What Tools Does Military OneSource Offer to Find Benefits and Resources?

Updated

Military OneSource offers two main self-service lookup tools — the Benefits Finder and the Resources Finder — plus several specialized locators and a topic-based browsing structure. Use the Benefits Finder when you want to see what benefits apply to travel, education, taxes, PCS moves and similar categories; use the Resources Finder when you need specific programs such as child care, spouse scholarships or Military and Family Life Counseling (MFLC) support. Both are described on the site as digital tools "made for your military life," and the site also offers 24/7 personal help by phone or secure chat if a tool doesn't cover your situation.

The two core lookup tools

Tool What it covers Best for
Benefits Finder Benefits for travel, education, taxes, PCS (permanent change of station) and more Getting a broad view of what you may qualify for across categories
Resources Finder Child care, spouse scholarships, MFLC support and more Finding a specific program or service rather than a benefit category

The distinction matters in practice. If you're preparing for a move and want to know what relocation-related benefits exist, start with the Benefits Finder. If you're a spouse looking for scholarship programs or child care options, the Resources Finder is the more direct route.

Specialized tools and locators

Beyond the two finders, the site lists several focused tools:

  • Military and Family Life Counselor Locator — helps you find MFLC support in your area.
  • SpouseWorks (formerly SECO) — a spouse-focused resource.
  • DPS – Defense Personal Property System — the system tied to household goods moves.
  • MilTax — free tax services.
  • Plan My Deployment — checklists and planning support for deployments.
  • Relationship Resource Tool — resources for couples and relationships.
  • EFMP & Me — tools for families with exceptional family members.
  • Military Funeral Honors Directory — a locator for funeral honors.

Each of these is a narrower entry point than the finders. For example, if your question is specifically about tax filing, going straight to MilTax avoids paging through general benefit categories.

Browsing by topic

The site also organizes information into topic areas rather than tools, including:

  • Military Basics (including "New to the Military" and training/logistics basics for extended family)
  • Casualty & Mortuary Affairs (bereavement, survivor assistance)
  • Deployment (preparing, during, returning home)
  • Education & Employment (for spouses, service members, and youth/teens)
  • Emergencies & Disasters (personnel accountability, disaster preparedness, evacuation operations)
  • Financial & Legal (personal finance, taxes, legal)
  • Health & Wellness (mental health, nutrition and fitness, prevention and care)
  • Military Funeral Honors

This structure is useful when you don't yet know which tool or program you need — browse the topic first, then move to a finder or locator once you've identified the category.

When to skip the tools and talk to someone

The site states you can get quick answers or work through challenges 24/7/365 by calling 800-342-9647 or logging in to a secure live chat, with OCONUS and TTY/TDD options also listed. Coaching and consultations cover areas such as managing money and relationships, and counseling is available for individuals, couples and families. If a finder returns options you don't understand, or your situation spans several categories (a PCS move combined with a spouse's job search, for instance), the personal support channel is the faster path.

A practical starting sequence

  1. Identify whether you need a benefit (entitlement-type support) or a resource (program or service). This determines whether you open the Benefits Finder or the Resources Finder.
  2. If you already know the domain — taxes, moves, counseling, exceptional family members — go directly to the matching specialized tool (MilTax, DPS, MFLC Locator, EFMP & Me).
  3. If you're unsure of the category, browse the topic list first, then return to a finder.
  4. Verify eligibility before relying on any result; the site links eligibility information alongside its personal support options, and eligibility rules differ by program.

One caution: the presence of a tool or topic page doesn't by itself confirm that you qualify for a given benefit. Treat finder results as a starting list to verify, not a final determination.