“I got out of the Navy in December 2025. Nobody showed me the month money would get tight, so I built the planner I wanted.” Curtis Pavlik, 16 years. More about Runway
One plan, not ten websitesPay, VA, taxes, TSP, house and job on one timeline.
It finds the lowest monthOther calculators give one number. Runway shows the month money runs lowest.
Sourced and independentEvery number links to its official source. No ads. Rates rechecked November 10, 2026.
Example family
A Navy Chief’s family, 20 years in
E-7, 20 years, retiring
70% VA rating
Spouse and 2 kids
Staying in Virginia
His new job starts in month 4
Spouse back to work in month 3
A made-up family with typical numbers, so you can see a full plan before entering yours.
Monthly pay
Lowest month
Month 24
What's free, and what Premium adds
Lite · free
Your retirement plan
What will we take home each month?
What does my VA rating pay?
Retire now or later?
What should I do with my TSP?
When does Guard pay start?
Where does each number come from?
Premium · $19.99 once
The rest of the transition
What will the GI Bill cover?
What is due, and when?
Can we afford this house?
Which state is best for us?
What would this job pay us?
Where does the money go?
A fee-only financial planner charges $150 to $300 an hour. Premium is a one-time payment.
Yes. The retirement plan, VA-only planning, the Reserve and Guard tools, the state tax pages and the reference guide are free, with no account and no email. Premium is an optional one-time upgrade.
Is my information saved anywhere?
No. What you type stays in your own browser. Nothing you type is stored on our side. If you choose “Email me my plan,” a short summary is sent only to write that email, then discarded. We only see an email address if you choose to give one.
Where do the numbers come from?
DFAS, VA, OPM, IRS, TSP and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every tab links its source, and rates were rechecked November 10, 2026.
What does Premium add?
Careers, Business, Budget, Education and grants, your dated Transition timeline, the VA home loan calculator and all 50 states, for one payment with nothing that renews.
What if it isn’t useful to me?
Ask within 14 days and we refund Premium. The free plan never costs anything.
Military Retirement Runway is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs or any military branch. It is planning guidance, not financial, tax or legal advice. Every source is in the Reference tab.
The numbers you enter in the planner (pay grade, VA rating, savings and so on) are used only in your browser. Runway does not send them to us. Your browser may save them locally so they are there next time.
What we collect
Your email address and the time you signed up, from the sign-up form.
If you buy the Premium version, the payment provider on the checkout page handles your payment. Runway never sees your card number.
How we use it
To give you access and send Runway updates, such as new pay and VA rate tables, and the offer to upgrade.
Every email includes a way to unsubscribe.
We do not sell or share your email.
Links and referrals
Links go to official agency pages and other sites with their own policies. Runway does not take referral fees or payments from any link in the planner, and it does not recommend a specific financial company.
Contact
Questions or deletion requests: use the contact on this page.
Premium adds 7 more tabsCareers, Business grants, Budget and more. $19.99 once, no subscription.
“Prior planning prevents poor performance.”
Military Retirement Runway
Three steps: choose your branch, enter your numbers, read your runway.
Example numbers. These are starting values, not your plan. Change the rank, years of service, VA rating, family and state to yours.
1Choose your branch
2Your numbers
Examples are filled in so you can see how Runway works. Replace them with yours. Ranks follow the branch you chose.
RetirementRank, years of service, SBP
No retired pay. Choose this if you are leaving before 20 years, or you will leave without retiring. Your plan then runs on VA disability pay, any separation pay, and your own income. Set your VA rating and dependents below.
How separation pay and health care work
Involuntary separation pay is for members who are involuntarily separated with at least 6 and fewer than 20 years of service. Full pay is 10% of monthly basic pay at discharge times 12, times your years of service. Half pay is 50% of that. If you later receive VA disability pay, the VA withholds it until the total equals the separation pay you received, and waivers are not authorized. Source: militarypay.defense.gov: separation pay.
Health care. Some members who separate get 180 days of TRICARE with no premiums after regular benefits end. This is called the Transitional Assistance Management Program, and it does not apply to everyone. Check your eligibility in milConnect. After that, enter your own premium under Costs, and ask about VA health care. Sources: TRICARE: TAMP, VA: health care eligibility.
