone received one of these? I'm a little concern I won't get paid in the next few months. Knowing the government, they will wait until December and not give me a paycheck for Christmas.

Yes. That post I was describing the letter (via email) that I received from my local finance office outlining my debt owed and the paperwork to fill out/select the payback option. I have 30 days to respond otherwise they will just recoup in full from the following month check.

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WACAT - This is third hand information, but from my understanding if you haven't received a letter then your pay is not coming in the near future. There is a note on the bottom of my LES saying that a bonus is coming, but I haven't received a letter making me concerned that my pay specialty pay is not coming in Oct. I suspect it is going to be into Nov or beyond for many of us.
 
WACAT - This is third hand information, but from my understanding if you haven't received a letter then your pay is not coming in the near future. There is a note on the bottom of my LES saying that a bonus is coming, but I haven't received a letter making me concerned that my pay specialty pay is not coming in Oct. I suspect it is going to be into Nov or beyond for many of us.
Thanks for the info. I got switched over to the new bonus in August. Now that it has been over a month I'm just waiting for that letter. I didn't know it would come in an email. Maybe I should check my spam filter!
 
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Any recently graduated Army residents able to successfully sign the new IP contract? I'm being told that all residents signed a standard contract that ends in December 2017 and that this old contract must be amended by OTSG before the new contract can be signed.
 
Any recently graduated Army residents able to successfully sign the new IP contract? I'm being told that all residents signed a standard contract that ends in December 2017 and that this old contract must be amended by OTSG before the new contract can be signed.

If you are unsure or think your local special pay GS employees are borderline competent, I would contact the MC special pay office at HRC. You can find the contact info on the HRC web page. I have found them to be very helpful and usually reply within a day or two.
 
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If you are unsure or think your local special pay GS employees are borderline competent, I would contact the MC special pay office at HRC. You can find the contact info on the HRC web page. I have found them to be very helpful and usually reply within a day or two.

Thanks, Ill give them a call.
 
As of 22 Sep 2017 per local special pay office:

Army bonus
Sent to OTSG: 2 May 2017
OTSG to DFAS: 14 Aug 2017**
DFAS: (did not accept); no bonus pay in Oct 2017

OTSG did not process the contract until July/Aug so DFAS is pretty much clogged up. So at least 3 months processing by DFAS is guaranteed at this point. **OTSG did not process my contract until they receive e-mails from me BTW**.

If I get a bonus pay in Nov 2017 military took 6 months to process the bonus. Well to put this in context some colleagues need to wait over a year to get board certification pay. For future HPSP: Bottom line military will pay eventually if you notice it just not on time...As for debt you can bet that Army will find it and process it less than few days.
 
My September LES just appeared.

Recap: I got paid my legacy MSP/ISP as a lump on June 30th. Did not get ASP, VSP, or BCP from July onward. Did not get new med special pays.

August got a lump of "save pay" that remains confusing.

September LES shows "save pay" in an amount that is almost equal to (ASP + VSP + BCP) / 12. I assume I'll get that every month until next July, when I'll be migrated to the new pay system.

I think I'm being paid correctly now, but I'm still not sure if they still owe me money for July and August.
 
Haujun, I had the same problem, submitted my contract in June (when I usually do) and it didn't get processed until 31 Aug. The 2.5 month delay was not explained in any way that made sense, not that I expected anything less. I am in a multi-year and apparently I may get my multi year AND Oct ISP, but shouldn't touch the ISP because that will be taken back immediately when (if) I get converted. F#*!ing s#@! show.
 
22 SEP

No new bonus pay
Still receiving legacy VSP and BCP
No response from OTSG regarding status
Local special pay is fortunate to remember where they live, so I haven't tried going back a fourth time

I am going to bet I see nothing until JAN 2018, possibly later...too bad my financial obligations won't wait that long.
 
Similar situation (I'm Navy)... signed the new IP contract in the spring (I think May?), they recouped "save pay" which looked like my old VSP from that fiscal year. Graduated residency, signed IP contract for the 20K GMO bonus, pending the specialty pay I should get for next year. Got a random amount of "save pay" on 01 SEP, then get notified that I owe that "save pay" back in Nov. No one knows what's going on, and I am unclear if I'm getting the correct bonuses I deserve.

