Basic Allowance for Housing

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Basic Allowance for Housing
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Agenda

• Define Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
• Regulations and Policies that effect entitlement
  to BAH
• Explain Entitlement to BAH
• Situations in which BAH is and is not authorized
• Check on Learning

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Acronyms

• DFAS-IN Defense Finance and Accounting Service
  - Indianapolis
• DoDFMR Department of Defense Financial
  Management Regulation
• JFTR- Joint Federal Travel Regulations
• DA Department of the Army
• BAH Basic Allowance for Housing
• BAH DIFF The difference between BAH at the with
  dependent rate and the without dependent rate
• BEQ/BOQ Bachelor Enlisted/Officer Quarters
• OHA Overseas Housing Allowance

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Terminal Learning Objective

• To fully understand what BAH is, where to find
  out about BAH in the regulations, who is entitled
  to BAH, when it is started, and when it is
  stopped.

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DEFINITION

• The purpose of the Basic Allowance for Housing
  (BAH) program is to provide fair housing
  allowances to Soldiers. Since the goal is to help
  Soldiers cover the costs of housing in the
  private sector, rental-housing costs in the
  private sector are the basis for the allowance.
  Soldiers receive a housing allowance when
  government quarters are not available.

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REFERENCES

• Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR), Chapter
  10
• http//perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/

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ENTITLEMENT

• Any Soldier on active duty entitled to basic pay
  is authorized a type of housing allowance based
  on the members grade, dependency status, and
  location when family type government quarters are
  not provided.

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Types of BAH

• There are three types of BAH
• BAH which is to pay for housing for the Soldier
  and their primary dependents
• BAH Partial, which is for Single Soldiers without
  dependents residing in the barracks, Bachelor
  Enlisted/Officer Quarters (BEQ/BOQ)
• BAH DIFF, which is for Soldiers who are paying
  child support for a dependent child that is not
  in the Soldiers custody

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Dependents

• Dependents for the purpose of BAH are defined as
  follows
• Current spouse
• Unmarried, children under the age of 21 (proof of
  parentage must be established for adopted and
  illegitimate children)
• For the following, dependency must be determined
  through DA
• - Full time college students ages 21 to 22
• - Children over the age of 21 that are
  incapacitated
• -Wards of the Court
• - Parents

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Dependents (cont.)

• Dependents for the purpose of BAH do NOT include
  the following
• Current spouse/children who is on active duty
• Former spouse
• Any dependent that is occupying government
  quarters as a permanent residence
• A child who has been adopted by someone else
• Any dependent that is confined in a correctional
  facility

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BAH DIFF

• Dependent children for the purpose of BAH DIFF
  are defined as follows
• Unmarried, children under the age of 21 for whom
  the Soldier does not have legal and physical
  custody (proof of parentage must be established
  for adopted and illegitimate children)
• Full time college students ages 21 to 22
• Children over the age of 21 that are incapacitated

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BAH DIFF (cont.)

• Dependent children for the purpose of BAH DIFF
  do NOT include the following
• Children that are on active duty
• Children occupying government quarters
• Children for whom the Soldier does not provide
  support

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Government Quarters

• Government quarters for the purpose of BAH are
  considered to be
• Government family housing
• Barracks or dormitories
• BEQ/BOQ

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BAH

• Soldiers who are stationed in Korea on a
  non-command sponsored tour that have primary
  dependents residing in the CONUS are authorized
  BAH under the following conditions
• - The primary dependents are not residing in
  government quarters.
• - The Soldier is paying child support for the
  dependents AT LEAST in the amount of the BAH
  DIFF.
• - The primary dependents are not residing in
  government quarters (this does not include
  privatized quarters).

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BAH (cont.)

• The statutory purpose of a housing allowance on
  behalf of a dependent is to at least partially
  reimburse a Soldier for the expense of providing
  private quarters for the dependents.

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Housing Allowance

• Housing allowance for a dependent is not paid as
  a bonus merely for the technical status of being
  married or having children. If the Soldier is not
  paying anything for their dependents residence,
  BAH is NOT authorized.

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BAH DIFF

• Soldiers who are stationed in Korea on a
  non-command sponsored tour that have dependents
  for whom they do not have legal and physical
  custody are authorized BAH DIFF under the
  following conditions
• - The dependents are not residing in government
  quarters.
• - The Soldier is paying child support for the
  dependents at least in the amount of the BAH
  DIFF.

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BAH Partial

• Soldiers who are stationed in Korea and are
  living in the barracks or BEQ/BOQ are authorized
  BAH Partial if the Soldier is not receiving any
  other type of housing allowance.

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Start BAH

• When to start entitlement for BAH
• When a Soldier gets married BAH starts the date
  of marriage.
• Soldier adopts a child or establishes dependency
  for a parent. BAH starts on the date that
  dependency has been established.

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Stop BAH

• When to stop entitlement for BAH
• Soldier gets divorced or legally separates from
  their spouse.
• Dependent for whom the Soldier is drawing BAH
  comes on active duty.
• Dependent for whom the Soldier is drawing BAH is
  confined to a correctional facility.
• Sole dependent child for whom the Soldier is
  drawing BAH turns the age of 21 .
• Soldier stops supporting their dependents.
• Dependents for whom the Soldier is drawing BAH
  move into government quarters.

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Start BAH DIFF

• When to start entitlement for BAH DIFF
• Soldier no longer has physical custody of their
  children.
• Soldiers children, for which they do not have
  custody move out of government quarters.
• Soldier is receiving OHA based on the
  non-availability of government quarters, BAH DIFF
  will not be authorized. Soldier will receive OHA
  at the With Dependent rate.

