Most military families know deployments disrupt daily life, but many are unaware that a key financial benefit has just improved. Family Separation Allowance (FSA), a monthly payment for service members separated from dependents, now stands at $300 per month for qualifying separations, a $50 increase from the previous rate.

That supplemental pay doesn’t replace basic pay or housing allowances, but it helps offset expenses, such as childcare, travel, household stress, and daily costs, when families must manage two households.

This guide breaks down who qualifies, how FSA is paid monthly, how deployment child care support works, and practical next steps for service members and spouses.

What Family Separation Allowance (FSA) Is & Who Qualifies

The Family Separation Allowance (FSA) provides a tax-free monthly allowance to help service members cope with the financial burden when qualifying orders involuntarily separate them from their dependents due to deployment, temporary duty, or similar assignments.

To qualify, service members must generally meet all the following conditions:

• Dependents do not reside near the member’s duty station
• The separation lasts more than 30 continuous days
• The separation is involuntary based on orders
• The member submits DD Form 1561 to establish entitlement

These rules apply across services, and, in addition to other allowances, FSA does not replace BAH, BAS, special duty pay, or combat pay.

How FSA Is Paid: Monthly, Prorated & What the Math Looks Like

FSA is paid monthly and may be prorated for partial months depending on eligible days. Payments appear as a separate entitlement line on the LES, and they remain non-taxable.

Here’s how the new rate compares:

A small difference on paper becomes significant after repeated deployments, sea duty, remote tours, or rotational TDY assignments.

FSA vs. Other Deployment Pay: What It Covers (and Doesn’t)

FSA is a flexible, supplemental allowance and should not be confused with or replace specific pay or reimbursements. For clarity, FSA is not intended to serve as:

• Hazardous Duty/Imminent Danger Pay
• Hardship Duty Pay
• Travel reimbursement
• PCS entitlements

Instead, FSA provides flexible cash that families frequently use for:

• Childcare and drop-in care
• Transportation and fuel
• Groceries and household supplies
• Communication and technology costs
• Household help during solo parenting

FSA cannot remove the burden of separation, but it reduces financial shortfalls in ways families notice each month.

Childcare Support During Deployments: What You Can Actually Access

Many military families have heard that deployments include “16 hours of free childcare per month.” That perception comes from real programs. However, they are not universal DoD entitlements. Availability depends on branch, installation, funding, and provider networks.

Examples include:

• Army Respite Care: often up to 16 hours per child per month of no-cost care during deployments.
• Air Force/Space Force Expanded Child Care: may offer up to 16 hours/month during deployments or remote tours, plus pre- and post-deployment care and childcare for PCS moves.
• Nonprofit support through organizations such as the Air & Space Forces Aid Society (AFAS) and the Armed Services YMCA provides break care, respite events, and deployment support.

These programs offer practical assistance, supporting tasks such as errands, medical appointments, and decompression time when one parent deploys.

Additional Base-Level Support: Fee Assistance, Expanded Child Care & Respite Options

In addition to FSA, several programs support families by reducing caregiving and financial stress during deployments, remote tours, or extended TDYs. While not universal, these resources are widely available across installations:

• Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) and fee-assistance programs reduce the cost of off-base licensed childcare when on-base care is full or unavailable.
• Expanded Child Care on Air Force and Space Force installations may include up to 16 hours of deployment care per child per month at no cost.
• Army Respite Care frequently provides up to 16 hours/month during deployments for errands or stress relief.
• Air & Space Forces Aid Society (AFAS) offers "Give Parents a Break" and other deployment-era respite programs.
• Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) offers family support, childcare events, and occasional respite.
• EFMP and TRICARE ECHO provide respite and specialized care coordination for families with special-needs dependents.

Because these programs depend on the installation and funding, families should contact the following resources:

• Child & Youth Services (CYS)
• Child & Youth Programs office
• Family Child Care (FCC)
• Military & Family Readiness Centers

Reach out as soon as you’re notified of deployment or when remote tour orders are issued.

Real Family Costs and What $300 Means for Households

The $50 boost to Family Separation Allowance may seem incremental on paper, but for many households, it matters in real dollars and cents.

“There were months during the deployment when I probably spent close to $300 on child care, and I’m a stay-at-home mom,” said one military spouse who relied on friends, neighbors, and drop-in care to cover gaps while her partner was downrange.

Financial data supports this lived experience. Another military spouse explained,

“Active-duty military families end up paying a greater proportion of their disposable income to basic necessities.”

These pressures show why even modest increases in separation-related allowances matter.

How to Maximize FSA and Base Support

1. File DD Form 1561 early to start FSA entitlement.
2. Confirm with Finance/PSD/IPAC how FSA will show on your LES.
3. Contact CYS/FCC/Family Readiness about deployment childcare.
4. If applicable, verify EFMP/ECHO eligibility for respite care.
5. Include FSA when you budget for child care, household, and travel costs.

Military Family FAQs

How often is Family Separation Allowance paid?

FSA is paid monthly, with partial months prorated based on qualifying separation days.

What orders qualify for FSA?

Orders that involuntarily separate a member from dependents for more than 30 continuous days generally qualify.

Is FSA taxable?

No. FSA is a non-taxable allowance.

Can dual-military couples receive FSA?

They may qualify if both are involuntarily separated from dependents and meet eligibility conditions.

Does FSA cover childcare costs?

FSA is flexible cash, not a childcare reimbursement. Deployment childcare programs vary by installation.

Do all bases offer 16 hours of childcare?

No. Some programs provide up to 16 hours/month, but availability is installation-specific.

Suggested reads:

• 2026 CONUS COLA Rates: Eligibility, How Much Pay Is Cut, and What to Expect
• What Is a Joint Base? Locations, Facts, and More
• Why Many Service Members Lose Money on TDY, Even When They Follow the Rules