Count your points year by year
A year counts when you earn 50 or more points in your anniversary year, and you need 20 of them. You can earn up to 365 points a year (366 in a leap year), and no more than 130 can come from inactive duty. Retired pay is points divided by 360, times 2.5%, applied to your high-36 average. Sources: Army: retired pay, Coast Guard: good year.
Blended lump sumNone
VA disabilityRating, dependentsHave several VA ratings? Combine them
VA ratings do not add up. A 50% and a 30% combine to 70%, not 80%. Enter each separate rating. Runway combines them the way the VA does: highest first, each one applied to what is left, rounded once at the end to the nearest 10. Source: 38 CFR 4.25.
Both arms or both legs? VA adds a bilateral factor when both sides are rated. Enter the two sides here and they count as one rating with 10% added. Source: 38 CFR 4.26.
An estimate for planning. Four-limb cases are not covered. The VA decides your actual rating.
Special monthly compensationNone
SMC-K is not added to SMC-O/P or SMC-R, so Runway leaves it out.
Special monthly compensation is extra VA pay for losing a limb, an eye or an organ, or the use of one, or for needing help at home. Runway uses the VA rates in effect December 1, 2025, raised 3.6% when the 2027 box below is checked, and adds the same amounts for dependents as the 100% rate. A spouse who needs aid and attendance, and children 18 to 23 in school, are paid more and are not included. Source: VA: special monthly compensation rates.
Cash on handSavings, terminal leave, new incomeUnemployment (UCX)Off
Veterans who leave with an honorable discharge can file for unemployment (UCX) in the state where they live, often after a one-week wait, while they look for work. Military retired pay reduces it, often dollar for dollar, so most retirees get little or none. VA disability pay does not reduce it. You cannot collect it while the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays your housing. Your state sets the amount from your military pay. Sources: Congressional Research Service: UCX, find your state's unemployment office.
Spouse or partnerIncome that helps the plan
CostsLiving costs, health care, moving
2027 fees, up about 3% to 4% from 2026. Fees change every January, and Select also has deductibles and copays. Source: TRICARE: 2027 health plan costs.
Life insurance$0/mo
Your SGLI ends 120 days after you separate. Two VA options keep your family covered:
VGLI: up to the amount of SGLI you had (max $500,000). Apply within 240 days of leaving with no health questions, or by 1 year and 120 days with health questions. The price goes up as you age.
VALife: whole life, up to $40,000, for any veteran with a service-connected rating (even 0%) age 80 or younger. No health questions and no deadline after your rating, but full coverage starts after 2 years. About $22 a month per $10,000 at age 40.
VGLI is paused for premiums from Nov 1, 2026 through Jan 31, 2027, and coverage continues. Private term insurance can cost less if you are young and healthy, so compare a quote or two. Sources: VA VGLI rates, VA VALife.
The VA lists an average of 68.2 days to complete disability claims in September 2026. Your time can be longer or shorter, and filing before you leave can help. Source: VA: after you file a claim.
3Your runway
Lowest month
Balance then
Balance at month 24
Months with a shortfall
Your monthly retirement and VA payWhere each paycheck goesCash balance by monthYour money over 24 months
Tap or drag across the chart to see any month.
Sends a link with your numbers, so you both see the same 24 months. Your numbers ride in the link itself and are never stored on our server.
Email me my plan
Get this plan in your inbox: your monthly pay, the month money runs lowest, and a link that reopens these exact numbers on any phone or computer. Handy to show your spouse.
Sent. Check your inbox in a minute (and spam, just in case). Change any number above and send it again whenever you like.
Premium
Now plan the months around it.
Transition: every deadline as a real date from your retirement date, with calendar reminders
Budget: see which bills to trim before your lowest month
Careers: 48 roles with median pay, added straight into this plan
Education and grants: GI Bill housing allowance counted in your months
Your TSP after serviceKeep it, move it, or take it out
You do not have to move your TSP when you retire or separate. If your balance is $200 or more, you can leave it in the TSP. You can also roll it into an IRA or a new employer plan with no tax if you do it as a direct rollover, or take it out, which usually costs tax and, before 59½, often a 10% penalty. None of these is right for everyone. Try each one with your own numbers below. Balances are examples. Sources: TSP.gov and FINRA.
