Basic allowance for housing
What is basic allowance for housing
Basic Allowance for Housing, also called as BAH is a monthly payment made to a person for offsetting the cost of housing when he does not receives the government-aided housing. This type of allowance is provided to defense personnel, also called as members, in United States and replaces VHA or Variable Housing Allowance and the BAQ or the Basic Allowance for Quarters.So far the amount under BAH is concerned, it depends upon certain factors. These factors are the pay grade, location and dependants of a person. All the rates pertaining to BAH are set by means of rental property cost survey made in a geographical region. While calculating the rates, it is tried that all the members in a similar pay grade pay same out of pocket expenses towards housing, irrespective of location. Needless to say, high cost areas have higher BAH rates than those of low cost areas. Civil rentals have good say in determining the BAH rates and thus, as the civil rentals increases, BAH rates also increases. Basic Allowance for Housing is paid in all the 50 states to the members that are not provided with furnished government housing. BAH is provided on the basis of dependency status as per the ZIP Code of permanent duty. In case, any member has been ordered to be stationed overseas, which includes U.S Protectorates also, he is eligible to get OHA or Overseas Housing Allowance, if he has not been provided any government furnished housing
Related aspects
There are many types of Basic Allowance for Housing found in United States. irst is the BAH for members without dependents. As per the U.S Code Sec.403, all the members that are not occupying quarters provided by the government and do not have any dependents are eligible to receive BAH. It is important to note here that in such cases, allowance is paid without any dependant rate. This allowance is calculated for a period of 30-days at the basic pay drawn by a person. All the members that are above the rank of E7 and above, who do not have any dependents, can decline to live in the government provided quarter and can receive BAH so as to live in privately occupied quarters. In case any member is in grade E6 or above and is assigned afloat, can say no to live aboard the ship and live in private quarters ashore by way of receiving BAH, when not underway. Similarly, all the members that are in grade E5 and not having any children are eligible to live ashore when not underway, in case, there are no single member quarters provided by the government. If a member is married one and do not have any dependent, he is entitled to receive BAH if no quarters have been provided by the government.If both the married members are serving for U.S government and are of rant E5 or below and are assigned afloat, the senior member of two is eligible to receive the Basic Allowance for Housing.
In case members are divorced and have been asked by court to pay them Child Support for the children that do not live with them, they are eligible to receive BAH DIFF. It is a special type of allowance given to a person and calculated as per the difference between the BAQ-W/O and BAQ-W and then adjusted as per the increase in the annual basic pay. However, a member is not eligible to receive any BAH DIFF if the rate of monthly child support is less than that of BAH DIFF.
Another type of BAH payable in United States is Partial Basic Allowance for Housing. This type of allowance is provided to a member if he is not supporting any dependents or to a married member who has been given a single type quarter by the government or is on field duty or is sent on a sea pay eligible vessel and is not eligible to receive any full BAH. It is very important to note here that if any member is receiving BAH II, he is not entitled to get Partial BAH.
Members with dependents are eligible to receive the BAH as per the U.S Code Sec 403, if they are not living in quarters provide by the government and their dependents are not drawing any basic pay. This allowance is calculated on the basis of 30-day month. For the purpose of military allowance, the term dependent has been defined. Dependent can be a spouse of a person if he or she is not serving in Uniformed Service on active pay.Similarly, all the children below the age of 21 years are included under the category of dependents. All the illegitimate, adopted, step and natural children are included in this category.
In case a child is above the age of 21 years but less than 23 years and is enrolled in any course of study as full time student, he is eligible to be included in the category of dependents.Similarly, parents of any member or spouse of member that is dependent on member for more than ½ of his or her support is also included in the category of dependent and such member is eligible to receive the Basic Allowance for Housing. All the wards that are unmarried and meet the criteria as described in Sec.3-D4.d are also included in the category of dependent. It is important to note here that to be classified under the category of dependent; a child must live for more than 90 days with single member and only then, the member would be able to receive the BAH with dependent rate.
In case a member has been married to another member and they have dependents, one member can avail the Basic Allowance for Housing with dependent rate.
BAH-II is a housing allowance that is paid to members in special types of circumstances.For example, all the reservists are eligible to get the BAH-II allowance if they work for less than 30 days.Similarly, when a member is in transit, he is paid BAH-II.
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