Military Retirement Planner
Retirement & VA Disability Pay Calculator
Estimate your monthly pension under the Blended Retirement System (BRS) or Legacy High-3, convert Guard/Reserve points, and model VA disability offsets and concurrent receipt — computed from the official 2026 DFAS pay table and VA compensation rates. Below is a default example; set your own grade, years, and ratings in the interactive planner.
2026 Example: E-7 Retiring at 20 Years of Service
A Sergeant First Class (E-7) retiring at 20 years, using the 2026 pay-table rate as the High-3 estimate, with a 50% VA disability rating. An illustrative example — your High-3 average and rating will differ.
| Retirement Income Stream | Monthly |
|---|---|
| BRS Pension (2.0% × 20 yrs = 40% of $6,245.00 High-3 estimate) | $2,498.00 |
| VA Disability at 50% (tax-free, veteran-alone 2026 rate) | $1,132.90 |
| Combined Monthly (CRDP — no offset at 20 yrs & 50%+) | $3,630.90 |
| Legacy High-3 Pension, for comparison (2.5% × 20 yrs) | $3,122.50 |
Pension figures use the 2026 DFAS pay-table rate for an E-7 at 20 years as the High-3 estimate; a real high-36-month average is typically slightly lower. VA compensation is the published 2026 veteran-alone rate — dependents raise it. The interactive planner handles medical (Chapter 61) retirements, CRSC, and Reserve points.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a military pension calculated under BRS?
The Blended Retirement System pays 2.0% of your highest-36-months basic pay per year of service. At 20 years that is a 40% multiplier — for an E-7 retiring at 20 years, roughly $2,498.00 per month, using the 2026 pay-table rate of $6,245.00 as the High-3 estimate. Your actual High-3 average is usually slightly lower than your final rate because it spans three years of raises; the planner lets you enter the exact figure.
What is the difference between BRS and Legacy High-3?
The multiplier: Legacy High-3 pays 2.5% per year of service against the same High-3 average, versus 2.0% under BRS. For the example E-7 at 20 years, that is roughly $3,122.50 per month under Legacy versus $2,498.00 under BRS — $624.50 per month more. BRS trades that away for automatic TSP matching up to 5% and a mid-career continuation pay bonus, so the better system depends on your whole career, not just the pension line.
How does VA disability affect military retirement pay?
With 20 or more years of service and a VA rating of 50% or higher, Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) lets you draw both checks in full. At a 50% rating, 2026 VA compensation is $1,132.90 per month (veteran-alone rate), tax-free — so the example E-7 would receive about $3,630.90 per month combined with the BRS pension. Below 20 years or below a 50% rating, the pension is offset dollar-for-dollar by VA compensation unless the disability is combat-related (CRSC).
How do Guard and Reserve retirement points convert to a pension?
Total career retirement points divide by 360 to give equivalent active-duty years, and the pension multiplier applies to that equivalent figure. Reserve retired pay normally starts at age 60, but under the 2008 NDAA each qualifying 90-day block of active service in support of contingency operations moves the start age up 3 months, to a floor of age 50. The planner converts your points and computes the start age.