1Your balances
2Your choice
3Costs and growth
If you decide to roll over: how it works
Separate from service first. The TSP pays out only after your separation date.
Open a traditional IRA for your pretax balance, and a Roth IRA if you are moving Roth money. Compare fees, fund choices and service at more than one company before you pick.
Ask the IRA company for its rollover instructions, including who the check is payable to and where it goes.
Log in to your TSP account and request a withdrawal as a direct rollover to the IRA. The TSP says a paper form is not needed for this. Older guides mention form TSP-70 for a full withdrawal and TSP-77 for a partial one. A direct rollover has no tax withheld. If the money goes to you first, 20% is withheld and you have 60 days to replace it.
When the money lands in the IRA it is cash. You still have to buy the investments.
In January, expect a 1099-R from the TSP. A direct rollover is reported as a rollover, not as income.
Rollover bonuses. Some IRA companies advertise a bonus or match on incoming rollovers. Terms vary, the money often has to stay for years or the bonus can be taken back, and the terms may not name the TSP. Ask the company in writing before you move money. Runway does not rank or recommend any company, and the numbers on this tab do not count any bonus.
Where each month’s money comes fromIncome by source
Months you spend more than comes inRetired payVA payNew incomeSpouse incomeOne time: terminal leave, VA back payMoney out
Compare two plansSave one, change a number, see both
Save the plan on screen as Plan A. Then change anything: retire later, take the job, cut a cost. Runway shows both side by side.
More detail
Your state tax in every stateCompare all 50 states and DCWhen each income source turns onMonth-by-month timeline
The gaps where fewer sources are on are usually the months that squeeze you.
Month by month tableAll 24 months, with sources and notes
Month
Sources on
Money in
Money out
Balance
This is planning guidance, not financial advice. Basic pay uses the 2026 tables (3.8% raise, effective January 1, 2026). VA pay uses the 2027 rates by default (3.6% COLA announced October 14, 2026, effective December 1, 2026, projected until the VA posts its table). You can switch to the December 1, 2025 rates. Your real high-3 average is usually a bit lower than your final basic pay, and DFAS and the VA decide your exact amounts. State rules were cross-checked across several published guides on October 2, 2026 and they differ on some states, marked Verify. Confirm with your state tax agency before you pick where to live. Your plan numbers stay in this browser and are never sent anywhere. Only the feedback form, code recovery and checkout send anything, and only what you type into them. See how current each number is.
Estimate your federal taxBetter than the 12% guess
Replace the 12% guess with a calculated rate. Runway taxes your retired pay first, then adds wages and self-employment income on top, using the 2027 brackets the IRS released November 5, 2026. VA pay is not taxed. This is federal only and an estimate, so confirm with a tax professional or the IRS.
Save your plan
Print it for the kitchen table, or open it in a spreadsheet to play with the numbers.
Pick a topic. Figures were gathered October 2 and 3, 2026, and rechecked October 30, 2026. Rates change every year, so check the sources before you act on a number.
How to use Runway
Pick your pay grade, years of service, and retirement system.
Pick your VA rating and who counts as your dependents.
Pick the state you will live in, enter your age, and check the tax rates.
Enter savings, terminal leave, new income, and costs, then set when each income starts.
Read the result line and the lowest month. The table shows every month.
Tap the what-if buttons to see a late VA decision or a late job start.
Open Your TSP after service if you have a TSP balance.
How the numbers are worked out
Retired pay
Basic pay at your grade and years of service, times years of service, times 2.5% (High-3) or 2.0% (Blended). The result is capped at 75% of basic pay. Runway uses the 2026 basic pay table for your final year. Your real retired pay uses the average of your highest 36 months, which is usually a little lower.
Your DFAS estimate
If you type your own gross monthly retired pay, Runway uses it and skips the calculation.
VA pay
The monthly rate for your rating and dependents from the VA table below. It is tax free at the federal level and in every state.
VA offset
With a rating under 50%, retired pay is reduced by the VA amount unless you qualify for CRSC. With a rating of 50% or more and 20 or more years of service, you get both in full.
