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2026 Military Pay — Common Questions
A quick guide to how U.S. military compensation works in 2026, for active duty and Reserve/National Guard. For rank-by-rank pay charts and deeper guides, see our 2026 military pay articles.
How is military pay calculated?
Your pay starts with basic pay, set by your pay grade (E-1 to O-10) and years of service.
On top of that you receive allowances — most importantly BAH (housing) and BAS (food) — plus any
special & incentive pays. Basic pay and special pays are taxable; allowances are not. After federal/state
income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), TSP and SGLI, what's left is your take-home pay.
How much does an E-5 make in 2026?
In 2026 an E-5 with 4 years of service earns about $3,947/month in basic pay (~$47,400/year),
following the 3.8% pay raise. On top of that come tax-free BAH (varies by ZIP code and dependents) and
$476.95/month BAS. Total compensation commonly lands around $5,000–$8,500/month depending on duty location
and dependent status. Enter your grade and ZIP above for an exact estimate.
What is BAH and how is it determined?
Basic Allowance for Housing is a tax-free allowance based on three things: your duty ZIP code,
your pay grade, and whether you have dependents. It's meant to cover local rental housing costs, so it's much
higher in expensive areas. This calculator looks it up automatically from your ZIP.
Is BAH (and BAS) taxable?
No. BAH, BAS, and most allowances are not subject to federal income tax. That's why your real
take-home pay is higher than the basic-pay figure alone suggests — a large share of military compensation is tax-free.
How is Reserve / National Guard drill pay calculated?
Each 4-hour drill period pays 1/30 of your monthly basic pay. A normal drill weekend is
4 periods (≈4 days of basic pay), and a typical year has about 48 drill periods plus ~14 days of Annual
Training. Drills pay basic pay only; Annual Training is paid like active duty (basic + BAS + BAH). Switch to
Reserve / National Guard mode above to estimate it.
What is a "good year" for reserve retirement?
A "good year" is any anniversary year in which you earn at least 50 retirement points. You earn
1 point per drill period, 1 point per Annual Training day, and 15 membership points per year. Twenty good
years generally qualify you for Reserve retired pay (starting around age 60). Total career points ÷ 360 ≈ your equivalent
years of service for the pension formula.
How much of military pay goes to taxes?
Only basic pay and taxable special pays are taxed — not BAH/BAS. You'll see federal income tax,
Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base) and Medicare (1.45%). Many states fully exempt active-duty military pay.
Pay earned in a designated combat zone can be excluded from federal income tax (FICA still applies).
What deductions come out of each paycheck?
Common deductions are federal & state income tax, FICA (Social Security + Medicare),
your optional TSP retirement contribution, and SGLI life insurance (about $26/month for the maximum
$500,000 of coverage). This calculator subtracts all of these to show your net take-home.
Estimates only — your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) is the official source. Not affiliated with the U.S. Government or DoD.