Military Family Money: Allowances & Programs Beyond BAH
Beyond BAH and BAS, military families can tap a stack of allowances and programs that quietly add up — for child care, special-needs care, spouse careers, and family separation. Here's the field guide.
Direct pay for families
- Family Separation Allowance (FSA): $300/month when duty keeps you away from dependents 30+ days — see the special pays guide.
- BAH "with dependents" rate: a higher housing allowance the moment you have a spouse or child — how it works in with vs without dependents.
- Basic Needs Allowance: a monthly top-up for lower-income families — the BNA.
Child care help
- Military Child Care Fee Assistance: subsidies that offset the cost of off-base child care when a CDC slot isn't available — often hundreds of dollars a month.
- CDC subsidized rates: on-base Child Development Centers charge on an income-based sliding scale.
Special-needs families (EFMP)
The Exceptional Family Member Program coordinates assignments and care for families with special medical or educational needs, and can unlock respite care hours — not cash, but real dollar value.
Spouse careers
- MyCAA: up to $4,000 in tuition assistance for eligible military spouses pursuing licenses, certifications, or associate degrees in portable career fields.
- SECO & the Military Spouse Employment Partnership connect spouses to remote- and relocation-friendly employers.
- MSRRA keeps a spouse's tax residency with the servicemember — see the tax filing guide.
None of these show up in a basic pay chart, but for a family they can be worth thousands of dollars a year on top of cash compensation.
Start with your cash pay — basic, BAH and BAS — then layer family programs on top.
Calculate my pay →Frequently asked questions
What allowances do military families get?
Beyond BAH and BAS: Family Separation Allowance ($300/month), the higher with-dependents BAH rate, the Basic Needs Allowance, child care fee assistance, EFMP support, and MyCAA spouse tuition.
What is MyCAA?
My Career Advancement Account provides up to $4,000 in tuition assistance for eligible military spouses pursuing licenses, certifications, or associate degrees.
Is there help with military child care costs?
Yes — Military Child Care Fee Assistance subsidizes off-base care when an on-base CDC slot isn't available, and CDCs charge on an income-based sliding scale.