Federal tax
The rate you enter times your taxable retired pay.
State tax
Your state’s exclusion is taken off first, using your age and income where the state requires it. The rest is taxed at the rate you enter. The state defaults are rough, so edit them.
Monthly money in
After-tax retired pay, VA pay, and new income, each starting the month after its delay.
Monthly money out
Living costs plus new health insurance. Month 1 also adds your moving costs and the terminal leave payout comes in.
VA back pay
If checked, one lump sum equal to the months you waited times your monthly VA pay arrives with the first VA deposit.
Result line
Red if your balance goes below zero, amber if your lowest balance is under one month of costs, green otherwise.
Military retired pay is taxed as a pension. It goes on the federal return as pension income. Source: IRS Publication 4782.
The estimator. The estimator in the Retirement plan tab uses the 2027 brackets below, the standard deduction, and your filing status. It applies the brackets to your retired pay first, then to wages and self-employment income on top. It is federal only. The state tax is in the plan above it.
2027 standard deduction. For 2027: single $16,600, married filing jointly $33,200, head of household $24,925. Add $2,100 per person 65 or older if unmarried, or $1,700 per person if married. Source: IRS: 2027 inflation adjustments (Rev. Proc. 2026-35).
Senior deduction. For tax years 2025 through 2028, people 65 or older get an extra $6,000 each, or $12,000 for a couple if both qualify. It starts to phase out above $75,000 of income for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers. Above those limits Runway reduces it by 6% of the extra income, the way the law does. Source: IRS: enhanced deduction for seniors.
Child tax credit. $2,300 per qualifying child under 17 for 2027. Runway applies it only up to the tax you owe, and only when income is below $200,000 ($400,000 if married filing jointly). The credit has Social Security number rules. Source: IRS: 2027 inflation adjustments, IRS: Schedule 8812 instructions.
Payroll tax on new income. An employee pays 6.2% Social Security tax up to $184,500 of wages in 2026 ($192,300 in 2027), and 1.45% Medicare tax on all wages. A self-employed person pays 12.4% and 2.9% on 92.35% of net earnings, and can deduct half of it. Source: IRS: Topic 751, IRS: Topic 554, SSA: wage base.
Left out. Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% over $200,000 single or $250,000 joint, itemized deductions, credits other than the child credit, the alternative minimum tax, tax on Social Security benefits, and state tax on new income. Source: IRS: Additional Medicare Tax.
2027 federal brackets (taxable income, after deductions)
Effective January 1, 2026, with a 3.8% raise. Shown by years of service at retirement and rounded to the dollar. Multiply by years of service and your 2.0% or 2.5% share to get retired pay. Pay is capped at 75%.
VA disability pay, 0% to 100%
Ratings of 10% and 20% pay the same amount whether or not you have dependents. The extra-child column applies from 30% and up, and the amount for each added child under 18 depends on your rating. A child over 18 in school and a spouse who needs aid and attendance get different add-ons that Runway does not use.
State tax on military retired pay, all 50 states and DC
States tagged VERIFY are ones where the guides checked disagree. Local notes are general. Cities and counties change their rules, so confirm with your own tax office.
How current the numbers are
What each set of figures covers, and when it next changes. Runway is updated when these change. Where the source is a published chart rather than an agency table, confirm the figure with the agency before you act.
Figures
Covers
Next change
Check at
Basic pay tables
2026, effective January 1, 2026
January 2027
DFAS pay and entitlements. Runway's tables were checked against the official Schedule 8 table in the executive order.
VA disability compensation
Runway uses 2027 rates built from the 3.6% COLA Social Security confirmed on October 14, 2026, effective December 1, 2026. Rates in effect now: December 1, 2025.
The VA posts its official 2027 table. Runway will replace the projection.
Who qualifies: 20 years that each earned at least 50 retirement points. This covers the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard Reserves and the Army and Air National Guard.
How points add up: 1 point per day of active duty, 1 per drill period, 15 membership points a year, up to 365 a year.
The formula: total points ÷ 360 gives your years of service. Multiply by 2.5% (High-3) or 2.0% (Blended), then by your average highest 36 months of basic pay. The share is capped at 75%.
