Blended Retirement System (BRS)

Non-Regular Retirement

Supplemental Information

1
 The Blended Retirement System (BRS), in addition to active component 

Service members counterparts, also applies to members of the Reserve 

Component (National Guard and Reserve) with some differences.

 These differences, just like with the legacy retirement plan, recognize the 

differences in operations and compensation between the active and 

reserve components. 

 This brief provides supplementary information on how BRS may impact 

non-regular retirements for members of the National Guard and 

Reserves 

National Guard and Reserve Considerations

2
TOPICS

WHAT IS THE RESERVE COMPONENT?

WHAT IS REGULAR VS. NON-REGULAR 

RETIREMENT?

HOW IS NON-REGULAR RETIREMENT 

CALCULATED TODAY?

HOW WILL NON-REGULAR RETIREMENT BE 

CALCULATED UNDER BRS?

WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF BRS FOR NONREGULAR RETIREES?

WHO IS OPT-IN ELIGIBLE?

CIVILIAN RETIREMENT CONSIDERATIONS

HOW TO VERIFY RETIREMENT POINTS

• Army National Guard

• Army Reserve

• Air National Guard

• Air Force Reserve

• Navy Reserve

• Marine Corps Reserve

• Coast Guard Reserve

• Ready Reserve Corps of 

the Public Health Service 

Commissioned Corps
• Army National Guard

• Army Reserve

• Air National Guard

• Air Force Reserve

• Navy Reserve

• Marine Corps Reserve

• Coast Guard Reserve

• Ready Reserve Corps of 

the Public Health Service 

Commissioned Corps

4

Who in the Reserve Component is 

Eligible for BRS?

Active Guard / Reserve 

Full-Time Support

(AGR/FTS)* Selected Reserve

Active Status List of the 

Standby Reserve

Individual Ready 

Reserve (IRR)

• Follow RC rules for Opt-In Eligibility

• Follow AC rules for Continuation Pay

• Drilling Unit Reservists

• Individual Mobilization Augmentees

(IMA)

• “drilling reservists”

• “traditional Guardsmen”

• “M-days”

• Can only opt-in if return to “paid 

status”

• If first return to paid status is after 

2018, decision will be made within 

30 days of re-entry

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



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* Note that AGR/FTS are actually part of the Selected Reserve, but some conditions for AGR/FTS differ 

under BRS so they are listed separately.

• Can only opt-in if return to “paid 

status”

• If first return to paid status is after 

2018, decision will be made within 

30 days of re-entry
 National Guard and Reserve members may qualify 

for a Regular or a Non-Regular Retirement

5

Regular vs. Non-Regular Retirement

Regular 

Retirement

Non-Regular 

Retirement

• Requires 20 active service years

• Retired pay begins on the 1st day of 

the 1st month following retirement

• Requires 20 “qualifying years” of service

• Qualifying year means 50 or more points of any type 

(active duty, AT, ADT, IDT, Funeral Honors, membership 

points, etc.)

• Retired pay does not begin until age 60, although some 

members may qualify for reduced age retirement*

* The age of eligibility for non-regular retired pay is 60, but this can be reduced based on certain types of 

active service performed after 2008, see DoDI 1215.07, “Service Credit for Non-Regular Retirement”
Years of 

Service

6

Regular vs. Non-Regular Retirement, cont’d

 Regular and Non-Regular Retirement use the same 

formula to calculate retired pay, but...

 ...determining “years of service” and “retired pay 

base” is different

2.5% X

Retired 

Pay Base

X = Retired Pay

This is the multiplier – one change 

under BRS is that the multiplier 

goes from 2.5% to 2.0%

Regular Retirement:

1 year of active duty = 1 year of service

-- or --

Non-Regular Retirement: Divide retirement 

points by 360 to get equivalent years of service

Non-Regular Retirement: average of 

highest 36 months from the pay charts, for 

the same paygrade, in the 3 years 

preceding when eligible for retired pay 

Regular Retirement: average of 

highest 36 months of basic pay

-- or --
Years of 

Service

Regular vs. Non-Regular Retired Pay 

Calculation under Legacy System

7

2.5% X

Retired 

Pay Base

X = Retired 

Pay

Regular Non-Regular

2.5% x 20 years = 50% retirement 2

Retired Pay Base is the average of 

highest 36 months of basic pay:

2017 E-7 over 18: $4,516.80 

2016 E-7 over 18: $4,423.80

2015 E-7 over 16: $4,242.30

Average: $4,394.30

4

50% x $4394.30 = $2,197 

1

st month’s retired pay in Feb 2018

1 Divide retirement points by 360

2600/360 = 7.22 equivalent years

2.5% x 7.22 years = 18.05% retirement 2

Retired Pay Base is the average of 

highest 36 months of basic pay as if the 

member continued to accrue longevity 

until age 60* (from 2037-2039): $9,338

4

18.05% X $9,338 = $1,685

1ST month’s retired pay in 2040

* The age of eligibility for non-regular retired pay is 60, but this can be reduced based on certain types of 

active service performed after 2008, see DoDI 1215.07, “Service Credit for Non-Regular Retirement”