This frustration and messing with my money without clear reasons why is one of the many frustrations I have with the military.
 
Similar situation (I'm Navy)... signed the new IP contract in the spring (I think May?), they recouped "save pay" which looked like my old VSP from that fiscal year. Graduated residency, signed IP contract for the 20K GMO bonus, pending the specialty pay I should get for next year. Got a random amount of "save pay" on 01 SEP, then get notified that I owe that "save pay" back in Nov. No one knows what's going on, and I am unclear if I'm getting the correct bonuses I deserve.

This frustration and messing with my money without clear reasons why is one of the many frustrations I have with the military.

Welcome to the club. This will be the next 4+ years of your life!
 
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I guess I'll share my situation for the groups awareness. Not expecting anything to get processed anytime soon based on the above posts. I graduated residency this calendar year, so I never signed the old ISP or ASP contracts. My full IP contract should be active October 1st.

Requested new IP contract and BCP contract from local special pay branch: August 15th
Received contracts from local special pay branch: September 21st
Submitted contracts to local special pay branch: September 21st
Contracts sent to OTSG: ? (presumably this has been done)
Contracts sent to DFAS: ? (I doubt it at this point)

First October LES obviously shows no change.
 
nothing doing here, either. I sent my contract to my local office in APRIL. I think it was submitted to OTSG in Aug. recent AMEDD newsletter claimed they should all have been entered by DFAS by 30 Sep.

I know they kept claiming "it has always said up to 90 days" but what happens if it goes over 90 days? can I quit working?

more importantly, I'm in a deployed tax exclusion status right now. if they delay this until after I get back, will the pay be retroactively tax excluded? trying to get an answer to that now.

this is insane. you can't tell me they had no way of knowing this would happen-- they have "X" doctors, I'm pretty sure they can extrapolate how many CSP's that would be.

--your friendly neighborhood I wish I could be that incompetent and still get paid caveman
 
The timing of a bonus rarely matters for deployed officers and the CZTE. Large lump-sum bonuses received while deployed usually aren’t completely tax free because they greatly exceed the cap.

In the end, you’re going to file your taxes for the year and claim a deduction that will be capped at (# of months you were deployed at least 1 day that year) x (monthly base pay of the senior-most enlisted member of your branch of service).

As of 2017 that cap is $8165.10 per month. You’re what, an O5 over 12 or over 14 now, somewhere thereabouts? Your base pay is already about $7500-7800 per month.

Meaning you’ve only got a few hundred bucks of cap space per month left. So it doesn’t matter (much) when the lump sum bonus gets paid. Only a tiny piece of it will fit under the cap.

There are exceptions to the above for some enlisted members getting some re-enlistment bonuses. But officers are capped at $8165.10 per month.
 
The timing of a bonus rarely matters for deployed officers and the CZTE. Large lump-sum bonuses received while deployed usually aren’t completely tax free because they greatly exceed the cap.

In the end, you’re going to file your taxes for the year and claim a deduction that will be capped at (# of months you were deployed at least 1 day that year) x (monthly base pay of the senior-most enlisted member of your branch of service).

As of 2017 that cap is $8165.10 per month. You’re what, an O5 over 12 or over 14 now, somewhere thereabouts? Your base pay is already about $7500-7800 per month.

Meaning you’ve only got a few hundred bucks of cap space per month left. So it doesn’t matter (much) when the lump sum bonus gets paid. Only a tiny piece of it will fit under the cap.

There are exceptions to the above for some enlisted members getting some re-enlistment bonuses. But officers are capped at $8165.10 per month.

thanks for the info. helps my anxiety. last time I was deployed I was an O3 so it was a bigger deal. funded my 10k into the SDP and have been funneling funds into the roth TSP. also threw some money at some Canadian cannabis stocks which have taken off lately. the financial aspects of being deployed really aren't too shabby. ;)

half my colleagues have gotten theirs, so I'm hopeful to get mine in November.

