DoD Financial Management Regulation Volume 7A, Chapter …

1 DoD Financial Management RegulationVolume 7A, Chapter 27 Chapter 27 FAMILY SEPARATION ALLOWANCE (FSA)2701 ENTITLEMENT is payable onlyto members with dependents. Two types of FSAare authorized, Type I and Type II. Both types arepayable in addition to any other allowance or perdiem to which a member may be entitled. Amember may qualify for FSA-I and FSA-II for thesame period. In such cases, concurrent payment ofboth types is authorized. A member may not,however, receive more than one payment ofFSA-II for the same period, even though qualifiedfor FSA-R and FSA-S or FSA-T. The purpose ofFSA and the conditions of entitlement are set out inthis DefinitionsA. Dependents. The term dependents is defined as:1. Primary. Spouse or children asdefined in the Secondary. Parents as definedin the : A person on active duty and entitled tobasic pay is not a dependent for FSA Station.

2 The term per-manent station has the same meaning as definedin the term dutystation is the same as defined in the Overseas. For the purpose of FSA-I,this term applies to a location outside the contigu-ous 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Household. This term means thesame as home or family. It applies to a collec-tion of persons living under one roof, having onehead or manager who controls and supervises theaffairs of the family. For FSA-II purposes, thisapplies only to secondary FSA-I. The purpose of this FSA is to paya member for added housing expenses caused byenforced separation from dependents. It is notpayable under any condition to a member perma-nently assigned to a duty station in Hawaii or toany duty station under permissive orders exceptwhen subparagraph 270301B applies. It is notpayable to a member attached to the United StatesTruce Supervision Organization who is in receiptof the United Nations Mission SubsistenceAllowance (mission per diem).

3 A. When Payable. FSA-I is payable toeach member with dependents who is on perma-nent duty outside the United States or in Alaskawho meets all of the following of dependentsto the permanent duty station or to a place nearthat station is not authorized at Government ex-pense; do not live at ornear the permanent duty station; government quartersor housing facilities are not available for assign-ment to a member and inadequate Governmentquarters or housing facilities are not Amount Payable. FSA-I is Payablein a monthly amount equal to BAQ payable to amember without dependents in the same pay grade. (See BAQ pay tables in part three, chapter26.)C. specific conditionsof entitlement, see section 2703 and tables 27-1and Divorced or Legally SeparatedMembers. Treat FSA-I cases involving a divorcedor legally separated member, or such a memberwith a child in the legal custody of a former spouseor another person, the same as FSA-II cases.

4 Seesubparagraph FSA-II This FSA provides compensa-tion for added expenses incurred because of an213 Volume 7A, Chapter 27 DoD Financial Management Regulationenforced family separation under one of theconditions in Al through 3 below. It is payable toqualified members serving inside or outside theUnited States. It is not authorized when a memberperforms duty at any station under permissiveorders (except when subparagraph 270301 Bapplies).A. When Payable. Through 30 sep-tember 1980, FSA-II is payable to a memberserving in pay grade E-4 (over 4 years service) orabove as a member with dependents. Effective1 October 1980, FSA-II is payable to a memberserving in any grade as a member with depen-dents. A member must meet all general require-ments and one of the following conditions.*1. FSA-II, Subcategory of the dependents is not authorizedat Government expense (see paragraph 270301)and the dependents do not live in the vicinity ofthe member s home port/permanent duty station.

5 *2. FSA-II, Subcategory member is on duty aboard a ship which iscontinuously away from the home port for morethan 30 days , and the dependents reside in thevicinity of the home port. Effective 20 June 1994, amember is entitled to FSA-S for a redeployment ifthe member returned to home port after theoriginal deployment for a period of 30 days or lessand redeployed for a period of more than 30 daysprovided that the dependents reside in the vicinityof the home paragraph 270301B forthose dependents whose location is other than thepermanent duty station/home port.*3. FSA-II, Subcategory member is on continuous temporary duty(TDY), or a period of TDY required before report-ing to his initial station of assignment, or on tempo-rary additional duty (TAD) away from his perma-nent duty station, each of which is for more than 30days, and the dependents live in the vicinity of thepermanent duty station, not in the vicinity of theTDY/TAD station.

