BAH — Basic Allowance for Housing (Tax-Free)
Basic Allowance for Housing is paid monthly to service members who don't live in government quarters, calibrated to the duty-station ZIP code, rank, and dependent status. BAH is NON-TAXABLE federal and state income — meaning it does not appear on your W-2 and is not counted as gross income for most calculations.
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Restrictions
Most national-bank loan officers underwrite using base pay only and miss BAH entirely — this artificially cuts your "qualifying income" by 30-50%. Demand the lender count BAH (and BAS) as grossed-up income — VA/military-specialist lenders know to do this. Rule of thumb: a non-military-savvy lender will quote half what a military-specialist lender quotes you for the SAME loan. Veterans United, Navy
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