Military Retirement
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Compare BRS against Legacy High-3 with your real numbers: the 20-year cliff, TSP with matching, VA disability including the concurrent-receipt rules most calculators get wrong, and what your state does to your pension.
Run your numbers.
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No state income tax.
You qualify for a defined-benefit pension for life, indexed for inflation.
At 50% or higher you receive your full retired pay and full VA compensation. The VA portion is tax-free.
| Component | Legacy High-3 | BRS |
|---|---|---|
| Pension Multiplier | 2.5% / year | 2.0% / year |
| Gross Monthly Pension | $3,000 | $2,400 |
| Government TSP Contribution | 0% (no match) | 5.0% |
| Projected TSP Balance | $147,584 | $295,168 |
| TSP Monthly Draw (4%) | +$492 | +$984 |
| VA Disability (tax-free) | +$1,133 | +$1,133 |
| State Tax (TX) | $0 | $0 |
| Net Estimated Monthly | $4,625 | $4,517 |
Take the whole model with you.
Download a live Excel workbook with your numbers filled in — every output is a formula, including the 20-year cliff, the CRDP/waiver branch, the BRS match, and your 4% withdrawal rate. Includes the full 2026 VA rate table and the state tax table on their own sheets.
Read this before you decide anything
This is an educational estimate, not financial, tax, or legal advice. I am an active-duty soldier who built this to help people think clearly about the numbers — I am not a licensed financial advisor, a tax professional, or a representative of DoD, DFAS, or the VA.
Real retired pay depends on your exact High-3, creditable service, retirement type (regular, Reserve/Guard point-based, TERA, disability), Survivor Benefit Plan elections, federal income tax, and any CRSC entitlement. None of that is modelled here. The state tax figures use a single approximate effective rate rather than real brackets.
Verify your own numbers before making a decision: DFAS Retired Military ↗ · VA compensation rates ↗ · DFAS CRDP ↗ · TSP.gov ↗
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