Posted on Dec 17, 2019

What are some good resources to find out more about the Army Reserve retirement?

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I'm an Army reservist now but prior to I spent 6 years on active. I also recently returned from a deployment with the reserves. I know in the reserves you have to wait until you're 60 to draw the retirement pay, however, I was told that for each year spent on active status that will knock the age you can draw retirement to the left. Is this correct, and if so can you point me in the right direction for policy or regs? Thanks in advance.

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Retirement

Posted 5 y ago

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SFC (Join to see)

Posted 5 y ago

No, it's for each year you were activated as a Reservist. So, your deployment with the Reserves will count for early retirement, but your six years active duty do not. The activated time is broken down into 90 day chunks. So, if your deployment was 7 months long, you could draw your retirement 6 months early.

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SFC (Join to see)

5 y

SSG (Join to see) loli only know this because I was just helping one of my guys research whether it would have been better for him to stay in or go Reserves. He thought he would have been drawing retirement at 54 as well

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CPT Lawrence Cable

5 y

One note, this applies to pay only. You won't be eligible for TriCare until your 60th birthday.

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SGM (Join to see)

5 y

SFC Williams, talk to your supporting Army Reserve Career Counselor. They will help answer questions about regular and non-regular retirements.

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LTC (Join to see)

5 y

SFC (Join to see) - I've been confused. Does that count the entire time you were activated or only the time you were boots on ground in country? I was activated from June 2009 until September 2010 but was only in country August 2009 - July 2010. The rest of the time was at MOB/DEMOB and then leave. IOW, my DD214 shows 14 months but was BOG for 12 months. Not that it really matters because I just made O5 so I have to stay another 2 years 9 months to get my high 3. That will put me 2 months after my 59th birthday. So even if I could draw at 58 and 9 months, I'd still have to stay another 5 months to get high 3 LTC.

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CAPT Kevin B.

Posted 5 y ago

Good catch on the 90 day chunk thing which didn't exist when I was doing reserves. Besides the earliest date you can retire, make sure you run calculations on different scenarios. Consider the extra year or so if it puts you into the next block over on pay. Consider what the numbers will be if you stay in the retired reserves vs. straight retirement. Never resign as that sets your pay later to that date vs. the date at 60 years. Lots of assumptions out there but if you average the annual pay bumps (1.4% or a touch better) and look at when you'll really need the money, time may be your friend. You'll need more money than you'd think in retirement, especially if you want to get out of the house.

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SSG (Join to see)

5 y

Definitely a lot to consider. Quick question sir, can you explain the difference between retired reserves and straight up retired?

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CAPT Kevin B.

5 y

Sure. You actually retire at 60. So say you're 50. You have two choices. Resign or transfer to the retired reserve. There's an Army Reserve name for it. The Navy calls it the Fleet Reserve I think as it's been awhile. What that does is you essentially go completely inactive, but, they can reactivate you prior to 60. Unless we're doing a total WW3, odds are that won't happen along with most won't be physically qualified along those years anyways. That way when you are 59 1/2, you file your actual retirement paperwork. Your pay will then be based on whatever the pay table says when you turn 60. If you resign at 50 you still get nothing until 60. However the pay table that gets used is the one you had at 50. Big money loser. BTW, file for VA immediately when you punch out to the Retired Reserve. Don't wait until you're 60. Good way to lose 10 years of benefits like money, kids tuition, etc.

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