Military pay & benefits
news for the ranks.
Pay raises, BRS, BAH, retirement, and the military-to-federal transition, tracked for service members, veterans, and their families. Back to the military hub →
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44 articles- Space Force Part-Time Guardians: Pay, TSP, and the TRICARE GapJul 19, 2026The first 18 part-time Guardians joined July 17. How nonsustained duty pay, retirement points, and BRS matching work, and the TRICARE question nobody has answered.Read
- Shutdown Prep Checklist: 15 Money Moves Before October 1Jul 19, 2026The 2026 shutdown financial prep checklist: NFCU and USAA 0% loan terms, the TSP match you lose forever, the unemployment repayment trap, and a free PDF.Read
- Guard/Reserve vs. 20 Active Years: The $1M Pension GapJul 19, 2026Leave active duty at 10 years or push to 20? The 2026 math on reserve pensions, FERS buyback, and the $1 million timing gap most service members miss.Read
- Your BRS Match Never Goes to Roth TSP. Here's the FixJul 19, 2026Elect 100% Roth TSP and DoD's 5% match still lands in Traditional, by law. The mixed-balance surprise, the January 2026 conversion fix, and the deployment trick.Read
- How to File for SBP Survivor Benefits: Free, Step by StepJul 15, 2026Filing for the military Survivor Benefit Plan costs nothing. The DFAS process, DD Form 2656-7, timelines, and the $6,000 scam targeting surviving spouses.Read
- $645 a Month: TRICARE Retired Reserve's Real 2026 CostJul 12, 2026TRR runs $645.90 single or $1,548.30 family per month in 2026, full cost, no subsidy. Who qualifies, the FEHB trap that blocks feds, and the age-60 payoff.Read
- $1,490/Year Apart: House vs Senate 2027 Military Pay RaiseJul 12, 2026The House wants 7% for junior enlisted; the Senate passed 3.6% flat. The per-rank dollar gap, why the House bill stalled, and what history says wins.Read
- The FEHB 5-Year Rule: 4 Myths, Debunked With OPM SourcesJul 12, 2026You don't need the same FEHB plan for 5 years. Spouse coverage counts, TRICARE counts, and breaks in service get skipped. The real rule, with citations.Read
- Leaving the Military? The Money Blindside Nobody Briefs You OnJul 8, 2026TRICARE ends, BAH stops, and an $80K civilian offer can be a $30K pay cut. The 2026 healthcare options, deadlines, and salary math for separating troops.Read
- Catch-62: The Military Buyback Trap That Cuts CSRS PensionsJul 8, 2026Catch-62 permanently cuts CSRS pensions at age 62 if the military deposit went unpaid. Who it hits, the $440/month surprise, and how to check your status.Read
- TRICARE 2026 Costs: Rx Copays Up 16%, Fees Up 2.8%Jul 5, 2026Every verified 2026 TRICARE number for retirees: pharmacy copays, Prime and Select fees by group, catastrophic caps, TYA premiums, and the TFL Part B math.Read
- $3,548 on the Table: 2026 PCS Entitlement MistakesJul 5, 2026Peak PCS season 2026: the BAH reset, DLA, TLE, and DITY mistakes that cost service members thousands. Full 2026 DLA table and the PPM tax surprise.Read
- $615 a Month Gone: The BRS Reenlistment Coding TrapJul 5, 2026Returning to service with a pre-2018 DIEMS? Pay systems often auto-code you into BRS when you're entitled to legacy High-3. Check one LES field to catch it.Read
- Unions Sue DoD Over Canceled Bargaining ContractsJul 5, 2026AFGE and NFFE filed suit July 3 to void Hegseth's memo terminating DoD union contracts. What the APA lawsuit and the FY2027 NDAA mean for DoD civilians.Read
- 93,000 Cuts Later: Who the FY2027 NDAA Protects at DODJul 1, 2026The Senate's FY2027 NDAA would ban RIFs at shipyards and depots, add a 45-day layoff notice rule, and boost cyber pay. Who's covered and who isn't.Read
- USERRA and Your TSP: Make Up Deployment Contributions (2026)Jun 28, 2026Returning from deployment? USERRA lets you make up missed TSP contributions and recover agency matching. The makeup window, the 60-day clock, and the lost-earnings catch.Read
- USERRA Reemployment Rights for Federal Employees (2026)Jun 28, 2026USERRA gives federal reservists and Guard members the right to their job back. Reemployment deadlines, the escalator rule, the 5-year cap, and the MSPB appeal path.Read
- 20 Days Paid Military Leave for Federal Employees (5 USC 6323)Jun 28, 2026Guard and Reserve feds now get 20 paid military leave days a year, up from 15 — plus a separate 22-day emergency bank. The leave-year rules, the pay offset, and the carryover trap.Read
- GS Job After Military Retirement: Your Combined IncomeJun 28, 2026Military retirees who take a federal job can stack pension, VA disability, and GS salary. See how the combined income adds up in 2026.Read
- Which Jobs Count Toward Federal Retirement? Creditable ServiceJun 28, 2026Which jobs count toward FERS and CSRS retirement: temporary time, military, Peace Corps, quasi-government, NAF, and contractors. The deposit rules that decide it.Read
- VA Disability + a Federal Job: What You Can Collect (2026)Jun 27, 2026Can you collect VA disability and a federal GS salary at the same time? Yes. Here's how VA comp, military retired pay (CRDP/CRSC), and a FERS pension interact in 2026, with a decision matrix.Read
- SBP vs Life Insurance: The Military Retiree's 6.5% MathJun 27, 2026Military SBP costs 6.5% of your pension; the survivor gets 55% for life. Here's the real break-even vs term life, the four advantages competitors skip, and when term wins.Read
