The location of your duty station and the cost of living index (CLI) for that area.
Your rank or pay grade and your basic allowance for housing (BAH) rate.
The number of dependents you have and their location.
The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the local currency.
The inflation rate and the changes in prices of goods and services.
COLA is calculated using a formula that compares the average spending patterns of service members and civilians in CONUS with those in overseas areas. The formula takes into account the differences in prices of various categories of goods and services, such as food, clothing, transportation, utilities, recreation, medical care, etc. COLA is expressed as a percentage of your spendable income, which is the portion of your income that is available for spending after deducting taxes, savings, insurance premiums, housing costs, and other non-discretionary expenses. The higher the percentage, the higher the COLA amount. For example, if your spendable income is $2,000 per month and your COLA percentage is 10%, your COLA amount would be $200 per month. If your COLA percentage is 20%, your COLA amount would be $400 per month. COLA is paid monthly along with your regular pay. You can check your COLA amount on your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) or on the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website.
How to Fill Out and Submit a DA 4187 for COLA Dependent Change?
If you need to update your COLA entitlement due to a change in your dependent status, you need to fill out a DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action) and submit it to your command along with the supporting documents that verify your change. Here are the steps to follow:
Download a blank DA Form 4187 from the Army Publishing Directorate website or use an online form filler tool.
Fill out Part I (Personal Identification) with your name, rank/grade/pay band, social security number (SSN), branch/component/agency/service/organization code (BCASO), duty phone number/email address/DSN prefix (DPED), unit address/street/city/state/zip code/country (UASZC), effective date of action requested (EDAR), type of action requested (TAR), authority/regulation/publication/paragraph/date (ARPD), justification/reason for request (JRF), remarks/additional information/other instructions (RAIO), signature/date/title/grade/organization/phone number/email address of requester (SDTOPE).
In Part I, under TAR, select "Other" and write "COLA Dependent Change" in the blank space.
In Part I, under JRF, write a brief explanation of why you are requesting a change in your COLA entitlement, such as "Marriage", "Divorce", "Birth", "Adoption", "Death", or "Relocation" of your dependent(s).
In Part I, under RAIO, list the names, SSNs, relationships, and locations of your current and new dependents. Indicate whether they are residing with you or not. For example, "Current dependents: John Smith (SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX), spouse, residing with me. Jane Smith (SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX), daughter, residing with me. New dependents: Mary Smith (SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX), daughter, born on 01/01/2023, residing with me."
Attach the supporting documents that verify your change in dependent status, such as marriage certificate, divorce decree, birth certificate, adoption papers, death certificate, or orders for relocation. Make sure the documents are legible and have the official seals or stamps of the issuing authorities.
Fill out Part II (Request for Personnel Action) with the name/rank/grade/pay band/SSN/BCASO/DPED/UASZC of the soldier/civilian employee for whom action is requested (SCER), the name/rank/grade/pay band/SSN/BCASO/DPED/UASZC of the soldier/civilian employee who is initiating the request (SCIR), the name/rank/grade/pay band/SSN/BCASO/DPED/UASZC of the soldier/civilian employee who is recommending approval/disapproval of the request (SCRR), the name/rank/grade/pay band/SSN/BCASO/DPED/UASZC of the soldier/civilian employee who is approving/disapproving the request (SCAR), and the name/rank/grade/pay band/SSN/BCASO/DPED/UASZC of the soldier/civilian employee who is authenticating the request (SCAR).
Obtain the signatures and dates of the SCIR, SCRR, SCAR, and SCAR in Part II.
Submit the completed DA Form 4187 and the supporting documents to your command for processing.
Wait for your command to notify you of the approval or disapproval of your request. If approved, your COLA entitlement will be updated accordingly and reflected on your next LES or DFAS website. If disapproved, you may appeal the decision by following the procedures outlined in AR 37-104-4.
DA 4187 COLA Dependent Change Example
To help you understand how to fill out a DA 4187 for COLA dependent change, here is an example of a completed form for a soldier who got married and added his spouse as a dependent. Note that this is only an example and not an official document. You should always consult with your command and follow their specific instructions and guidelines when filling out and submitting a DA 4187 for COLA dependent change.
<img src="da-4187-cola-dependent-change-example.png" alt="DA 4187 COLA Dependent Change Example" width="800" height="600">
Conclusion
COLA is a supplemental allowance that helps U.S. military and civilian personnel who are stationed overseas to cope with the higher cost of living in foreign countries. COLA is based on several factors, such as location, rank, pay grade, and number of dependents. If your dependent status changes due to marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, death, or relocation, you need to report it to your command and update your COLA entitlement. To do this, you need to fill out and submit a DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action) with the appropriate supporting documents that verify your change. In this article, we explained what COLA is, how it is calculated, and what documents you need to support your request. We also showed you how to fill out and submit a DA 4187 for COLA dependent change with an example. We hope this article was helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.
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