When it starts: age 60. Each 90 days of qualifying active duty after January 28, 2008 lowers the age by 3 months, to a floor of 50.
Space Force: there is no separate Reserve. Part-time Guardians began in 2026 and retire under the same rules as the Air Force Reserve.
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
The cost for spouse coverage is 6.5% of the amount of retired pay you choose to cover. You can choose $300 up to your full retired pay. Source: DoD: SBP spouse coverage.
Your spouse gets 55% of that covered amount each month. Premiums come out before tax, and the payments to your spouse are taxable. Source: DoD: SBP spouse coverage.
Premiums stop after 360 months of payments and age 70. The covered amount and the survivor payments rise with cost-of-living increases. Source: DoD: SBP spouse coverage.
After you retire, coverage can be stopped only in months 25 to 36 after your retired pay starts. Source: Air Force retiree SBP FAQ.
Child coverage ends when the youngest child turns 18, or 22 if unmarried and a full-time student. After a divorce, you can cover a former spouse by sending the divorce decree and DD Form 2656-1 within one year. Source: Air Force retiree SBP FAQ.
With no SBP, your spouse gets nothing from your retired pay after you die. Married members decide this before retirement. Source: Air Force retiree SBP FAQ.
Runway's SBP line uses the 6.5% rate and the 55% spouse payment above. Confirm your choice with DFAS before you retire.
Spouse sign-off. If you are married and choose anything less than full spouse coverage, or decline SBP, your spouse must sign the election in front of a notary or it is not valid. Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
Choosing a lower covered amount. DFAS example: on $1,000 of retired pay, full coverage costs $65 a month. Covering only $700 costs $45.50 (6.5% of $700). Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
If you make no valid election (no DD Form 2656, a form signed or sent after you retire, or a lower choice without your spouse's signature), DFAS starts full spouse coverage on your gross retired pay. Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
Adding children raises the cost, and the amount depends on the ages of you, your spouse and your youngest child. Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
Former spouse. You can elect coverage for a former spouse at retirement, even if you divorced more than a year earlier. After you retire, you must elect within one year of the divorce decree. A former spouse can also file a "deemed election" request within one year of a court order. Reserve and Guard members have different rules. Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
Someone else you depend on (natural interest person). You can cover one person with an insurable interest, such as a sibling, only if you have no spouse, child or former spouse to cover. The payment is also 55%, but the cost is 10% of gross pay. It can only be chosen at retirement and can be cancelled any time. Source: DFAS: Survivor Benefit Plan.
DFAS dates its Cost and Eligible Beneficiaries pages February 14, 2023 and its SBP overview page June 25, 2024. This section was last checked against them on October 14, 2026. Any newer rule, open enrollment or cost change is not shown here, so ask your retirement services office or DFAS.
Health and life insurance
TRICARE fees, 2027, per year. Prime: $396 one person and $792.96 family in Group A (joined before January 1, 2018); $480 and $960 in Group B. Select: $193.92 and $388.92 in Group A; $616.92 and $1,233.96 in Group B. Most costs rose 3% to 4% from 2026; pharmacy copays did not change. Source: TRICARE: 2027 health plan costs.
Catastrophic cap, per family, 2027. Group A Prime $3,000 and Group A Select $4,538. Group B is $4,802 for both. Select deductibles are $150 one person and $300 family in Group A, and $205 and $411 in network in Group B. Sources: TRICARE costs and fees, TRICARE catastrophic cap.
Enroll within 90 days of retiring. Coverage does not continue on its own. If you miss it, you can enroll back to 12 months after retirement, but claims wait and you owe fees back to your retirement date. Source: TRICARE: retirement changes your coverage.
TRICARE for Life at 65. You need Medicare Part A and Part B. If you lack Part B or stop paying its premiums, you lose TRICARE. Source: TRICARE for Life.
If you leave without retired pay. Retiree TRICARE is for members who retire. Some members who separate involuntarily with honorable service, and some others, get the Transitional Assistance Management Program: 180 days of TRICARE after regular benefits end, with no premiums. It does not apply to everyone, so check milConnect. VA health care is a separate path and has its own eligibility rules. Involuntary separation pay is a one-time payment for members separated with at least 6 and fewer than 20 years of service, and the VA withholds VA disability pay until the total equals what you received. Sources: TRICARE: TAMP, VA: health care eligibility, militarypay.defense.gov: separation pay.
