Calculator · regular longevity retirement
Military Retirement Pension Calculator
Estimates the monthly pension from your years of service and your base pay, for final pay, high-36, and the Blended Retirement System.
- Statute
- 10 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1407, 1409
- Plans
- Final pay, high-36, BRS
- Not calculated
- REDUX, disability, reserve pay
- Checked
- 2026-11-01
Estimated monthly pension
- Per month
- $2,000.00
- Per year
- $24,000.00
- Multiplier
- 40% of base
- Service
- 20 years, 0 months
Formula
Monthly pension = base pay × (2% × years of service). Each full month counts as one twelfth of a year. Source: 10 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1407, 1409.
Not included
REDUX and the Career Status Bonus, disability retirement, reserve retirement points, Survivor Benefit Plan deductions, cost-of-living adjustments, the BRS lump-sum option, Thrift Savings Plan balances, and taxes. Estimates are not guaranteed retired pay.
Multiplier by years of service
The multiplier is the share of your retirement base paid as pension. Final pay and high-36 use 2.5% per year. BRS uses 2% per year. The values below match the DoD Military Retirement page's examples.
| Years of service | Final pay or high-36 | BRS |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 50% | 40% |
| 25 | 62.5% | 50% |
| 30 | 75% | 60% |
| 35 | 87.5% | 70% |
| 40 | 100% | 80% |
Source: DoD Military Pay, Military Retirement, the multiplier table.
Which plan applies
The plan depends on the date you first entered a uniformed service (DIEMS or DIEUS), not on the date you retired. Final pay applies to entry before September 8, 1980. High-36 applies to entry from September 8, 1980 through December 31, 2017, without REDUX or the Career Status Bonus. BRS applies to entry on or after January 1, 2018, and to members who opted in during 2018.
The high-36 average is the highest 36 months of basic pay divided by 36, which is usually the last three years of service (the statute's "high-three" average, 10 U.S.C. § 1407).
Blended Retirement System: other components
Members who entered on or after January 1, 2018 are automatically enrolled in the BRS. Besides the pension, it has these components:
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): an automatic 1% government contribution, plus matching contributions of up to 4%.
- Continuation pay: a one-time mid-career incentive tied to additional obligated service.
- Lump-sum option: a discounted upfront payment of 25% or 50% of estimated retired pay, with reduced monthly pay until full Social Security retirement age.
Sources
- 10 U.S.C. § 1401, Computation of retired pay
- 10 U.S.C. § 1407, Retired pay base for members who first became members after September 7, 1980
- 10 U.S.C. § 1409, Retired pay multiplier
- DoD Military Pay, Military Retirement
Checked 2026-11-01.
Frequently asked questions
Which retirement plan applies to me?
The plan depends on the date you first entered a uniformed service: final pay for entry before September 8, 1980; high-36 for entry from September 8, 1980 through December 31, 2017; and BRS for entry on or after January 1, 2018, or an opt-in during 2018.
Source: DoD Military Pay, Military Retirement; 10 U.S.C. 1407 (as summarized on this page).
What is the high-36 average?
It is the total monthly basic pay for the 36 months with the highest basic pay, divided by 36. The months do not have to be consecutive.
Source: 10 U.S.C. 1407(c)(1).
Does the pension use my take-home pay or my BAH?
No. The pension base uses basic pay under the rules of each plan. Take-home pay, housing and food allowances, and deductions are not part of this estimate.
Source: 10 U.S.C. 1407; scope of this calculator.
How much is the pension multiplier?
Final pay and high-36 use 2.5% for each year of creditable service. BRS uses 2% for each year. A 20-year member under the legacy plans receives 50% of the base, and under BRS receives 40%.
Source: 10 U.S.C. 1409; DoD Military Pay, Military Retirement (multiplier table above).
Does this estimate include the TSP, REDUX, disability pay, or VA offsets?
No. The calculator does not estimate TSP balances, REDUX, the Career Status Bonus, disability retirement, or VA offsets, and it does not estimate taxes or future cost-of-living adjustments. Use the official DoD calculators or a financial adviser for those.
Source: Scope of this calculator; DoD Military Pay, Blended Retirement System.