Military OneSource: Counseling, MilTax and Spouse Support

What it is

Military OneSource is a Defense Department program that gives free, private help by phone, chat, video and online. Think of it as a front door to military family support.

Key services:

• Non-medical counseling: Short-term, confidential counseling for stress, relationships, parenting, grief, deployment and more. Available in person, by phone, by video or by chat. Kids ages 6 to 17 can get in-person or video sessions.
• MilTax: Free tax software made for the military, plus free federal filing and up to five state returns, and one-on-one help from tax consultants.
• Financial counseling: Free help with budgets, debt, credit, home buying and big money choices.
• Spouse career help (SpouseWorks, formerly SECO): Career coaching, résumé help, and job connections through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership.
• Special needs consultations, health and wellness coaching, language interpretation, relocation tools and much more.

Who gets it

Active duty members, Guard and Reserve members (activated or not), their immediate family members in DEERS, and surviving spouses and children. Members and families can keep using it for 365 days after separation or retirement.

How to use it

• Call 800-342-9647 any time, day or night, or visit the website.
• For counseling, ask for a referral. You can usually pick in-person or virtual sessions.
• For taxes, log in to MilTax during tax season. Software for the 2026 tax year opens in January 2027.
• For spouses, call and ask for a SpouseWorks career coach (the program formerly called SECO). Ask about the SpouseWorks Scholarship (formerly MyCAA), a benefit of up to $4,000 for licenses, certifications or associate degrees. It is for spouses of members in eligible pay grades. DoD widened the list in 2023 and again in 2024 to include many senior enlisted grades, so check the current list even if you were turned down before. Funding is limited each year, so apply early.

What people miss

• It is private. Non-medical counseling is not reported to your command except in rare safety or legal cases. It does not go in your medical record.
• It is not for crisis or diagnosed conditions. For thoughts of suicide, call 988 and press 1 for the Military Crisis Line. For mental health conditions, use TRICARE.
• MilTax beats paid tax prep. It knows combat pay, moving rules and spouse state residency rules, and it is free.
• Guard and Reserve families qualify even when not activated. Many do not know that.
• Spouse licensing help. SpouseWorks (formerly SECO) can help you move a professional license to a new state. Many states now have faster rules for military spouses.
• Planning tools. Free online tools help with PCS checklists, budgets and finding services at your next base.

Related

See Special Pays and Tax Advantages for tax rules, Relief Societies and Emergency Financial Help for urgent money needs, and EFMP for special needs support.