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Military Retirement Total Income Dashboard
Combine your military pension (High-3 or BRS), VA disability compensation, SBP net cost, and optional GS civilian salary into one income picture. See side-by-side: Scenario A (retire fully) vs Scenario B (retire + take a GS job).
What this calculator does
Most military retirees have three or four income streams at once — but no tool combines them. This dashboard adds High-3 or BRS pension, tax-free VA disability compensation, and an optional GS federal civilian salary into a single side-by-side view, with the SBP premium deducted automatically using the 2026 DFAS formula. If you're deciding whether to take a GS job after retirement, this is your number.
Military Pension
Retirement system
Multiplier: 2.5% per year. Entered before Jan 1, 2018 (or did not opt into BRS).
Estimated from 2026 pay table ($6,200/mo). Enter your actual High-3 for an exact result.
Taxable income — federal and most state taxes apply to military retired pay.
VA Disability Compensation
Enter your combined rating from your VA decision letter or eBenefits profile.
The first child is already included in the “with child” dependent status above.
Tax-free — VA disability compensation is not counted as taxable income (26 U.S.C. § 104).
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
SBP election
Premium is the lower of Method A (threshold formula) or Method B (6.5% flat). Pre-tax deduction.
SBP premiums are deducted before federal tax (effectively pre-tax). Survivor annuity = 55% of elected base.
Optional GS Civilian Job
Include GS civilian salary?
Military retirees can receive both full retired pay and a full GS salary — the dual compensation offset was repealed in 1999.
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Planning to count military service toward a FERS pension? Use the Military Buyback Calculator — this requires paying a service deposit AND waiving your military retired pay. That changes every number in this dashboard.
FedTools 2026 worked example: E-7, 20 years, 50% VA, GS-9 Step 1 RUS
All figures below verified against official 2026 sources: DFAS military pay tables (3.8% increase), VA.gov compensation rates (effective December 1, 2025, 2.8% COLA), DFAS SBP formula, and OPM 2026 GS pay tables. Figures are to the cent.
Income Component
Scenario A Retire fully
Scenario B Retire + GS-9
Source / Note
Military Gross Pension (50% High-3)
$3,100.00
$3,100.00
E-7, 20yr, $6,200 High-3
− SBP Premium (6.5% flat, Method B)
−$201.50
−$201.50
Full base election
= Pension After SBP
$2,898.50
$2,898.50
+ VA Compensation (50% + spouse)
+$1,241.90
+$1,241.90
Tax-free; 2026 rate
+ GS-9 Step 1 Rest of U.S. Gross
—
+$5,143.50
$52,727 base + 17.06% locality
TOTAL MONTHLY (GROSS)
$4,140.40
$9,283.90
Delta: +$5,143.50/mo
TOTAL ANNUAL (GROSS)
$49,684.80
$111,406.80
Delta: +$61,722/yr
Can I really get both pension and VA compensation? (CRDP explained)
The most common question military retirees have is whether they can receive both their pension and VA disability compensation. The answer depends on two numbers: years of service and VA rating.
CRDP (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) under 10 U.S.C. § 1414 allows 20-year retirees with a VA rating of 50% or higher to receive both their full retired pay and their full VA compensation simultaneously, with no dollar-for-dollar offset. This is the common case for most career military retirees with service-connected disabilities.
If your VA rating is below 50%, the VA waiver rule applies — your military retired pay is reduced dollar-for-dollar by your VA compensation amount, because both come from the federal government. You may qualify for CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) under 10 U.S.C. § 1413a if your disability is combat-related, which restores retired pay for those disabilities. The CRDP/CRSC calculation is complex; see dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/disability/crdp/ or your service branch retirement office.
Military retired pay + GS salary: both are paid in full
A military retiree who takes a General Schedule federal civilian position draws their full military retired pay AND their full GS salary. The dual compensation reduction in 5 U.S.C. § 5532 — which once reduced retired pay for federal civilian employees — was repealed effective October 1, 1999 by Section 651 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106-65).
