New 2021 Basic Allowance for Housing rates were released by the Department of Defense on December 15, 2020. The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) infographic and information below have been updated to reflect the new rates that will take effect on January 1, 2021.
Understanding the different military benefits available to you and your family is the first step in making sure you are fully taking advantage of the resources available to you.
Military BAH in 2021
Overall, BAH rates have increased an average of 2.9% across the board. This is similar to the 2.8% increase seen in 2020 and 2.5% increase in 2019, but is significantly higher than the overall increase seen in 2018, which was just 0.7%. In 2021, it is expected that around $23 billion in military BAH will be paid to about 1 million service members — about $1 billion more than estimated in 2020.
A 2021 BAH calculator can be found at the Department of Defense.
What is BAH?
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) provides housing allowance for uniformed Army, Navy, Marine, & DoD members who are either married or have dependents. BAH is an additional allowance on top of your flat salary, much like your BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence).
Military BAH rates change from year to year and are determined by your rank, dependency status, geographical location, and the median rental and utility costs in your area.
All sounds good, right? Unfortunately, in a previous study by SpouseBuzz, over 86% of respondents reported their basic allowance for housing either just barely or did not cover their housing costs. Luckily, at LMH, we’ve got your back.
2021 BAH at LMH
In our communities, your 2021 BAH covers your entire rent, gas, water, and normal electricity usage — everything you need to support your family. In addition, we offer automatic payments, so you don’t have to worry about transferring your BAH to cover your rent or mortgage. Also, we do not require credit checks or deposits. This flexibility helps make family budgeting and housing payments a more stress-free process.
On top of what 2021 BAH covers for our residents, living with Lincoln Military Housing makes being a military family a little easier. We provide local resources, free classes and workshops, pet-friendly communities with no pet deposit, free family events, employment opportunities, 24/7 emergency maintenance, easy commute to base, and more. Military families are our number-one priority, and building a close community to support our residents is an essential part of working toward our mission!
Want to learn more? Take a look at our post about common BAH questions, and to learn how to make the most of your BAH in 2021.
