BRS vs. High-3 Retirement Calculator
Compare your monthly and lifetime pension under the Blended Retirement System versus the legacy High-3 system.
Last updated: October 2026
Both systems pay a pension starting at 20 years.
Average of your highest 36 months of basic pay.
How the two retirement systems work
The military has two retirement systems. The legacy High-3 system covers service members who entered before January 1, 2018 and stayed with it. It pays a pension of 2.5% of your high-3 average monthly base pay for each year of service: 20 years earns 50%, 30 years earns 75%. The Blended Retirement System (BRS) covers everyone who entered on or after January 1, 2018 (plus those who opted in during 2018). It pays 2.0% per year of service: 20 years earns 40%, 30 years earns 60%. Both pensions start immediately at retirement and receive annual cost-of-living adjustments.
The 0.5 percentage point gap is the whole story of the pension comparison: for identical years and pay, the BRS pension is exactly 20% smaller than the High-3 pension. But the pension is not the whole story of BRS, which is where the comparison gets interesting.
What the raw pension numbers do not capture
BRS was designed to give something to the majority of service members who never reach 20 years. Three features sit outside the pension math above. First, TSP matching: BRS members get a 1% automatic government contribution plus matching contributions up to 4% more, for up to 5% of basic pay. Over a career, the match plus compound growth can close much of the pension gap, and it belongs to members who separate before 20 years too. Second, continuation pay: a one-time cash bonus around 8 to 12 years of service for BRS members who commit to additional service, with the multiple of monthly base pay set by each service. Third, BRS members keep their TSP balance and its growth no matter when they leave. None of that appears in the monthly pension figures this calculator shows, so treat the pension gap as the starting point of the comparison, not the verdict.
Worked example
Take an E-7 retiring at 20 years with a high-3 average of $5,500 per month. Under High-3: 2.5% x 20 x $5,500 = $2,750 per month. Under BRS: 2.0% x 20 x $5,500 = $2,200 per month. The monthly gap is $550, or $6,600 per year. Over a 30-year retirement, the raw pension gap totals $198,000. Against that gap, a BRS member would weigh years of 5% TSP matching with compound growth plus continuation pay: for a member who contributed steadily, those two features can offset a large share of the difference, and they pay off even for members who leave before 20 years.
Which system are you in?
Your system is not a choice you get to revisit. If you entered service on or after January 1, 2018, you are under BRS, full stop. If you entered earlier, you were grandfathered into High-3 and had a one-time chance to opt into BRS during calendar year 2018; that window is closed. If you are unsure, your LES and your service personnel record show your retirement plan. This calculator is for comparing the two formulas, not for changing your system.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BRS and High-3?
High-3 pays 2.5% of your high-3 average base pay per year of service; BRS pays 2.0% per year. BRS adds TSP matching up to 5% of basic pay and a mid-career continuation pay bonus, which High-3 does not have.
Who is under BRS and who is under High-3?
Everyone who entered service on or after January 1, 2018 is under BRS. Those who entered before 2018 were grandfathered into High-3 but could make a one-time opt-in to BRS during 2018.
How much smaller is a BRS pension than a High-3 pension?
The BRS pension is 20% smaller for the same years and pay. At 20 years of service, High-3 pays 50% of high-3 average base pay while BRS pays 40%. At 30 years, it is 75% versus 60%.
What is BRS continuation pay?
Continuation pay is a one-time cash bonus paid around 8 to 12 years of service to BRS members who agree to serve additional years. Each service sets the multiple of monthly base pay; it is taxable income in the year received.
Does BRS include TSP matching?
Yes. BRS members receive a 1% automatic government TSP contribution plus matching contributions on the next 4% they contribute, for a total government contribution of up to 5% of basic pay. High-3 members get no match.
Can I switch from High-3 to BRS now?
No. The one-time opt-in window for members grandfathered into High-3 closed at the end of 2018. Your retirement system is fixed.
Do both systems require 20 years for a pension?
Yes. Both BRS and High-3 pay an immediate monthly pension only at 20 or more years of service. The BRS advantage for shorter careers is that you keep the government TSP match and its growth even if you separate earlier.
Are military pensions adjusted for inflation?
Yes. Both BRS and High-3 pensions receive annual cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index.
What counts as high-3 average pay?
Your high-3 is the average of your highest 36 consecutive months of basic pay, which for most retirees is the final three years of service. Allowances like BAH and BAS are not included.
Is military retirement pay taxable?
Yes, military retired pay is taxable as ordinary income at the federal level. State treatment varies: several states fully or partly exempt it.