- E-7 Pay = GS-11, Not GS-7: What Your Rank Is Really Worth (2026)Jun 27, 2026Match basic pay alone and an E-7 looks like a GS-7. Count Regular Military Compensation — BAH, BAS, the tax advantage — and the honest match is GS-11. Full 2026 rank-to-GS table.Read
- Guard & Reserve Retirement Points: The 'Good Year' Trap (2026)Jun 27, 2026Reserve and Guard retirement runs on points and 'good years.' Missing one good year can cost an E-7 over $10,000 in lifetime pension. Here's how points work and how to protect yours.Read
- BRS vs High-3: Optimize Your Military Retirement (2026)Jun 27, 2026You're in the Blended Retirement System if you joined after 2018. Here's how to optimize BRS in 2026: protect your TSP match, time continuation pay, and run the numbers.Read
- 2026 BAH Rates: Same Rank, $45,000 Apart by Zip CodeJun 27, 20262026 BAH rose 4.2% on average, but duty stations ranged from -6.9% to +15.8%. See which bases gained, which dropped, and the rate-protection rule that blindsides PCS arrivals.Read
- 2027 Military Pay Raise: Tiered 5-7% vs Flat 3.6%Jun 27, 2026The 2027 NDAA proposes a tiered military pay raise (7% for E-5 and below) while the Senate wants a flat 3.6%. See the exact dollar impact by grade, E-1 through O-6.Read
- TRICARE vs. FEHB for Military Retirees in Federal Jobs (2026)Jun 24, 2026Military retirees in federal jobs can keep TRICARE, run it with FEHB, or suspend FEHB and save thousands. The 2026 cost tables, the 5-year-rule trap, and the strategy.Read
- Military Pension + FERS: Can You Collect Both? (2026)Jun 24, 2026Military retirees can keep full retired pay and a GS salary. But counting service toward FERS means waiving the pension or buying it back. The decision math, explained.Read
- Feds Get 0%, Military Gets 7%: The 2027 Pay Gap's Pension CostJun 21, 2026The 2027 budget proposes 0% for civilian feds and 5-7% for military, the widest gap in the modern GS era. See the year-by-year data and the High-3 pension hit.Read
- Navy DRP 2026: Eligibility, $46,800 Severance Gap ExplainedMay 20, 2026Are you eligible for the Navy DRP in 2026? Full eligibility matrix, grade-by-grade payment table, and a 5-question decision framework before you sign anything.Read
- DoD VERA/VSIP May 2026: Army Phase 2 and $40K Buyout BillMay 20, 2026Every DoD component's VERA/VSIP status as of May 2026. Army Phase 2 active, Navy modeling deadline Sept 30, H.R. 7256 would triple buyouts for GS-13s.Read
- Navy DRP 2026: What Civilian Employees Need to KnowMay 13, 2026Navy DRP 2026 status, eligibility, and the financial decision most civilians miss. Includes version history, benefits during admin leave, and the $46,800 severance gap.Read
- Dept of War Rebrand: $72/Civilian for a Name ChangeMay 6, 2026Pentagon spent $50M on the Department of War rebrand while losing 101K civilians. Cost-per-employee math, rebrand timeline, and what 694K remaining DoD civilians need to know.Read
- DoD Union Contracts Terminated: What 300,000 Civilians Just LostApr 26, 2026Hegseth terminated DoD CBAs April 9. Side-by-side statutory baseline vs. union add-ons, what protections survive, and your action checklist.Read
- Military Got COVID Vaccine Backpay. Civilian Feds Got This InsteadApr 23, 2026Military service members got 4 years of backpay under EO 14184. Civilian federal employees got record expungement, not money. The full contrast and what to do now.Read
- How to Transfer to Another Federal Agency During a RIFApr 19, 2026Facing a RIF? CTAP and ICTAP give you priority placement at other agencies. Here's the step-by-step process with deadlines and required documents.Read
- Navy Civilian Reduction 2026: 10/15/20% GuideMar 31, 2026Navy ordered commands to model 10–20% civilian cuts by Sept 30, 2026. Shipyard workers are protected. Here's what every Navy civilian needs to know now.Read
- MDR vs RIF vs VERA/VSIP: What DoD Employees Need to Know in 2026Mar 25, 2026Army RIFs confirmed at Detroit Arsenal. MDR, RIF, and VERA/VSIP carry different rights and financial outcomes. Here's how to decide which path is right for you.Read
- VERA & VSIP Guide 2026: Take the Buyout?Jun 24, 2026VERA/VSIP buyouts in 2026: eligibility rules, benefits impact, DOD's $40K cap, TSP access before 55, and whether accepting makes financial sense for you.Read
- 2027 Federal Pay Raise: FAIR Act vs. Trump's 0% Budget ProposalApr 8, 2026Trump's FY2027 budget proposes a 0% civilian raise while seeking 5-7% for military. The FAIR Act counters with 4.1%. Here's what both mean for your paycheck.Read
- Military Buyback 2026: Add Years to Your FERS PensionFeb 11, 2026Calculate the cost to buy back military time for FERS credit. At 3% of base pay, most veterans pay $2,400-$6,600. Interest-free window + step-by-step process.Read
- Federal Leave Options Beyond Sick and Annual: Complete 2026 GuideFeb 8, 2026Know all your federal leave options. LWOP, FMLA, donated leave, military leave, paid parental leave, and more, plus how each affects FEHB, FERS, and TSP.Read
- DHS Shutdown 2026: Day 61 Back Pay, Legal Rights & What's NextMay 31, 2026DHS shutdown Day 61: employees ordered back April 10 under 'Liberating DHS' EO. Back pay deposits Apr 10-16. Avalos case explained. Guide for TSA and DHS workers.Read