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Stop BAH DIFF

• When to stop entitlement for BAH DIFF
• - The dependents for whom the Soldier is
  drawing BAH DIFF move into government quarters.
• Sole dependent for whom the Soldier is drawing
  BAH DIFF goes on active duty.
• Sole dependent for whom the Soldier is drawing
  BAH DIFF turns the age of 21.

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Stop BAH DIFF (cont.)

• When to stop entitlement for BAH DIFF
• Soldier remarries or acquires a dependant
• Sole dependent for whom the Soldier is drawing
  BAH DIFF is adopted by someone else.
• - Soldier stops supporting their dependents for
  whom they are drawing BAH DIFF.
• - Note Soldier marries another Soldier and there
  are no other dependents for which the other
  Soldier is drawing a housing allowance, BAH DIFF
  will continue.

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Start BAH Partial

• When to start entitlement for BAH Partial
• Soldier moves into the barracks or BEQ/BOQ and is
  not drawing BAH or BAH DIFF for their dependents
  and their dependents are not residing in
  government quarters.
• Soldier is living in the barracks or BEQ/BOQ is
  divorced and has no other dependents for whom
  they are authorized a housing allowance.

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Stop BAH Partial

• When to stop entitlement for BAH Partial
• Soldier moves out of the barracks or BEQ/BOQ.
• Soldier gets married or acquires a dependent for
  whom they are authorized to receive a housing
  allowance.

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SITUATION 1

• A Soldier gets married to a civilian while en-
  route to Korea. The spouse is residing in economy
  quarters in the United States due to a lack of
  command sponsorship. The Soldier is providing
  support to the spouse in the U.S. What type of
  housing allowance is the Soldier authorized?
  What is the effective date?
• BAH, starts the effective date of marriage.

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SITUATION 2

• A Soldier goes on leave while stationed in Korea
  and gets married to a civilian who resides in
  economy quarters in the United States. The
  Soldier is non-command sponsored and is providing
  support to the spouse. What type of housing
  allowance is the Soldier authorized? What is the
  effective date?
• BAH starts the effective date of marriage.

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SITUATION 3

• A Soldier gets divorced from their spouse for
  whom they are receiving BAH. The Soldier has no
  other dependents for whom they are authorized to
  receive BAH. What is the effective date?
• BAH stops the day prior to the divorce.

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SITUATION 4

• A Soldier living in the BEQ/BOQ gets divorced
  from their spouse for whom they are receiving
  BAH. The Soldier is ordered to provide child
  support for the children that are residing with
  the former spouse. The Soldier is providing
  support to the dependent children. What type of
  housing allowance is the Soldier authorized?
  What is the effective date?
• BAH will stop as the day prior to the divorce
  and BAH DIFF will start the day the Soldier began
  providing support.

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SITUATION 5

• Soldier (A) is living in the BEQ/BOQ and is
  married to another Soldier (B). The spouse
  (Soldier B) is stationed in Fort Hood, TX. The
  couples children reside with the spouse in the
  U.S. What type of housing allowance is the
  Soldier (A) authorized?
• BAH Partial. The spouse is authorized BAH With
  Dependent.

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SITUATION 6

• Soldier (A) is in the BEQ/BOQ, divorced from
  another Soldier (B) and is required to pay child
  support for dependent children that are in the
  custody of the former spouse (Soldier B) in the
  United States living in economy quarters. What
  type of housing allowance is the Soldier (A)
  authorized?
• BAH Partial. BAH DIFF is not authorized because
  the former spouse is a Soldier (B) and already
  drawing a With Dependent housing allowance.

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SITUATION 7

• A Soldier is married to a civilian who is living
  in government quarters in the United States. What
  type of housing allowance is the Soldier
  authorized?
• None, no BAH entitlement is authorized when
  dependents reside in government quarters.

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COMPUTATIONS

• BAH is computed on a 30 Day month.
• BAH rates can be found at the Per Diem Committee
  Web Site
• http//perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/

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COMPUTATIONS (cont.)

• Example A SSG has a spouse residing in economy
  quarters in Killeen, TX at Zip Code 76541. What
  is the monthly rate for BAH?

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COMPUTATIONS (cont.)
On the Per Diem Committee website click on
the Basic Allowance for Housing option on the left
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COMPUTATIONS (cont.)
Select the Correct Year and Rank from the
drop-down menus
Enter the Zip Code and click the Execute button
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COMPUTATIONS (cont.)
Select the correct rate based on the dependency
status
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Check on Learning

• CHECK ON LEARNING

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Check on Learning (cont.)

• What regulation covers BAH?
• Joint Federal Travel Regulation Chapter 10

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Check on Learning (cont.)

• What entitles a Soldier to receive BAH?
• Any Soldier on active duty entitled to basic pay
  is authorized a type of housing allowance based
  on the members grade, dependency status, and
  location when family type government quarters are
  not provided.

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Check on Learning (cont.)

• If a Soldier is not command sponsored and brings
  their dependents to Korea will the Soldier
  continue to receive BAH for the dependents?
• No. The dependents reside within the vicinity of
  the Soldiers duty station and therefore the
  Soldier is entitled to OHA.

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Check on Learning (cont.)

• If a Soldier is living in the BEQ/BOQ divorced
  and the children are not in the Soldiers
  custody, and the Soldier is paying child support,
  what type of BAH is the Soldier authorized?
• BAH DIFF

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Basic Allowance for Housing