See how far your tax-free housing allowance really goes toward a monthly home payment — before you shop, offer, or guess.
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Your payment position, in plain numbers — no approval, no pressure.
BAH is tax-free income that counts toward qualifying — and most buyers undercount it. Because it is not taxed, lenders may gross it up when they measure your ability to repay. That single adjustment can change the payment you can comfortably carry, and the home price that payment supports.
Use it when you receive a PCS, when you are comparing duty stations, or before you make an offer — especially in the Jacksonville area, where BAH varies by grade and dependency status.
Follow the three steps above. Enter your official BAH first, then your taxable and non-taxable income, your proposed total payment (including PITI, HOA, and flood, if applicable), your other debts, and the extra amount you are comfortable contributing beyond BAH.
The results show how much of the payment BAH covers, what remains after BAH, and how the gross-up changes your debt-to-income picture. A strong BAH position does not replace underwriting: credit, verification, property eligibility, and final approval still apply. If the numbers look workable, have Douglas review them before you offer.
BAH is income. It is not the entire strategy.
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Source: 2026 BAH: U.S. Department of Defense. Confirm your official BAH with DoD / your finance office.
This calculator is educational only and is not an approval or commitment to lend. Confirm BAH with DoD / finance. Equal Housing Opportunity. Mortgage services are provided by Douglas Wilkerson, Branch Manager and Mortgage Broker with Edge Home Finance Corporation. Loan programs, rates, eligibility, underwriting guidelines and availability are subject to change. All applications are subject to credit review, verification, property eligibility, applicable underwriting requirements and final approval. This website does not constitute a commitment to lend or a guarantee of financing.
Yes. BAH is qualifying income, and because it is non-taxable, it may be grossed up for qualifying purposes, subject to underwriting guidelines.
Use your official DoD rate for your duty station. The Jacksonville pre-fill is only a starting point for Jacksonville MHA ZIP codes — edit it if yours differs.
Some grades are not in the Jacksonville table shown here. Enter your official BAH manually rather than using an estimated figure.
No. This is an educational estimate. Final approval depends on credit review, verification, property eligibility, and underwriting.
Enter your total proposed monthly payment, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, and flood insurance if applicable.