Military Retirement Pay Calculator (2026)

All military retirement plans use the same basic formula:

Retired Pay = Retired Pay Base × Multiplier %

The difference between plans is how the base and multiplier are determined. Select a plan above to see the specific formula with your numbers.

Final Pay (DIEMS before Sep 8, 1980): Uses your final month's basic pay as the base. Multiplier is 2.5% per year of service. Full COLA adjustments.

High-36 (DIEMS Sep 8, 1980 – Dec 31, 2017): Uses the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay. Same 2.5% multiplier. Full COLA. Most common plan for mid-career retirees.

REDUX/CSB (DIEMS Aug 1, 1986 – Dec 31, 2017, elected CSB): Same High-36 base, but multiplier is reduced by 1% for each year under 30. You received a $30,000 Career Status Bonus at 15 years. COLA is CPI minus 1%. One-time catch-up at age 62.

BRS (DIEMS Jan 1, 2018+ or opted in): Uses High-36 base with a 2.0% multiplier (vs 2.5%). Includes TSP matching: 1% automatic + up to 4% match. Full COLA. Designed to provide retirement benefits to more service members, including those who serve fewer than 20 years.

Military retirement pay equals your Retired Pay Base multiplied by a percentage multiplier. The base and multiplier depend on your retirement plan. For High-36, the base is the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay, and the multiplier is 2.5% per year of service (50% at 20 years).

High-36 uses a 2.5% per year multiplier (50% at 20 years), while BRS uses 2.0% (40% at 20 years). However, BRS includes TSP matching: 1% automatic plus up to 4% match. Over a career, BRS TSP benefits can exceed the lower pension, especially with compound growth.

At age 62, REDUX retirees receive a one-time readjustment that restores their retired pay to what it would have been under High-36. After 62, the reduced COLA (CPI minus 1%) resumes, so the gap reopens over time.

At 20 years, the multiplier is 50% for Final Pay and High-36, 40% for REDUX, and 40% for BRS. The dollar amount depends on pay grade. An E-7 under High-36 receives roughly $3,100/month; an O-5 receives roughly $6,000/month.

Yes, military retirement pay is subject to federal income tax and most state income taxes. VA disability compensation, however, is tax-free. Retirees with 50%+ VA disability and 20+ years of service can receive both through concurrent receipt.