Articles

Status of dependents can affect member's pay

  • Published
  • 36th Comptroller Squadron
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  A member with dependents is authorized Cost of Living Allowance based on the number of command-sponsored dependents at the permanent duty station. 

There are rules that the member and dependents must adhere to prevent an interruption in their COLA entitlement. Joint Federal Travel Regulation Chapter 9, paragraph U9130, Part A lists four circumstances in which the entitlement of COLA will be interrupted:

1. For any day in excess of 30 consecutive calendar days that a member accompanied by all dependents is on leave in the continental U.S.;

2. When one or more, or all, dependents return to CONUS for a temporary period in excess of 30 consecutive calendar days, the COLA payment beginning on the 31st day that a dependent is in CONUS is reduced to the rate for the number of dependents remaining at the Permanent Duty Station;

3. When one or more dependents depart the PDS vicinity and return to CONUS to attend school, the payment is reduced as of the day following the departure day to the rate for the number of dependents remaining at the PDS; or

4. When one or more dependents (but not all) depart the PDS vicinity and early/advance-return to CONUS, the OCONUS COLA payment is reduced as of the day following the dependents departure to the rate specified for the number of dependents remaining. If all the dependents early/advance-return to CONUS, the member becomes a member without dependents and the OCONUS COLA at the with-dependents' rate terminates the day before the dependents depart the member's PDS.

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