Answer a few questions about your military situation and we'll personalize every number across the site — state rankings, retirement pay, CRDP/CRSC analysis, and more. Takes about 3 minutes. No account needed.
✦ Welcome Back — Saved Profile
Your profile is saved. You can pick up where you left off, update a specific section, or start fresh.
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Your Household
Who's in your household and what's your military status?
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Your Retirement
Let's calculate your military retirement pay.
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Benefits Elections
Survivor benefits and health coverage affect your net retirement income.
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Spouse's Retirement
Now let's calculate your spouse's military retirement pay.
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Your VA Disability
Your disability rating affects your tax-free compensation and property tax exemptions.
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Spouse's VA Disability
Your spouse's disability rating affects compensation and property tax exemptions.
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Income
Tell us about your income and tax situation.
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Housing
Affects property tax exemptions and housing cost comparisons across states.
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Compass Complete
You're all set.
Here's what we'll use to rank all 50 states for you. Tap any line to edit.
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Your Financial Picture
Updates as you answer questions
Your income summary will appear here as you complete each section.
Total Gross Income
—/ mo
—/ yr
BRS Projection Active
Your retirement pay is sourced from your BRS Calculator session. Adjust inputs there to update your projection.
This is a projection of future retirement pay, not money you're receiving today. State rankings that include this amount reflect a hypothetical future scenario — not your current financial situation.
Don't make major financial decisions — moving, buying a home, changing jobs — based on uncertain future retirement pay.
Do you want to include this projected amount in your calculations?
Your compass isn't complete yet
You can see the rankings now — but more info means more accuracy.
The state rankings are most useful when they reflect your actual financial situation — retirement pay, VA disability, tax profile, and housing plan. Without those inputs, rankings are based on generic assumptions that may not match your reality.
It only takes another minute or two to finish.
⚠️ Important: This is an estimate only
Please read before continuing
MEB/PEB outcomes are difficult to predict. Disability ratings, retirement approval, and final pay amounts can change significantly between the initial board recommendation and final orders.
This calculator is intended to help you explore different scenarios and understand how various rating outcomes would affect your income. Projected results based on a pending board should not be used to make financial decisions in the present.
Always consult with a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or financial advisor before making major financial decisions based on anticipated benefits.
ℹ️ A note about projected disability ratings
Please read before continuing
VA disability ratings for active duty members are estimates only. Your actual rating — if and when you file a claim — will be determined by the VA based on your medical evidence, exam results, and applicable rating criteria at the time of your claim.
Ratings can vary significantly from expectations. Do not make financial decisions today based on an anticipated disability rating. Use this section to explore how different rating outcomes might affect your long-term financial picture — not to plan current spending or commitments.
If you have questions about the claims process, contact a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) — a free resource available at most installations.