Blended Retirement System

Policy Highlights

The Fiscal Year 2016 Nation Defense Authorization Act created a new military retirement system that blends the traditional legacy retirement pension with a defined contribution to service members’ Thrift Savings Plan account. The new Blended Retirement System goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

All members serving as of Dec. 31, 2017, are grandfathered under the legacy retirement system. No one currently-serving will be automatically switched to the Blended Retirement System.

Though they are grandfathered under the legacy retirement system, Active Component Service members with fewer than 12 years since their Pay Entry Base Date, and Reserve Component Service members who have accrued fewer than 4,320 retirement points as of Dec. 31, 2017, will have the option to opt into the Blended Retirement System. The opt-in/election period for the Blended Retirement System begins Jan. 1, 2018, and concludes on Dec. 31, 2018.

All Service members who enter the military on or after Jan. 1, 2018, will automatically be enrolled in BRS.

Resources

Department of Defense
Active Component Webinar on Blended Retirement (9/2016)
Reserve Component Webinar on Blended Retirement (10/2016)
Frequently Asked Questions
Military OneSource

News Stories

FYI: Blended Retirement System (February 2018)
Blended Military Retirement System to take effect Jan. 1 (December 2017)
Air Force announces continuation pay rates (November 2017)
Opt-in training for BRS available to all Airmen (October 2017)
DOD launches retirement system comparison calculator (June 2017)
ADLS now hosts required Blended Retirement System Opt-In training (March 2017)
Notifications to eligible Airmen begin for Blended Retirement System (February 2017)
Blended Retirement System Opt-In training now available to all Airmen (February 2017)
FYI: Blended Retirement System (November 2016)
Leader training on Blended Retirement System available via mobile app (August 2016)
Blended Retirement System training now available (June 2016)
Not 'In for life?' Let's talk retirement anyway (June 2016)
DOD plans benefit revision with 'Blended Retirement' (February 2016)
DOD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress (June 2015)

Related Links

BRS Opt-In Course (CAC required)
BRS Opt-In Course (non-CAC)
Blended Retirement System Leaders Course (CAC required)
Blended Retirement System Leaders Course (non-CAC)
Financial Counselors/Educators Course (CAC required)
Financial Counselors/Educators Course (non-CAC)
Air Force BRS Resource Page (CAC required)
Report to Congress: Implementation Plan for Modernizing the Military Retirement System, March 2016
FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act