Find out exactly what it costs to buy back your military service time — and what that investment is worth in extra pension income for the rest of your life.
Step 1 — Your Retirement System
Select your federal retirement system. This determines the deposit percentage applied to your military earnings.
Step 2 — Personal & Employment Information
Used to calculate your interest-free window (2 years from this date).
Your average base salary over your highest 3 consecutive years.
Enter each period of active duty military service separately. You can add multiple periods if you served at different times.
Step 4 — How Would You Like to Estimate Your Military Pay?
Choose the method that works best for you. The more accurate your pay data, the more accurate your deposit estimate.
Enter the total military base pay you earned across all service periods in Step 3. This is found on your DD-214 earnings statement or DFAS records. Do not include BAH, BAS, or special pays — base pay only.
Enter your actual base pay for each year of service. You can request your military earnings record from DFAS at dfas.mil or use your W2s from those years.
Estimate only: We'll estimate your military base pay based on your rank and years served using average historical pay rates. This is an approximation — actual deposit amounts may differ. For accuracy, request your earnings from DFAS.
Your Military Buyback Analysis
Your Buyback Deposit
Total Military Pay
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Base pay used for calculation
Base Deposit (No Interest)
—
3% of military pay
Estimated Interest
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Based on years since federal hire
Total Deposit Due
—
Estimated amount owed today
Military Service Added to Your Pension
Total Military Years Added
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Combined across all service periods
Annual Pension Increase
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Additional per year in retirement
Monthly Pension Increase
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Additional per month in retirement
Without Buyback
—
Annual pension / — monthly
With Buyback
—
Annual pension / — monthly
Years in Retirement Until Breakeven & Lifetime Value
Years in Retirement to Break Even
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Net Value After Breakeven
—
Every year beyond breakeven is pure gain
Years Retired
Cumulative Extra Pension
Total Deposit Cost
Net Value
Payment Options
Important: The full deposit must be paid before retirement. Payments can be made in installments as small as $50. Interest continues to accrue on unpaid balances annually.
Payment Plan
Monthly Payment
Total Paid
Notes
Next Steps & Resources
Ready to move forward? Here's everything you need to start the process.
How to start: Contact your agency's HR or Benefits office and request a military deposit calculation. They will use your DD-214 and military pay records to calculate the exact amount owed. You can also begin the process by submitting SF-3108 (FERS) or SF-2803 (CSRS) to your servicing personnel office.
This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only. Deposit amounts are based on official OPM rates: FERS = 3% of military base pay (3.25% for 1999 service, 3.4% for 2000+ service); CSRS = 7%. Interest accrues annually at the variable rate set by the U.S. Treasury (4.25% for 2026). No interest is charged if the deposit is paid within 2 years of your federal employment start date. Actual deposit amounts must be verified with your agency HR office. Military base pay only — BAH, BAS, and special pays are not included. Pension increase estimates use standard FERS/CSRS multipliers and your entered High-3. This calculator does not constitute financial, legal, or retirement planning advice. Consult a licensed federal retirement specialist before making deposit decisions.
Is military buyback right for you?
The numbers tell one part of the story. Whether buyback makes sense for your complete retirement picture depends on your full federal benefits, TSP balance, Social Security, and health coverage. Octus Financial provides fiduciary-only federal retirement planning across all 48 states.