Blended Retirement Calculator
Compare military Blended Retirement System (BRS) vs legacy High-3 pension.
By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated April 2026 · Source: DFAS
Legacy Pension
$3,750.00
BRS Total
$3,833.33
Comparison
| Legacy (50.00%) | $3,750.00 |
| BRS Pension (40.00%) | $3,000.00 |
| TSP Drawdown (20yr) | $833.33 |
| BRS Total Monthly | $3,833.33 |
Use the Blended Retirement Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.
How It Works
Choosing between the military's Blended Retirement System (BRS) and the legacy High-3 pension is one of the larger financial decisions in a service career, and this tool lays the two side by side so the trade-offs are visible. The comparison carries added weight in 2026, with incentive pay for BRS members projected to hold at 2.5%.
Projections build from your service length, pay grade, and the system you select. On the BRS side, the math folds in a 1% automatic government contribution to your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), up to a 4% matching contribution, and a 2.5% Continuation Pay (CP) payout at 12 years of service. High-3 works differently, paying 2.5% of the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay for every year you served.
The piece people most often underrate is how compounding works inside the TSP under BRS. Contributing steadily, and contributing enough to capture the full government match, can swing the long-run BRS outcome substantially. These remain projections, though, and real investment returns along with future pay raises will move the final numbers.
Example: E-7, 20 Years Service
- 1 Input: Pay Grade: E-7, Years of Service: 20, Annual TSP Contribution (BRS only): 5% of basic pay (to maximize match).
- 2 Calculation: BRS will show a 2.5% Continuation Pay at 12 years, plus TSP growth (assuming a 7% annual return) and a smaller pension (2% per year of service). High-3 will show a pension of 50% (2.5% * 20) of the average of the highest 36 months of basic pay.
- 3 Result: BRS might show a lower pension but a significant TSP balance, while High-3 will show a higher guaranteed pension without a separate investment component.
- 4 Context: This comparison highlights the trade-off between a guaranteed pension (High-3) and a hybrid system with investment potential (BRS). For this E-7, the BRS TSP balance could provide substantial additional retirement income, depending on investment performance and personal contributions.
Source: DFAS · Last updated: April 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blended Retirement System?
Is the legacy High-3 or BRS better for me?
What is the continuation pay in BRS?
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