Medicare Part B timing. Your Part B enrollment window lasts 7 months: it starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after it. If you are not already getting Social Security, Railroad Retirement or OPM benefits, you sign up yourself, and TRICARE advises enrolling no later than two months before you turn 65 to avoid a gap. Missing the window can mean a late penalty that lasts as long as you have Part B. Sources: Medicare: when coverage starts, TRICARE: retirees and Medicare.
TRICARE Retired Reserve (premium plan, 2027): $707.59 a month for you alone, $1,697.70 for you and family. Source: TRICARE Retired Reserve costs.
Dental and vision. Retirees use FEDVIP, run by OPM, with enrollment through BENEFEDS. Open season is each November to December. New retirees can enroll from 31 days before to 60 days after retirement. Retiree vision requires TRICARE health enrollment. Sources: TRICARE: FEDVIP open season, BENEFEDS FEDVIP fact sheet.
Life insurance. SGLI ends 120 days after you separate. You can apply for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) up to 1 year and 120 days after separating, up to $500,000. VA's two pages word the no-health-questions window differently, so confirm the exact date with VA. Sources: VA: apply for VGLI, VA: VGLI eligibility.
VA health care. A service-connected rating of 50% or more is Priority Group 1, with no copays for outpatient care, inpatient care or medications. Sources: VA priority groups, VA copay rates.
Discounts and perks
Veteran ID Card. A free digital photo ID from the VA for veterans who served on active duty, in the Reserve or in the Guard and left with an honorable or general discharge under honorable conditions. VA says it is meant for business discounts, but each business decides what it accepts. Source: VA News: your VA ID card, VA: get a Veteran ID Card.
Year-round discount list. VA News keeps a list by category. Most entries are private companies, so confirm the terms with each one. Source: VA News: veteran and military discounts.
Exchange shopping online. All honorably discharged veterans, including Reserve and Guard veterans, can shop the military exchanges online (AAFES, NEX, MCX, CGX) after an online check. Family members are not covered. Veterans rated 100% disabled keep their in-store privileges. Source: Military OneSource: veterans online shopping.
American Forces Travel. Discounts on airfare, hotels, cruises, trip packages and events. Military OneSource lists retirees and veterans among those it is for, and sends you to the program site for the exact rules. Source: Military OneSource: American Forces Travel.
Veterans Canteen Service. Shop through the VA's own retail service. Eligibility is tied to VA health care enrollment. Source: Veterans Canteen Service.
Offers change. Runway links only to government pages and does not endorse any company.
VA home loan. No down payment is required if the price does not exceed the appraised value, and there is no monthly mortgage insurance. Borrowers with full entitlement have no VA loan limit. Sources: VA purchase loan, VA loan limits.
Funding fee (rates VA lists as effective April 7, 2023, so check the page for changes). First use: 2.15% with under 5% down, 1.5% with 5% or more, 1.25% with 10% or more. After the first use: 3.3% with under 5% down, 1.5% and 1.25% at the higher down payments. The refinance rate is 0.5%. Source: VA funding fee and closing costs.
Start with a Certificate of Eligibility. Most online requests are issued automatically. Source: VA News: VA home loan basics.
Retirement move. If you have more than 8 years of continuous active duty, schedule your household goods move within 1 year of your retirement date. Extensions are short and go no longer than 6 years in total, and only for medical treatment, education or training, or unexpected hardship. Check weight limits in the Joint Travel Regulations. Sources: move.mil: retirees and separatees, Joint Travel Regulations.
Property tax breaks for disabled veterans differ by state. Texas exempts the full appraised value of the home of a 100% disabled veteran. Virginia has an exemption for a disabled veteran's main home (Va. Code §58.1-3219.5), so check its rules. Sources: Texas Comptroller, Virginia Tax, VA News: state tax exemptions.
What Runway leaves out
Yearly cost of living raises and inflation.