1 Determine total years and months of 

active service = 20 years, 0 months

3 3
Divide Total Retirement 

Points by 360 to Get 

Equivalent Years of 

Service (YOS)

Multiply Equivalent 

YOS by Retirement 

Multiplier to Determine 

Percentage

Determine Retired Pay 

Base

Non-Regular Retirement Defined 

Benefit (Legacy)

Years of 

Service

2.5% X

Retired 

Pay Base

X = Retired 

Pay

1 2 3

Multiply Percentage by 

Retired Pay Base

4

2,600 points

360

7.22 YOS

•

•= 7.22 YOS

2.5 %

=18.05 %

x

E-7 in 2037 = $9,053 / mo.

E-7 in 2038 = $9,334 / mo.

E-7 in 2039 = $9,628 / mo.

High-36 = $9,338 (2)

18.05 %

$9,338 

$1,685 (3) =

x

NOTE 1: The age of eligibility for non-regular retired pay is normally age 60, but this can be reduced based on certain 

types of active service performed after 2008, see DoDI 1215.07

NOTE 2: Average monthly pay from the basic pay tables for 2037 through 2039 are estimates based on historical annual 

pay increases

NOTE 3: Estimate only

 This Reserve Component member is entitled to an 

estimated $1,685 in monthly retired pay under 

Legacy beginning in 2040 at age 60 (1)

8
 The same Reserve Component member is entitled to 

an estimated $1,348 in monthly retired pay under 

BRS beginning in 2040 at age 60 (1)

Non-Regular Retirement Defined Benefit 

(BRS)

9

Years of 

Service

2.0% X

Retired 

Pay Base

X =

Defined 

Benefit 

of BRS

2,600 points

360

7.22 YOS

•

•= 7.22 YOS

2.0 %

=14.44 %

x

E-7 in 2037 = $9,053 / mo.

E-7 in 2038 = $9,334 / mo.

E-7 in 2039 = $9,628 / mo.

High-36 = $9,338 (2)

14.44 %

$9,338 

$1,348 (3) =

x

NOTE 1: The age of eligibility for non-regular retired pay is normally age 60, but this can be reduced based on certain 

types of active service performed after 2008, see DoDI 1215.07

NOTE 2: Average monthly pay from the basic pay tables for 2037 through 2039 are estimates based on historical annual 

pay increases

NOTE 3: Estimate only

Divide Total Retirement 

Points by 360 to Get 

Equivalent Years of 

Service (YOS)

Multiply Equivalent 

YOS by Retirement 

Multiplier to Determine 

Percentage

Determine Retired Pay 

Base

1 2 3

Multiply Percentage by 

Retired Pay Base

4
Non-Regular Retirement (BRS)  Switching to BRS means monthly retired pay decreases by 20%, $1,685 to 

$1,348 in previous example...

 ...but, BRS blends military retired pay, for those who serve > 20 years, with 

TSP automatic and matching contributions, even if don’t serve 20 years

 Only have to serve for 2 years to keep all government TSP contributions plus 

earnings...this means earlier retirement benefits for majority of the force

Individual 

Contribution

Agency Automatic 

Contribution

Agency Matching 

Contribution

Total TSP Monthly 

Contribution

0% 1% 0% 1%

1% 1% 1% 3%

2% 1% 2% 5%

3% 1% 3% 7%

4% 1% 3.5% 8.5%

5% 1% 4% 10%

Defined Contribution

NOTE: Currently serving members who opt-in will see matching contributions immediately

Defined Benefit

Monthly 

Retired Pay

Retired pay begins at age 60 or earlier with creditable active service*

* The age of eligibility for non-regular retired pay is 60, but this can be reduced based on certain types of 

active service performed after 2008, see DoDI 1215.07, “Service Credit for Non-Regular Retirement”

10
BRS Non-Regular Retirement + TSP

11

 This example shows a current E-5 

who retires as an E-7 in 2033

 The member contributes 5% to her 

own TSP from 2018 through 2033, 

the government contributes 5% on 

top of that  Under the Legacy Retirement, the 

member will get $837,752 in total 

retired pay, which is 20% higher 

than the $670,202 she will get 

under BRS, but...

 She will also get $180,288 from the 

growth of the government’s 

contribution to her TSP, assuming 

7% growth...for a total of $850,490 

in government retirement benefits

 With BRS she’s also eligible to elect 

to take a lump sum of retired pay...