There is one important exception: if you want to count your military service years toward a FERS civilian pension, you must pay a military service deposit (3% of military basic pay for each creditable period) and waive your military retired pay. That is a completely different financial decision with its own break-even analysis — use the Military Buyback Calculator to model it. Most military retirees who take a GS job do NOT elect the buyback, so they keep full retired pay plus full GS salary.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive both military retired pay and VA disability compensation at the same time?
It depends on your VA rating and years of service. If you have 20 or more years of service and a VA disability rating of 50% or higher, you qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) under 10 U.S.C. § 1414. CRDP allows you to receive your full military pension AND your full VA compensation with no offset. If your rating is below 50%, the VA waiver rule applies — your retired pay is reduced dollar-for-dollar by your VA compensation amount — unless you qualify for CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) for combat-related disabilities. This calculator shows the non-offset (CRDP-eligible) scenario by default and flags your eligibility.
Can I take a federal GS job after military retirement and still receive my pension?
Yes. Military retirees can receive both their full retired pay and a full GS civilian salary simultaneously. The dual compensation reduction that once offset retired pay for federal civilian employees was repealed effective October 1, 1999, by Section 651 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106-65). No offset applies to regular service retirements. However, if you want to count your military service years toward a FERS pension, you must pay a military service deposit and waive your retired pay — that is a separate and complex calculation handled by the Military Buyback Calculator.
What is the difference between the High-3 and BRS retirement systems?
Legacy High-3 uses a pension multiplier of 2.5% per year of service. At 20 years, you receive 50% of your High-3 average basic pay. BRS (Blended Retirement System) uses a 2.0% multiplier. At 20 years, BRS pays 40% of your High-3 — a 10-percentage-point gap. BRS partially offsets this with a DoD TSP match of up to 5% of basic pay per month starting at month 25 of service. Anyone who entered service on or after January 1, 2018 is in BRS automatically. The opt-in window for prior-service members closed December 31, 2018.
How is the SBP premium calculated for 2026?
The Survivor Benefit Plan premium uses a two-method formula for 2026. Method A (threshold formula): 2.5% of the first $1,096 of your elected base amount, plus 10% of the amount above $1,096. Method B (flat rate): 6.5% of your elected base amount. DFAS applies whichever method produces the lower premium — generally Method A is cheaper for pensions below roughly $2,349/month, and Method B for pensions above that breakeven. The SBP threshold of $1,096 was updated for 2026 (up from $1,056 in 2025) by the annual COLA adjustment. The SBP annuity to your survivor equals 55% of your elected base amount per month, COLA-adjusted for life. SBP premiums are deducted from retired pay before federal income tax, making them effectively pre-tax.
What is my High-3 average basic pay and how is it calculated?
Your High-3 is the arithmetic mean of your highest 36 consecutive months of military basic pay. It does NOT include BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing), BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence), special pays, or any other allowances — only basic pay counts. For most 20-year retirees, the highest 36 months are the final 36 months of service. The calculator autofills an estimate from 2026 DoD pay tables for your grade and years of service, but you should enter your actual figure from your retirement paperwork or DFAS MyPay for an exact result. Source: DFAS and 10 U.S.C. § 1401.
Data sources and accuracy disclosure
Military pension formula (High-3): 2.5% × years × High-3 average basic pay. Source: 10 U.S.C. § 1401; militarypay.defense.gov
Military pension formula (BRS): 2.0% × years × High-3. Source: 10 U.S.C. § 1409; militaryonesource.mil
2026 military basic pay: DFAS 2026 Pay Chart (3.8% increase, effective January 1, 2026). Source: dfas.mil
VA disability compensation rates: Effective December 1, 2025 (2.8% COLA). Source: va.gov; 38 U.S.C. § 1114
SBP premium formula: Lower of Method A (2.5% first $1,096 + 10% excess) or Method B (6.5% flat). 2026 threshold: $1,096 (updated from $1,056). Source: dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/provide/sbp/cost/; 10 U.S.C. §§ 1447–1455
This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not an official government tool. Results are estimates. Actual benefits depend on your verified service record, DFAS High-3 calculation, official VA rating, and retirement election paperwork. For authoritative figures, contact DFAS, the VA, or your service branch retirement services office.
Last updated: June 2026 · FedTools.com · VA rates effective December 1, 2025