OKC Paycheck

[dpiatek]

A few questions as I'm trying to figure out how much money I need set aside for the move. Sorry if these have been asked before but I've searched and haven't come across them directly.

For the FAA apartments like Walnut Gardens, etc., how much is required to pay upfront? Usually apartments require a deposit and first months rent. But since I've read about them being daily rates, I just wanted to make sure.

How many weeks into the OKC training until you receive your first paycheck?

Does the first paycheck include the per diem? I've read that you have to submit paperwork after being there so many days.

Is there a per diem for food expenses? I remember ALTRACON mentioning $49 but no one else usually includes it in the daily $81 per diem figure. So basically, you will be getting paid your 9$/hr salary, $81 daily lodging per diem, and $49 daily food per diem?

In regards to submitting paperwork for reimbursement of travel expenses to OKC, will this make it into the first/second paycheck?

Thanks, appreciate the help.

[kcarpentier]

Originally Posted by dpiatek

Is there a per diem for food expenses? I remember ALTRACON mentioning $49 but no one else usually includes it in the daily $81 per diem figure. So basically, you will be getting paid your 9$/hr salary, $81 daily lodging per diem, and $49 daily food per diem?

The only thing I am sure about is that food is part of your per diem... I saw it broken down on the FAA site somewhere, you get like $50 or so for lodging and $30 for food or some figure close to that

[Fox Xray]

Per diem can be spent any way you want... the FAA may show a break down of how they came up with the number but what you spend it on is your business. Talking to the new trainees that just arrived at my facility it appears that per diem is paid out in lump sums over the course of your stay. Hopefully some of the folks who are down in OKC right now can better explain how it's working.

[SoonerATC]

I don't have experience with FAA per diem, but I do with the military. It's more than likely the same process, though. You get paid 79.50/day in per diem for OKC - this is for both your food and your lodging. You file your voucher whenever you want to, but it has to be at least 2 weeks between filings. You'll get paid in lump sums for however many days you included on your voucher.

[Acey97]

I don't have any experience when it comes to per diem pay, but I have been told it is non-taxable. However, do you end up reporting this as income on your 2008 tax returns? Will it eventually be taxed?

[flyguy63]

Originally Posted by dpiatek

A few questions as I'm trying to figure out how much money I need set aside for the move. Sorry if these have been asked before but I've searched and haven't come across them directly.

For the FAA apartments like Walnut Gardens, etc., how much is required to pay upfront? Usually apartments require a deposit and first months rent. But since I've read about them being daily rates, I just wanted to make sure.

How many weeks into the OKC training until you receive your first paycheck?

Does the first paycheck include the per diem? I've read that you have to submit paperwork after being there so many days.

Is there a per diem for food expenses? I remember ALTRACON mentioning $49 but no one else usually includes it in the daily $81 per diem figure. So basically, you will be getting paid your 9$/hr salary, $81 daily lodging per diem, and $49 daily food per diem?

In regards to submitting paperwork for reimbursement of travel expenses to OKC, will this make it into the first/second paycheck?

Thanks, appreciate the help.

Per diem is $79 and change everyday total. They don't care how you spend it. As long as you bring them a lodging receipt they will pay you the full per diem. I got paid at the beginning of my fourth week here at the academy and my per diem for the month and travel money (i drove) were deposited a few days before the paycheck. You can only submit per diem paperwork once every 15 days. So you can't submit your per diem stuff until your 15th day at the academy. Not sure how the payment works at places like walnut gardens. Just call and ask.

[JT ATC]

I'm gonna try and wait til the end to cash my per diem...Get one big lump sum.

Luckily I will be able to claim my GI bill so I think that will help.

[nathanw]

Originally Posted by Acey97

I don't have any experience when it comes to per diem pay, but I have been told it is non-taxable. However, do you end up reporting this as income on your 2008 tax returns? Will it eventually be taxed?

Per Diem is considered an allowance and is not taxable. It is not reported to the IRS and won't show up on a W2.

[Johnsc81]

Originally Posted by dpiatek

A few questions as I'm trying to figure out how much money I need set aside for the move. Sorry if these have been asked before but I've searched and haven't come across them directly.

For the FAA apartments like Walnut Gardens, etc., how much is required to pay upfront? Usually apartments require a deposit and first months rent. But since I've read about them being daily rates, I just wanted to make sure.

How many weeks into the OKC training until you receive your first paycheck?

Does the first paycheck include the per diem? I've read that you have to submit paperwork after being there so many days.

Is there a per diem for food expenses? I remember ALTRACON mentioning $49 but no one else usually includes it in the daily $81 per diem figure. So basically, you will be getting paid your 9$/hr salary, $81 daily lodging per diem, and $49 daily food per diem?

In regards to submitting paperwork for reimbursement of travel expenses to OKC, will this make it into the first/second paycheck?

