Military Family Basic Needs Allowance
Updated: January 3, 2023
Written by Brittany Crocker
The Department of Defense approved a new basic needs allowance (BNA) for military service members below a certain income threshold, according to a Sept. 22, 2022 memorandum from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
In the memo, Austin instructed DOD to provide the basic needs allowance beginning Jan. 1, 2023, along with an immediate BAH increase for service members living in highly inflated housing markets.
Find the current 2023 military pay rates here.
Who Receives a Basic Needs Allowance?
The BNA is a taxable allowance designed to bolster some active-duty military members’ gross household income to 130% of the federal poverty level, according to DOD.
Service members qualify for this allowance if their total household income – including their spouse’s – is less than 130% of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guideline.
How Much Is the Basic Needs Allowance?
BNA is an income-based allowance, so there’s no single answer to this. A service member whose family earns $3,000 less than 130% of the HHS poverty threshold will receive a $3,000 BNA. A service member making $200 less will receive $200.
Keep in mind, different HHS poverty thresholds apply for the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.
2023 Basic Needs Allowance Charts
Federal Poverty Thresholds for the Continental United States
| Household Size | Federal Poverty Threshold | 130% of Federal Poverty Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| One Person | $13,590 | $17,667 |
| Two People | $18,310 | $23,803 |
| Three People | $23,030 | $29,939 |
| Four People | $27,750 | $36,075 |
| Five People | $32,470 | $42,211 |
| Six People | $37,190 | $48,347 |
| Seven People | $41,910 | $54,483 |
| Eight People | $46,630 | $60,619 |
| Each Additional Person (Over Eight People) | $4,720 | $6,136 |
Federal Poverty Thresholds for Hawaii
| Household Size | Federal Poverty Threshold | 130% of Federal Poverty Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| One Person | $15,630 | $20,319 |
| Two People | $21,060 | $27,378 |
| Three People | $26,490 | $34,437 |
| Four People | $31,920 | $41,496 |
| Five People | $37,350 | $48,555 |
| Six People | $42,780 | $55,614 |
| Seven People | $48,210 | $62,673 |
| Eight People | $53,640 | $69,732 |
| Each Additional Person (Over Eight People) | $5,900 | $7,670 |
Federal Poverty Thresholds for Alaska
| Household Size | Federal Poverty Threshold | 130% of Federal Poverty Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| One Person | $16,990 | $22,087 |
| Two People | $22,890 | $29,757 |
| Three People | $28,790 | $37,427 |
| Four People | $34,690 | $45,097 |
| Five People | $40,590 | $52,767 |
| Six People | $46,490 | $60,437 |
| Seven People | $52,390 | $68,107 |
| Eight People | $58,290 | $75,777 |
| Each Additional Person (Over Eight People) | $5,900 | $7,670 |
Addressing Financial Needs
“The Department of Defense has a sacred obligation to take care of our Service members
and families,” Austin said in his memorandum. “Doing so is a national security imperative. Our military families provide the strong foundation for our force, and we owe them our full support.”
The basic needs allowance program, coupled with DOD-ordered commissary price reductions, will help fill the cracks to eliminate poverty and food insecurity among military members.
Military pay and allowances like BAH and BAS count against military families’ eligibility for government assistance, including the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), according to the Department of Agriculture’s food and nutrition service.
