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EVERY MILITARY FINANCE DECISION · WITH THE MATH SHOWN

Military Finance Calculators

Free military finance calculators. BAH, TSP, military pay, VA loans, GI Bill benefits, and BRS vs Legacy retirement. Uses DOD pay charts and SSA data.

Start with Military Pay Calculator →

  • Military Pay Calculator

    Popular

    Calculate base pay, BAH, BAS, and special pays by rank and location.

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  • BAH Calculator

    Look up Basic Allowance for Housing rates by duty station.

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  • TSP Calculator

    Optimize Thrift Savings Plan contributions and employer match.

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  • VA Loan Calculator

    Calculate VA loan payments with no down payment and no PMI.

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  • GI Bill Calculator

    Estimate Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition, MHA, and books benefit.

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  • BRS vs Legacy

    Compare Blended Retirement System versus Legacy retirement plan.

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  • Military Retirement

    Project military pension based on years of service and final pay.

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  • SDP Calculator

    Savings Deposit Program 10% APY during eligible deployments.

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Military — deep-dive guides, FAQs, examples, sources

Long-form content kept collapsed by default so the calculator grid stays front-and-center. Expand any section below for primary-source analysis, worked examples, and category FAQs.

Guides (6 articles)▾

Complete military finance guide 2026

10 min read

Military pay has three components: base pay (by rank + years), BAH (housing), BAS (food), plus special pays. Tax-advantaged components include BAH, BAS, and combat zone exclusions.

TSP: the military 401k

Thrift Savings Plan. 5% automatic match for BRS participants. Same $23,500 limit as civilian 401k. C Fund (S&P 500 equivalent) lowest-cost equity index in the world.

BRS vs Legacy retirement

BRS (Blended Retirement System) post-2018: 2.0% per year × base pay + TSP match. Legacy: 2.5% per year, no match, requires 20 years. Most under 12 YOS favored BRS opt-in.

VA loan: 0% down

No PMI, competitive rates, funding fee 1.25-3.3% (can be financed). Re-usable for subsequent primary residences.

BAH optimization by location

8 min read

BAH varies by rank, location, and dependency status. High-cost areas: DC, SF Bay, Hawaii, San Diego. Low-cost: Alabama, Mississippi. Rent below BAH = pocket the difference tax-free.

TSP allocation for servicemembers

7 min read

Lifecycle funds (L Funds) auto-glide. Direct allocation: typical 80% C Fund + 10% S Fund + 10% I Fund for age <40. Move to G/F Funds closer to separation.

GI Bill strategy

7 min read

Post-9/11 GI Bill: tuition + MHA + books. Yellow Ribbon at participating institutions covers above-cap schools. Can transfer to dependents after 6 years of service.

Military decision framework

6 min read

Pay: Military Pay Calculator. BAH: BAH Calculator. TSP: TSP Calculator. VA: VA Loan. GI Bill: GI Bill Calculator.

Common military finance mistakes

7 min read

Not contributing enough to TSP for match, buying new cars on deployment, forgetting state tax treatment of BAH/BAS, not using SCRA benefits.

FAQ (15 questions)▾
Is BAH taxable?
No — federal and state tax-free. Huge advantage vs civilian housing allowance.
What is the TSP match?
BRS participants: 1% auto + up to 4% match on contributions. Total 5% free money.
BRS or Legacy?
BRS for most under 12 YOS. Match + portability > higher multiplier for those who don't reach 20.
VA loan limits?
No loan limit for borrowers with full entitlement. Funding fee 1.25-3.3% based on down payment and prior use.
How is base pay calculated?
By rank (E-1 to O-10) + years of service. Published annually in DOD pay charts. Indexed to ECI typically.
GI Bill benefit value?
Post-9/11: tuition up to public state max + MHA (E-5 BAH rate) + $1,000 books stipend. 36 months.
Combat zone tax exclusion?
All enlisted base pay excluded from federal income tax. Officers up to maximum enlisted pay + imminent danger pay.
Can dependents use GI Bill?
After 6 years service + 4 more years commitment. Transfer to spouse and/or children. Beneficiary-dependent rules.
SCRA benefits?
Cap interest on pre-service debt at 6%, halt evictions, lease termination rights on deployment. Must request.
BAS rate?
Fixed monthly food allowance. ~$460 enlisted, ~$320 officer. Tax-free like BAH.
How does CSB/REDUX work?
Legacy retirement option: $30k bonus at 15 YOS + reduced retirement multiplier. Rarely worth it.
TSP vs Roth TSP?
Deployed combat zone pay in Roth TSP = pure tax-free growth. Otherwise standard Roth/Traditional analysis.
Military state of residence?
You can claim home state regardless of duty station. Choose low/no-tax state (TX, FL) for savings.
Disability rating tax treatment?
VA disability compensation federal tax-free. Some state exemptions too.
When can I retire from military?
20 years active = immediate pension (~50% base pay). Reserves: age 60 with 20 qualifying years.
Real Examples (7 scenarios)▾

E-5 with dependents, San Diego

Rank
E-5 YOS 6
Location
San Diego
Dependents
Yes

Result: Base ~$3,620 + BAH $3,639 + BAS $460 = $7,719/mo gross

Only base pay taxable. Effective after-tax income ~$7,000/mo equivalent to ~$110k civilian.

O-3 TSP contribution

Salary
$85k eligible
Contribution
5%
Match
5%

Result: $8,500 into TSP ($4,250 from O-3 + $4,250 match)

Free 5% match. Max $23,500/yr (2026 limit). Compounds aggressively over 20-year career.

VA loan purchase

Price
$425,000
Down
$0
Funding Fee
2.15% financed
Rate
6.25%

Result: PITI $2,900/mo, no PMI

0% down + no PMI + competitive rate. Funding fee $9,137 financed. Savings vs conventional: $250/mo.

GI Bill value

In-state Tuition
$12k/yr
MHA
$2,100/mo (E-5 BAH)
Books
$1,000/yr

Result: $30,200/yr benefit × 4 years = $120,800

Effective 4-year scholarship. Yellow Ribbon at top private schools can 2x this.

BRS match over career

Contribution 5%/yr
x 20 years
Match 5%/yr
x 20 years
Return
7%

Result: Match-alone compounds to ~$380k

The 5% match alone (not counting your contributions) builds substantial retirement. Free money.

Combat zone exclusion

Deployment
6 months
Base Pay
$3,800/mo
Federal Tax Rate
22%

Result: Tax savings ~$5,016 over deployment

All enlisted base pay excluded federal. State varies. Put into Roth TSP for double-benefit.

State residency savings

Duty Station
California
Home State
Texas

Result: Saves ~9% state tax on earnings

Active-duty can retain home state. Texas no state tax. Salary $80k saves $7,200/yr vs CA residence.

Sources (5 primary citations)▾
  1. [1]Social Security Administration — OASDI / Medicare benefit + contribution rules
  2. [2]Internal Revenue Service — federal individual income tax brackets and standard deductions
  3. [3]State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below)
  4. [4]HUD Fair Market Rents — 50th-percentile 2-bedroom FY
  5. [5]BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages

All data points cited to primary U.S. government, regulatory, and industry sources. Methodology published at /about/editorial.

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Written and maintained by Jere Salmisto, Founder, CalcFi. Updated May 19, 2026.

Formulas and data sourced from DOD pay charts, SSA, IRS, HUD FMR, BLS. Methodology at /about/editorial. Published by CalcFi Editorial.