Question for dual military w/ two kids

HisChamaoleGirl · May 2013

DH gets dependent rate BAH bc SS is his dependent. I have always drawn single rate before and after we got married. Now that we are expecting LO I am going to put her under my DEERS. It makes a lot of sense bc I will be doing most of the doctor appointments and scheduling since DHs schedule is crazy. His E7, also dual military and has two kids, told him to make sure I put LO under my DEERS so we both could collect dependent rate BAH. She told him once my ERB is updated that I automatically with be getting dependent rate. This is the first I've ever heard of this and when I asked my S1 they really couldn't give me any answers. Any of you ladies have experience with this?

BLT20051 · May 2013

Once your ERB is updated? That sounds odd. It should be as soon as you enroll her in DEERS under you that you get dependent rate BAH. I'm guessing you and YH don't claim each other as dependents which is why you still get single BAH?

Btw - baby BLT will be here by tomorrow.

HisChamaoleGirl · May 2013

Bacon+lettuce+tomato:
Once your ERB is updated? That sounds odd. It should be as soon as you enroll her in DEERS under you that you get dependent rate BAH. I'm guessing you and YH don't claim each other as dependents which is why you still get single BAH?

Btw - baby BLT will be here by tomorrow.

I had no idea if this was an S1 or finance question, but after talking to my cousin who is a MSG at HRC he said DEERS has nothing to do with updating BAH.

I don't have any dependents so that's why I don't get dependent rated BAH. DH claims SS so he gets BAH with dependent rate. I didn't/don't know that DH and I could attempt to claim each other for dependent rate.

But once LO comes he, my cousin, told me to fill out the DA 5960 to change to dependent rate.

Yay for baby BLT's arrival :-) are you ready? :-) not that it matters at this point haha

sweetpea2003 · May 2013

Nevermind. I just re-read. SS in your OP is your SS, your DH's bio son, correct? I was getting confused.

In that case I have no idea how BAH would work. The rule for two MMs having children is that the higher ranking member collects the BAH w/ dependents rate. But I have no idea if/how it is changed if one member already collects but the second member isn't biologically related to the first.

Whatever you do, get a CLEAR answer IN WRITING. Because if "double dipping" isn't allowed and they catch it you will be billed.

HisChamaoleGirl · May 2013

sweetpea2003:
Nevermind. I just re-read. SS in your OP is your SS, your DH's bio son, correct? I was getting confused.
In that case I have no idea how BAH would work. The rule for two MMs having children is that the higher ranking member collects the BAH w/ dependents rate. But I have no idea if/how it is changed if one member already collects but the second member isn't biologically related to the first.
Whatever you do, get a CLEAR answer IN WRITING. Because if "double dipping" isn't allowed and they catch it you will be billed.

I just don't know "who" is the "right" person to ask, because everyone I ask gives me a different answer. I've only received a yes or I don't know, but honestly I don't trust the civilians here that run the finance office. When DH and I PCSed I had to explain that we were BOTH authorized certain allowances and even had to show them Army regulations that backed me up. I miss BIG Army bases :-( This place is just too small :-(

WookieesCookies · May 2013

You do not get to choose which sponsor dependents go under. It always is the same, the most senior ranking member. There is not a way to cheat the system by having one child under each parent and frankly this would be fraud if you did this.

cristi3236 · May 2013

The only way to get the correct answer is to look up the regulations yourself. Don't go off of what anyone tells you unless the can show you the regulation in writing. I have found that most people, even if it is their job, don't know the actual rules and just go off of what others have told them.

HisChamaoleGirl · May 2013

WookieesCookies:
You do not get to choose which sponsor dependents go under. It always is the same, the most senior ranking member. There is not a way to cheat the system by having one child under each parent and frankly this would be fraud if you did this.nbsp;

no one said anything about "cheating," just clarification. Oh and DH and I are the same so no way to determine "senior ranking."

WookieesCookies · June 2013

Being the same rank there is still always a member who is senior ranking. Time in grade, and time in service. If those are both EXACTLY the same down to the day, then it goes by date of birth. One of you outranks the other.

Ps it really sad someone claiming to be an E7 doesn't know that...that is definitely part of the basic information you should know to even be testing for E5. I call your bluff. There is also no way an E7 wouldn't have extensive knowledge of how benefits work. An E7 would have never had to ask this question.

BLT20051 · June 2013

WookieesCookies:
Being the same rank there is still always a member who is senior ranking. Time in grade, and time in service. If those are both EXACTLY the same down to the day, then it goes by date of birth. One of you outranks the other.

Ps it really sad someone claiming to be an E7 doesn't know that...that is definitely part of the basic information you should know to even be testing for E5. I call your bluff. There is also no way an E7 wouldn't have extensive knowledge of how benefits work. An E7 would have never had to ask this question.

Easy killer, she never claimed to be an E7. And it's entirely possible not to have extensive knowledge if you've never dealt with the issue before. Also the policy states that you can elect which member claims the dependent. If the members can't agree then it defaults to the senior ranking. AND because you mentioned testing for E5 I'm guessing you're not Army so things may be a bit different.

ufsandra85 · June 2013

ehh my husband was an e8 when i joined the military and had no idea how bah worked for duel military. even if it was on the e7 test he took it so long ago. i have taken a test and 2 hours later couldnt tell you an answer that i got correct

HisChamaoleGirl · July 2013

Baconlettucetomato said:

WookieesCookies:
Being the same rank there is still always a member who is senior ranking. Time in grade, and time in service. If those are both EXACTLY the same down to the day, then it goes by date of birth. One of you outranks the other.

Ps it really sad someone claiming to be an E7 doesn't know that...that is definitely part of the basic information you should know to even be testing for E5. I call your bluff. There is also no way an E7 wouldn't have extensive knowledge of how benefits work. An E7 would have never had to ask this question.

Easy killer, she never claimed to be an E7. And it's entirely possible not to have extensive knowledge if you've never dealt with the issue before. Also the policy states that you can elect which member claims the dependent. If the members can't agree then it defaults to the senior ranking. AND because you mentioned testing for E5 I'm guessing you're not Army so things may be a bit different.

Hmmm I wonder where I claimed to be an E7 senior NCO .... Thanks for clarifying BLT.

Oh and for the record, my S1 and finance are still trying to figure this one out ...

Carnation77 · July 2013

Just point your S-1 ad Finance to the Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR) cited above. If they don't believe you then ask them to ask legal for an answer.

You want to get this right (not just the answer you want to hear) because otherwise eventually you'll end up owing a ton of money back to the Government and we all know how that works - they'll take it all at once with no warning and at the least convenient time and/or they'll take more than they should.

HisChamaoleGirl · July 2013

Carnation77 said:

Just point your S-1 ad Finance to the Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR) cited above. If they don't believe you then ask them to ask legal for an answer.

You want to get this right (not just the answer you want to hear) because otherwise eventually you'll end up owing a ton of money back to the Government and we all know how that works - they'll take it all at once with no warning and at the least convenient time and/or they'll take more than they should.

You are completely right. I don't want to be collecting an allowance that one person said OK to just to find out later that NO should have been the answer the whole time. The person who said OK in the first place isn't the one who would be feeling the backlash. It would be me. Thanks ladies !

shesamommy · March 2014

If neither are higher ranking I say claim your LO and get the dependent pay since us mil to mil folks can't claim each other as dependents. The baby gets put on both spouses deers its just that only one can claim the child for dependent pay and tax purposes.

Question for dual military w/ two kids

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