Deductibles and copays for TRICARE Select, dental and vision premiums, and life insurance premiums. Use the health insurance and living cost boxes for these.
Medical retirement and disability severance.
For Reserve and Guard retirement: the 8-year rule on recent service, drill-by-drill point counting, and the Reserve TSP match. You enter your total points yourself.
VA special monthly compensation, individual unemployability, and add-ons for a child over 18 in school or a spouse who needs aid and attendance.
Investment growth on your savings and tax on any new job or business income.
Exact city and county tax calculations.
Glossary
Basic pay
Your base monthly military pay, before housing and other allowances.
High-3
The legacy retirement system. Retired pay is 2.5% times years of service times the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay.
Blended Retirement System
The newer system for people who joined in 2018 or later, or who opted in. Retired pay is 2.0% per year of service, plus government contributions to your TSP while you served.
DFAS
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service. It pays your retired pay and can give you an exact estimate.
CRSC
Combat-Related Special Compensation. A tax-free payment for a combat-related disability that replaces the VA offset. You apply through your service branch.
CRDP
Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay. It lets retirees with 20 or more years and a VA rating of 50% or more receive full retired pay and full VA pay.
VA rating
The percentage the VA assigns to your service-connected disabilities. It sets your monthly VA pay.
Dependents
A spouse, children, or parents the VA counts for extra pay. You must report them to the VA.
Back pay
VA pay owed from your claim’s effective date until the VA starts paying.
Terminal leave
Unused leave you take before your separation date while you are still paid.
SBP
The Survivor Benefit Plan. Optional coverage that pays your spouse part of your retired pay after you die. The premium comes out of retired pay.
COLA
Cost of living adjustment. The yearly raise to retired pay and VA pay.
Debt avalanche
Pay minimums on every debt, then put all extra money on the debt with the highest interest rate. It usually costs the least interest.
Debt snowball
Pay minimums on every debt, then put all extra money on the smallest balance first. It clears debts sooner, which some people find motivating.
TSP
The Thrift Savings Plan, the federal retirement savings plan, similar to a 401(k).
Direct rollover
Moving TSP money straight to an IRA with no tax withheld.
IRA
An individual retirement account. Traditional IRAs hold pretax money. Roth IRAs hold after-tax money that grows tax free.
BLS median pay
The middle yearly pay for a role from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of workers earn more and half earn less.
SDVOSB and VOSB
Service-disabled veteran-owned and veteran-owned small businesses. SBA certification can open federal contract set-asides.
SkillBridge
A DoD program that lets eligible service members train with a civilian employer during their last months of service.
Franchise Disclosure Document
The legal document a franchisor must give you before you buy. It lists costs, fees, earnings claims, and closures.
Franchise 500
Entrepreneur magazine’s yearly ranking of franchise brands.
Sources and how sure each number is
VA.gov compensation ratesBase VA rates by rating and dependents. The amounts for each added child came from published rate guides that match the VA’s tables, so confirm them on VA.gov.
DFAS retired military forms and VA Form 21-526EZNames and purposes of the retirement pay, tax withholding, Survivor Benefit Plan, and VA claim forms listed on the Retirement plan tab.
SBA Franchise Directory, SBA 7(a) loans, and MilitaryConsumer.govSmall business and franchise resources on the Own a business tab. The June 1, 2025 franchise directory rule comes from a law firm summary of SBA’s lending rules, so confirm it with your lender.
TSP forms and resourcesThe TSP says withdrawals after leaving service are requested in My Account with no paper form. Older guides still mention forms TSP-70 and TSP-77.
OPM: FERS informationThe three parts of FERS (basic benefit, Social Security and the TSP), for a spouse who works for the federal government.
Planning guidance, not financial or legal advice. Runway shows estimates from numbers you enter. DFAS, the VA, the TSP, and your state tax agency decide your real amounts.
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VA pay: VA compensation rates, projected for December 1, 2026 using the 3.6% COLA Social Security announced October 14, 2026 (or the December 1, 2025 rates if switched).
State tax: published state rules for retired pay, which can change.
Planning guidance, not financial, tax or legal advice. Not affiliated with the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs or any military branch. Made at militaryretirementrunway.com.
