Blended Retirement System

Army Reserve: Retired

Benefit Fact Sheet

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Summary

The Blended Retirement System (BRS) went into effect on 1 January 2018. The BRS applies to all service members who entered the Uniformed Services with a Date of Initial Entry into Military Service (DIEMS) of 1 January 2018 or later. The BRS is a combination of a defined benefit plan, similar to predecessor plans that pay monthly retired pay, plus defined contributions and service matching to the Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

Implementation of 5% Automatic Enrollment Percentage for Thrift Savings Plan Participants

On 1 October 2020, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) increased the automatic enrollment percentage from 3% to 5% of pay for all Blended Retirement System (BRS) participants who are automatically enrolled in the TSP on or after 1 October 2020, and for BRS participants automatically re-enrolled in the TSP on or after 1 January 2021, per 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 1600.34 and 1600.37. This change will not affect the contribution rates in place for BRS participants who were automatically enrolled prior to 1 October 2020 and did not terminate their contributions. Click here for more information.

Eligibility

Retired Reserve service members are not eligible for the Blended Retirement System.  paratroopers hooked to static line

Additional Information

Access the MyArmyBenefits calculator to calculate your retired pay under the Final Pay, High-36 and BRS Retired Pay Plans:
https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Calculators/Retirement

Access the MyArmyBenefits Blended Retirement Calculator: 
https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Calculators/BRS-Comparison-Calculator

NOTE: The MyArmyBenefits calculator pulls the Soldier’s current data to provide the comparison of future retired pay outcomes under both the systems.

Education on the Blended Retirement System is available to all members of the Uniformed Services.

Leader Training to Introduce the Blended Retirement System (BRS) For the Uniformed Services (.5 hr)
https://jkodirect.jten.mil/Atlas2/page/coi/externalCourseAccess.jsf?v=1597693001325&course_prefix=J3O&course_number=P-US1330

Blended Retirement System (BRS) OPT-IN Course (2 hrs)
https://jkodirect.jten.mil/Atlas2/page/coi/externalCourseAccess.jsf?v=1597693048691&course_prefix=J3O&course_number=P-US1332

For more detailed information on retired pay, visit the nearest Army Retirement Services Office (RSO):
https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Retirement/contact-us

Army Human Resources Command My Record Portal:
https://www.hrcapps.army.mil/portal/

Defense Finance and Accounting Service site:
https://www.dfas.mil

DoD Blended Retirement Resources:
https://militarypay.defense.gov/BlendedRetirement/

Document Review Date: 22 November 2023