--your friendly neighborhood canopy/aphria/aurora investing caveman
 
Got my ISP and MSP payments on 1 October based on the contract I signed 2 years ago. No deductions from ISP or adjustments for ASP/VSP/BSP have been added to my LES.

also threw some money at some Canadian cannabis stocks which have taken off lately.
I added to an already large position in MO that predates the PM/MO split based on the announcement by the FDA that nicotine levels will be regulated in combustible tobacco. Love that MO is tops in traditional tobacco, is the leader in "heat not burn" tobacco in partnership with PM, owns 10% of the AB/Miller/InBev conglomedate, and is prepared to dominate the cannabis market when the Feds change the laws.
 
Got my ISP and MSP payments on 1 October based on the contract I signed 2 years ago. No deductions from ISP or adjustments for ASP/VSP/BSP have been added to my LES.


I added to an already large position in MO that predates the PM/MO split based on the announcement by the FDA that nicotine levels will be regulated in combustible tobacco. Love that MO is tops in traditional tobacco, is the leader in "heat not burn" tobacco in partnership with PM, owns 10% of the AB/Miller/InBev conglomedate, and is prepared to dominate the cannabis market when the Feds change the laws.

XXII is an interesting grab-- they specialize in proprietary strains of low nicotine tobacco plants (going with the FDA low nicotine issue) and various cannabis strains with differing THC/CBD ratios. may be worth a look, has been a steady uptrend since mid summer.

--your friendly neighborhood speculating caveman
 
Still no bonus pay. So I guess it is a month late now. Not sure how late my BCP is. Are you supposed to get that from the date you took boards or the date you were notified you passed?

Also, saw this message through the grapevine:

From MilPay Ops:

**All bonus payments will be started to pay EOM October. Central Site is
running a query on those who will have a residual debt after the offset of
unpaid bonus from previous months of over $5k. They expect that population
to be around 1,100.

**They are also planning to send SMARTDOCS once they isolate the population
of soldiers who will still have a debt after the offset is completed.

**Please do not refer inquiries to Central Site. They are aware that some
customers have debts; they are working the issues. The health professionals
will have the opportunity to pay any debt back by cash collection but
Central Site must first complete all of the required transactions to make
the account whole.

They are using language I don't understand. Why would bonus payments be started EOM October? Shouldn't our new IP kick in October 1st? Does residual debt refer to people owing DFAS money because they were paid their original bonus, or does it refer to people who haven't received their IP? Are we supposed to understand this?
 
Anyone received bonus? I checked with my local hospital administrator who said that my contract is pending from OTSG for last two months. He says that there may be delays for 3 month as military transition to new system.

I think this is one of reason that military doctors get out. We never receive our small bonuses on time!

working hard. Everything will be fine with you!
 
I guess I'll share my situation for the groups awareness. Not expecting anything to get processed anytime soon based on the above posts. I graduated residency this calendar year, so I never signed the old ISP or ASP contracts. My full IP contract should be active October 1st.

Requested new IP contract and BCP contract from local special pay branch: August 15th
Received contracts from local special pay branch: September 21st
Submitted contracts to local special pay branch: September 21st
Contracts sent to OTSG: ? (presumably this has been done)
Contracts sent to DFAS: ? (I doubt it at this point)

First October LES obviously shows no change.

i’m pretty much in the exact same position as you (i think). my pay has been the exact same for several months now and no changes for my oct LES as well. hopefully things come soon, i want to get a license in the state i’m in, have to pay dues for medical society as well. world thinks we are made of money now that we are done residency, maybe the army will help out soon
 
Talked with my special pay office today. They said that my contract is now at DFAS. They estimated 2-3 weeks for processing. They said that prior to the budget being passed it was 45 days for processing, but now things are going more quickly. Seems like an optimistic estimate to me, but I guess we'll see!
 
Another story to this. My bonus did come through on the 1st of this month. I had been getting paid the old bonus amounts for VSP and board certification, but no lump sum payments. They took back 3 months of the VSP and board certification pay (3,500 for July, Aug, and Sep) as well as a lump sum of 5,000, which was the from the old October bonus being reset under the new contract back to July. There was no letter from finance or warning. They just took $8,500 out. Fortunately, they also paid me the bonus from the new contract back dated to July until now (16,333). All of that would be correct if they just left it like that, but they didn't. They also added a random debt of 3,500 in the comments section, which is the amount of the overpaid VSP and board certification that they already took out. Finance office couldn't tell me why so I've got a pay inquiry in and the SGT processing it didn't give me a ton of confidence that it will be sorted out quickly.