RETIRES FROM 

SERVICE IN 2033

ELIGIBLE FOR 

RETIRED PAY IN 

2055 (AGE 60)

GREY AREA
Lump Sum of Non-Regular Retirement

12

Age 60

$

Age 67

Service Start

50% of future retired 

pay to age 67

Reduced 

Pension

Reverts to 

Full Pension

NO LUMP SUM

LUMP SUM

Non-Regular 

Retirement

GRAY AREA

GRAY AREA

discounted 

present value

Retires 

from 

Military $

 Under the previous example, the non-regular retiree is 

eligible for a $53,361 lump sum at age 60 in exchange for 

reduced retired pay until age 67*

* The $53,361 lump sum is based on 50% of the estimated retired pay between 2055 and 2062 at a 6.99% 

discount rate.
 Opt-in eligibility is broader for Guard/Reserve members 

than it is for Active Component

• Active must have < 12 years of service to opt-in

• Guard/Reserve must have fewer than 4,320 points

o Does not matter how many years Guard/Reserve members have served

o AGR/FTS are eligible based on points, not years

 Guard/Reserve members must be in pay status to opt-in

• Members of IRR/ING* can only opt-in upon return to pay status

• Will be given extension if not returning to pay until after 2018

 Opt-in decision is irrevocable

13

Non-Regular Retirement Opt-in Eligibility

* Members of the Inactive National Guard as of December 31, 2017, are only eligible to opt-in if they have 

prior active service or service in the Ready Reserve before they joined the ING, and only upon return to a 

paid status in 2018 or later. If they do not have prior active or Ready Reserve service they are treated as 

new accessions upon entering a paid status in 2018 (or later) and will be automatically enrolled in the BRS
 CP is a bonus paid between 8 YOS and 12 YOS, as measured 

from Pay Entry Base Date, for an agreement to continue serving*

 Reserve Rate is 0.5x – 6x monthly basic pay of an active duty 

member of same paygrade at time agrees to continue serving

 AGR/FTS paid Continuation Pay at same rate as Active 

Component (2.5x – 13x) if they agree to continue on active duty

 Some Guard/Reserve members may be eligible to opt-in but will 

NOT be eligible for Continuation Pay 

• Possible to have less than 4,320 points for opt-in eligibility, but have more 

than 12 years of service from Pay Entry Base Date

• Members with more than 12 years of service are not eligible for 

Continuation Pay 

Continuation Pay Rates and Eligibility

14 * Only members in the Selected Reserve are authorized the CP bonus for an agreement to continue 

serving. Selected Reservists may perform the obligated service in a drilling status.
But... Service members with civilian employer “salary deferral” 

retirement plans need to track their own contributions (“salary 

deferrals”) to the plans they participate in. These could include a 

401(k), 403(b), Civilian TSP, and or Uniformed Service TSP.

Thrift Savings Plan Considerations

Contribution Limits

BRS allows Service members to save 

for retirement + receive government 

automatic and matching contributions

1% Automatic + Up to 4% Match

+

Salary deferrals from all 

sources of income are 

subject to a combined into 

the individual’s annual limit 

Civilian 401(k) set by the IRS

To maximize the 

advantage of 

government and 

civilian employer 

contributions, 

members must 

allocate their 

contributions to 

maximize employer 

match(es)
16

Verify Retirement Point Calculations

 4,320 Retirement Points as of Dec 31, 2017 is the threshold • If you have more than 4,320 retirement points, then you are grandfathered under your current 

retirement system • If you have less than 4,320 retirement points, you are grandfathered under your current 

retirement system but will have the choice of whether or not to opt into BRS

 To Verify Retirement Point Calculations: • Army National Guard: Soldiers should review their Retirement Points Account Management (RPAM) 

System report, per NGR 680-2. The State RPAM NCO conducts this review annually near the birth 

month of the member, an updated copy is then posted to the Member IPERMs record

• Air National Guard: Airmen should refer to the Air Force Portal, Virtual Military Personnel Flight 

(vMPF), point summary website at https://www.my.af.mil/afpc2ww3/vmpf/Hub/Pages/ConfirmInfo.asp

• Army Reserve: Soldiers should review their Chronicle Retirement Point Statement DA 5016 at 

www.hrc.army.mil. Select "My Record' tab to review. Note: CAC card required. • Marine Corps Reserve: Marines should review their Career Retirement Credit Report at 

https://mol.tfs.usmc.mil/mol. • Navy Reserve: Sailors should review their records at https://www.bol.navy.mil/ARPR/ • Air Force Reserve: Airmen should review their ANG/USAFR Point Credit Summary Inquiry (PCARS) 

on the MyPers website via the Air Force Portal.