How to verify military pay information?

I found the following quick guideline to military pay. ALWAYS try to contact their command to verify any information given. First SGT or Company Commander will have the info. This works for officers also since they are probably assigned to Headquarters Company for admin purposes, even if they outrank the company commander by several grades.

 1) First, determine if they are Active or Reserve. Most, but certainly not all, active duty members will live around military bases; the main exceptions are for recruiters and Recruiting Command support/command personnel.

2) Ask to see a copy of their ID card, (AKA Common Access Card or CAC). It will show their rank and an expiration date on the front and their social security number and birth date on back.

3) For Active duty members, ask for an LES (Leave and Earnings Statement). This can be downloaded so it can easily be altered. With a copy of their ID Card you can more or less verify the LES by going to the following two websites:

www.dfas.mil/army2/militarypaycharts/2007MilPaycharts-cc.pdf

www.perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/bah.html

Both sites are fairly easy to use. For years in service, assume they joined at about 20 for enlisted and age 22 for officers. Everyone is different, but this will put you in the ballpark. Also try to verify rank with their command.

4) For Reserve members, this is a lot different. For most it is a part time job, effectively working out to about 1 day a week of pay. However, many Reservists are on various types of active duty. To make it easy, simply request a copy of their orders and verify them with their command personnel. Orders will be for a certain number of days and have a start date which indicates how long they will be on active duty – it could range from one day or two years. For Reservists on active duty use the above two websites to verify their LES.

Security Deposits

The most successful landlords have a closed-loop process for everything, including security deposit returns .This one is a snap:

1. After the final walkthrough have the tenant provide his new address on an envelope (of course you’ll provide one);
2. You, the landlord, includes a detailed accounting of all deductions (make sure that you itemize everything – different states have different requirements regarding security deposits and interest bearing accounts);
3. Write a check, include it in the envelope addressed by the tenant at the walkthrough and post – make sure to get a certificate of mailing (no special delivery, just something that provides legal proof that the refund was posted on a specific date within the timeline required for security deposit refunds). I usually make a photocopy of the check and keep it with the tenants’ file.

That’s it!

Security Deposit

Remember what your mother told you?  The same goes for rental property.  Leave it in the same condition that you found it.  Typically the cost for cleaning an apartment is between $120 - $150, which is a good investment if it will get your security deposit back at the end of a lease.  “Normal wear and tear” is a vague term for ‘reasonable’ wear that can be claimed through the course of tenancy.

Normal wear and tear would be: faded window treatments and peeling paint, worn carpeting, worn hinges and locks, toilet seats, linoleum, door jams or screen doors.

 Damages would be: holes in walls, broken windows, broken drawers, missing components from refrigerator or cabinets, excessive mildew or mold, torn or stained or burned flooring or counter, filthy appliances, broken doors, or windowsills, urine odor, or insect infestations.