Thanks, appreciate the help.

Here is how it works.... Lets just say I have done a lot of traveling for the Government.....

When you get to OKC they will have you file a travel voucher, that is for your travel expenses. you fill out the form and submit your reciepts and turn it in. Anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks later the money will be in your bank account, that is if you are a direct deposit person, if not then a check will be given to you.

As For Per diem, that is seperate from your pay checks. So yes you will get the $9/hr plus the per diem. And yes it is non-taxable. As far as the IRS is concerned, you never got that money. Basically it is a reimbursment for what the GAO says it costs you to temporarily be in OKC. The rates change every so often. But the $80/day is actually a composite of several different things. The rate is actually published like this, Max lodging is this $##, then you get $## for Breakfast, and $## for Lunch and $## for dinner, you also get $## for what is called incidentals ( basically toothpaste and deoderant, etc...).

Now for every full day that you are there, you get the total amount. But on days that are "travel days", i.e., the days you leave and arrive, you get 75% of the total amount.

To get the money, you have to submit another travel Voucher (or you can do one large voucher at the end and include everything). you can do this every 14 days or every month or when you get to your actual facility. It is your Choice. Again anywhere from 3 days to 2 Weeks later the money shows up in your account, a completely seperate transaction from your regular pay. Now here is one catch, your lodging portion is the only portion that is flexible, the amount published is your maximum allowed, that said if the reciepts show you are paying less than the maximum, then they are only going to pay the amount that is on your reciepts, on the other side, if you get a place that is more expensive than the amount allowed they are only going to pay up to the maximum allowed. So that could change the actual amount that you get payed. Now if you noticed, all the places around the Training center all have the same nightly rates, I venture to say that whatever their nightly rate is, it is exactly what the current published lodging rate for per diem is..... All the other amounts are set in stone, so however much you spend on food is up to the individual person, they will still pay you according to the published rates for OKC. Whatever you actually spend the meals and incidental money on is up to whatever you feel like.

As far as your questions about the Apartments.... I can't answer those.

[TBarry253]

Yeah that's how I've seen it too - I'll receive 'after tax' money for actual hours worked. Then on the same paycheck I'll see money for the MI&E part of the per diem in one big lump sum - not taxed.

A bunch of guys I travel with won't eat anything more than PB& J sandwiches lol ..and then they'll come home with what is like a several thousand dollar bonus! Of course that's in cities where the per diem is much higher.

[dpiatek]

Originally Posted by Johnsc81

Now here is one catch, your lodging portion is the only portion that is flexible, the amount published is your maximum allowed, that said if the reciepts show you are paying less than the maximum, then they are only going to pay the amount that is on your reciepts, on the other side, if you get a place that is more expensive than the amount allowed they are only going to pay up to the maximum allowed. So that could change the actual amount that you get payed. Now if you noticed, all the places around the Training center all have the same nightly rates, I venture to say that whatever their nightly rate is, it is exactly what the current published lodging rate for per diem is.....

Thanks for all the great information everyone! In regards to the per diem for lodging.. Can anyone in OKC confirm this? Everything that I've read seems to say you get the entire $80 per diem and they just check how many days you have a lodging receipt for, not the amount of the lodging. So I'm not sure if this is a special circumstance or if I read wrong. Otherwise like you said, everyone might as well get the most expensive place they can get that is just under the max allowed.

[SoonerATC]

Originally Posted by JT ATC

Luckily I will be able to claim my GI bill so I think that will help.

Amen. That's going to save me while at the Academy - I live here already and will have a mortgage during that time.

[JT ATC]

Originally Posted by dpiatek

Thanks for all the great information everyone! In regards to the per diem for lodging.. Can anyone in OKC confirm this? Everything that I've read seems to say you get the entire $80 per diem and they just check how many days you have a lodging receipt for, not the amount of the lodging. So I'm not sure if this is a special circumstance or if I read wrong. Otherwise like you said, everyone might as well get the most expensive place they can get that is just under the max allowed.

You get full per diem no matter what you spend. I'm gonna find the cheapest place I can find and pocket the rest.

[flyguy63]

Originally Posted by JT ATC

You get full per diem no matter what you spend. I'm gonna find the cheapest place I can find and pocket the rest.

That is correct. I'm in OKC right now and i can confirm this.

[NFW JR]

Im at the Walnut Gardens for May 21 and they told me that they wanted two months advance for rent. All other bills were included and I would just owe rent every two months or however I wanted to pay it.

[rom9701]

I'm at walnut gardens now. You have to pay in 14 day increments. No money up front

[NFW JR]

Is that right? Im gonna have to call and check my information. That helps me out alot not having to drop that amount up front like that. Appreciate that.

[dpiatek]

Ditto, 2 months would be quite a chunk of change up front.