If you retire from a career in the military, you may be eligible for a pension. The plan and benefits you will receive depend on your situation.
There are two pension plans for active duty service members. These include:
Both plans require 20 or more years of service. The amount you receive from each plan is also based on the amount you earned from your basic pay and the date you joined the military.
Find your basic pay amount based on your pay grade and the number of years you served.
If you joined the military:
Legacy or High 36 Retirement System - This plan is based on an average of your highest 36 months of basic pay. The government does not match your contributions to the Thrift Savings plan.
Blended Retirement System (BRS) - The government matches your contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan up to 4%. You will also receive a pension based on an average of your highest 36 months of basic pay.
Retiring reservists with an accumulation of 20 or more years of service typically begin receiving their retirement benefits at age 60. But you may still qualify if you are under 60 based on the time you spent in active duty.
Payments will not begin automatically. Request your retirement benefits from the department where you last served. Learn more about how reserve retirement benefits work.
A service member who is at least 30% disabled may be eligible to get disability retirement benefits, also known as Chapter 61 retirement. Even if you served for fewer than 20 years, you may still qualify if you retired under the Temporary Early Retirement Act.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a pension program for veterans who did not retire from the military. This program is for veterans who:
The VA also has a pension for the survivor of a veteran who served during a war. Learn about the eligibility rules and how to apply for a VA Survivors Pension.
Use USAGov's benefit finder tool to find other retirement benefits that may help with living expenses, health care and medications, and more.