6 Effective 20 June 1994, amember is entitled to FSA-T for a redeployment ifthe member returned to the permanent dutystation after the original deployment for a period of30 days or less and redeployed for a period of morethan 30 days provided that the dependents residein the vicinity of the permanent duty station. SeeQUIREMENTS paragraph 270301B for those dependents whoselocation is other than the permanent duty Amount 1 October 1985through 14 January 1991, FSA-Type II is payable ina monthly amount of $60. 15 January 1991, FSA-Type II is payable in a monthly amount of $75. C. specific conditionsof entitlement, see tables 27-3 through SEPARATION RE-270201. Dependents. A member is not consid-ered "a member with dependents" for FSA-IIentitlement when:A. The sole dependent is placed in aninstitution for a known period of over 1 year or foran indefinite period which may be expected toexceed 1 The sole dependent is a spouselegally separated or child(ren) in the legal custodyof another The member s dependent parentdoes not reside in a home which the membercontrols, supervises and maintains for mutual usewhen circumstances Social Visits by DependentsA.

7 FSA-I and FSA-R. Credit continuesto accrue while the member s dependents visit at ornear member s permanent station, but for no longerthan 3 continuous months. Facts must clearly showthat the dependents are merely visiting (not chang-ing residence) and that the visit is temporary andnot intended to exceed 3 months. If, for unforeseenreasons (due to illness or other emergency), a bonafide social visit extends beyond 3 months, stopcredit for FSA at the end of the 3-month period. Ifthe visit is initially intended to exceed 3 months,stop FSA credit the day before the dependentsarrive at the member s permanent station. Creditis again authorized on and after the day depen-dents depart from the permanent station. How-214 DoD Financial Management RegulationVolume 7A, Chapter 27ever, a member is entitled to FSA-I and/or FSA-Reven though one or more, but not all dependentsvisit for longer than 3 months, if the member isentitled on behalf of the dependents who do FSA-T.

8 Credit continues to accrueto a member whose dependents visit at or near thetemporary duty station continuously for 30 days orless. Facts must show the dependents are merelyvisiting. If the visit exceeds 30 days , a member isnot entitled to FSA-T for any part of the period,unless the visit is extended because of illness orother emergency. Under such circumstances,payment of the allowance is limited to 30 to FSA-T resumes on the day thedependents depart the temporary duty station, ifthe member s TDY extends for more than 30 daysfrom that date. Entitlement to FSA-T exists if oneor more, but not all, of the dependents visit forlonger than 30 days , if entitled on behalf of thedependents who are not visiting the FSA-S. Credit continues to accrueto the member whose dependents are visiting at ornear the duty station (or any port) continuously for30 days or less. Facts must show that the depen-dents are merely visiting.

9 If the visit exceeds 30days, entitlement to FSA-S ends on the daypreceding the date of their arrival, unless the visitis extended because of illness or other such circumstances, payment of FSA-S islimited to 30 days . Entitlement to FSA-S exists ifone or more, but not all of the dependents visit forlonger than 30 days , if entitled to FSA-S on behalfof the dependents who are not visiting Reside Near Duty StationFSA does not accrue to a member if all of thedependents reside at or near the duty station. Ifsome, but not all, of the dependents voluntarilyreside near the duty station, FSA may accrue onbehalf of the dependents who do not reside at ornear the duty dependents asresiding near a duty station if the member actuallycommutes daily, regardless of distance. Considerdependents as residing near a duty station if theylive within a reasonable commuting distance ofthat station, whether or not the member commutesdaily.

10 A distance of 50 miles, one way, is normallyconsidered to be within reasonable commutingdistance of a station; however, the 50-mile rule isnot inflexible. Unusual conditions may permit adetermination that dependents do not live withina reasonable commuting distance, even though thedistance involved is less than 50 miles one way. Ina situation where the distance is less than 50 milesbut the time required to commute one way bycommonly used route and method of transporta-tion would exceed 1-1 /2 hours, the dependentsshall be considered as not residing near themember s duty station unless the member actuallycommutes daily. If dependents are authorizedconcurrent travel with the member to the dutystation and are subsequently authorized to resideat a point over 50 miles from member s duty stationfor personal reasons, rather than as a result ofmilitary restriction on dependents travel, FSAentitlement does not accrue. In questionable cases,commanders may submit requests for determina-tion through channels to the appropriate officelisted below:A.