Life in the Army.
 
Another story to this. My bonus did come through on the 1st of this month. I had been getting paid the old bonus amounts for VSP and board certification, but no lump sum payments. They took back 3 months of the VSP and board certification pay (3,500 for July, Aug, and Sep) as well as a lump sum of 5,000, which was the from the old October bonus being reset under the new contract back to July. There was no letter from finance or warning. They just took $8,500 out. Fortunately, they also paid me the bonus from the new contract back dated to July until now (16,333). All of that would be correct if they just left it like that, but they didn't. They also added a random debt of 3,500 in the comments section, which is the amount of the overpaid VSP and board certification that they already took out. Finance office couldn't tell me why so I've got a pay inquiry in and the SGT processing it didn't give me a ton of confidence that it will be sorted out quickly.

Life in the Army.

I posted a capture of my own LES. Is this similar to how yours reads? I don't think the VSP+BCP were subtracted twice, as, "advanced debt" is listed under entitlements and then again under, "deductions". They did not subtract the 5000 for me, however. Is this still worth having someone in finance take a look at?


4L9cDK7
 
There should be a note in the remarks sections of your LES that states if you have a debt or not (and if so, how much it is). I have posted a picture of the remarks from my LES when I switched from resident VSP to resident IP last year.
 

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I posted a capture of my own LES. Is this similar to how yours reads? I don't think the VSP+BCP were subtracted twice, as, "advanced debt" is listed under entitlements and then again under, "deductions". They did not subtract the 5000 for me, however. Is this still worth having someone in finance take a look at?


4L9cDK7


Yes my LES does look like that and I understand that part is right. However, there is also a comment in the comments section that Mace1370 pointed out where they also list a Indebtedness due US $3,500 debt.
 
Yes my LES does look like that and I understand that part is right. However, there is also a comment in the comments section that Mace1370 pointed out where they also list a Indebtedness due US $3,500 debt.

I’ll hsve to look over mine again. My assumption was that the comments section just reiterated what was elsewhere.
 
There should be a note in the remarks sections of your LES that states if you have a debt or not (and if so, how much it is). I have posted a picture of the remarks from my LES when I switched from resident VSP to resident IP last year.

mine ends (no further listings) after listing the member and fam/spouse SGLI amounts. this is all so friggin confusing. i signed my new contract and board cert pay contract 3 months ago. what is this “save pay” that’s been showing up since about may?? either way, another LES...another disappointment
 
mine ends (no further listings) after listing the member and fam/spouse SGLI amounts. this is all so friggin confusing. i signed my new contract and board cert pay contract 3 months ago. what is this “save pay” that’s been showing up since about may?? either way, another LES...another disappointment

The “save pay” is how the new CSP is labeled.
 
Hey guys, a couple questions regarding the new bonus structure:

1) Are BCP and IP lumped under Save pay, or is BCP a separate line item?

2) How much is automaticity withheld from IP? If I get $43000 for IP annually, what is the correct post-withheld amount I should get each month? Is BCP withheld at the same rate?

Thanks for the help!
 
Hey guys, a couple questions regarding the new bonus structure:

1) Are BCP and IP lumped under Save pay, or is BCP a separate line item?

2) How much is automaticity withheld from IP? If I get $43000 for IP annually, what is the correct post-withheld amount I should get each month? Is BCP withheld at the same rate?

Thanks for the help!

1) Same line item (saved pay)
2) I think it varies based on your tax bracket, but I haven’t paid that much attention
 
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1) Same line item (saved pay)
2) I think it varies based on your tax bracket, but I haven’t paid that much attention

Thanks for the clarification. Looks like I am getting my IP pay, but not my BCP. I think they also screwed up and overpaid me, so I need to talk with finance to straighten that out. It's annoying how everything is lumped under one item on your LES, so you really have no idea what smaller parts were added up together.
 
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