Your base pay is only part of the story. BAH, BAS, TSP matching, and the BRS vs Legacy decision all interact in ways most financial advisors completely miss — because they've never planned for a military career. We built an entire module around yours.
No pitch, no pressure — just answers.
Score reflects BRS pension trajectory, TSP match capture, and total compensation picture.
If you've ever sat down with a financial advisor and tried to explain BAH, BAS, and the Blended Retirement System, you know the look. Most advisors have never planned for a military career, have no idea what PCS orders do to your financial life, and don't understand that a meaningful portion of your compensation isn't showing up on your W-2 because it's legally tax-free.
The result? Generic advice that underestimates your real compensation, misses the TSP matching opportunity, and ignores the unique wealth-building potential the VA loan gives you — especially in an affordable market like Kings County.
We built Avidity Journey to plan with you, not despite your service.
Most advisors model only your taxable base pay, missing thousands of dollars per month in tax-free housing and subsistence allowances. This causes them to massively underestimate your real cash flow, your savings capacity, and your retirement funding ability.
The Blended Retirement System changed everything in 2018. The TSP matching component — worth potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career — is one of the most commonly misunderstood benefits in the U.S. military. Generic advisors routinely miss it or model it incorrectly.
Permanent Change of Station orders reset your BAH rate, your housing decision, your VA loan eligibility, and sometimes your retirement timeline. Most financial plans aren't built to handle this — they just break. Our platform adapts as your duty station changes.
The VA loan is one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available to military families — but it requires a real strategy to use effectively across a 20-year career. Many service members either ignore it or over-leverage it without modeling the full financial picture. We do the math for you.
The military retirement system changed on January 1, 2018. Which system applies to you depends on your Date of Initial Entry into Military Service (DIEMS) and any opt-in elections you made.
This is one of the highest-stakes questions in military financial planning. The answer determines your pension formula, your TSP match eligibility, and how you should prioritize your savings across your career.
| Blended Retirement System (BRS) | Legacy / High-3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who Qualifies | DIEMS on or after Jan 1, 2018 (automatic). Pre-2018 members who opted in during 2018. | DIEMS before Jan 1, 2018 who did NOT opt into BRS during the 2018 window. |
| Pension Formula (at 20 yrs) | 2% × Years of Service × High-3 Base Pay | 2.5% × Years of Service × High-3 Base Pay |
| TSP Matching | 1% automatic + up to 4% match = 5% total | No government match (you can contribute, but no match) |
| Continuation Pay | Mid-career cash bonus (typically at 8–12 yrs) in exchange for 4 more years | Not available |
| Pension if separated before 20 yrs | No pension — but TSP matching contributions are YOURS (vested at 2 yrs) | Zero benefit — pension vests only at exactly 20 years |
| Best For | Most service members, especially those uncertain about 20-year career | Those certain to reach 20 years who want the higher 2.5% pension multiplier |
The majority of service members do not complete 20 years. Under Legacy/High-3, leaving before 20 years means zero retirement benefit — nothing. The pension vests only at the 20-year mark. BRS changes this entirely: even if you separate at year 6, your TSP matching contributions are yours, fully vested. This is why BRS is generally the right system for most military members — not because the pension is better (it's not, the multiplier is lower) but because the matching TSP contributions create a retirement nest egg that doesn't depend on reaching 20 years.
For a sailor who does reach 20 years: Legacy pays a slightly larger pension per year of service. BRS pays a smaller pension but adds a decade-plus of compounded TSP matching. Over a full retirement, the total outcome can be surprisingly close — and the right answer depends on your specific career trajectory, TSP contribution discipline, and investment returns. Our module runs this analysis with your actual numbers.
BRS and Legacy/High-3 rules based on DoD Financial Management Regulation (DoD FMR) and Uniformed Services Blended Retirement System as of 2026. Subject to legislative change. TSP matching vest schedule: 100% vested in matching contributions after 2 years of service. Verify your retirement system in myPay or with your command's finance office.
When a civilian friend asks "what do you make," your W-2 doesn't tell the full story. Here's every piece of your NAS Lemoore compensation picture — and which parts are tax-free.
A Navy E-6 with dependents at NAS Lemoore in 2026 has a base pay of approximately $4,297–$5,789/month — taxable. But add tax-free BAH for Kings County at the with-dependents rate, tax-free BAS of $476.95, and any applicable special pays, and the real monthly compensation is significantly higher. If your financial advisor is only modeling the W-2, they are planning a dramatically undersized financial life for you.
Our platform requires your actual rank, dependency status, and duty station to model real numbers — because generic planning isn't good enough for the financial complexity of a military career.
BAH and BAS rates are set annually by the DoD and DFAS. Rates above are representative of 2026 published figures. Verify current-year rates at militarypay.defense.gov. Base pay ranges reflect 2026 military pay tables after the 3.8% pay raise. Actual figures depend on paygrade and years of service.
The Thrift Savings Plan is the federal equivalent of a 401(k) — and for BRS members, it comes with a 5% government match that most service members significantly under-utilize.
2026 Contribution Limit: $23,500 in employee deferrals (plus $7,500 catch-up if age 50+). To capture the full match, you must contribute at least 5% of base pay in every single pay period.
Roth TSP vs. Traditional TSP: Most junior enlisted benefit from Roth (your current tax rate is low — pay taxes now, withdraw tax-free later). Senior NCOs and officers often benefit from Traditional (higher current tax rate — defer the taxes). Service members deployed in combat zones should strongly consider Roth TSP — combat zone pay is already tax-free, making Roth contributions a rare triple-tax-advantage.
⚠️ Front-Loading Warning: If you increase your TSP percentage to hit the $23,500 annual limit in August, your contributions stop — and so does the government matching — for September through December. That's four months of free money left on the table. To maximize matching, spread your contributions so you hit the limit in December. Our module calculates the exact percentage you need for your specific base pay.
The VA loan is one of the most powerful wealth-building benefits in military service. Kings County is one of the more affordable housing markets in California. Used correctly, the two together can be the foundation of long-term financial security.
No down payment required on primary residence. In a market where 20% down on a median home can require $80,000+, this is transformative. The capital you don't put into a down payment can be invested in your TSP instead.
Private mortgage insurance isn't required with a VA loan — even at 0% down. This can save $150–$300+ per month compared to a conventional loan with a small down payment, freeing cash for TSP contributions or savings.
If your VA loan mortgage payment (PITI: principal, interest, taxes, insurance) is at or below your BAH, you are effectively housed at no out-of-pocket cost — and the equity you build is pure net worth. Our module compares your Kings County BAH to current mortgage scenarios in real time.
Every PCS is a financial decision: sell, rent out, or leave vacant? Buy at the next station or rent? For NAS Lemoore sailors, the PCS cycle often results in a Kings County property becoming a rental. Our platform models the real numbers — cash flow, equity, tax implications — not assumptions.
When you join and identify as NAS Lemoore, you unlock a dedicated module with four tabs — all feeding into the complete 11-module Avidity Journey planning engine.
11 Financial Planning Modules — All Included
No commissions. No products sold. No conflict of interest — ever.
Legally required to act in your best interest — always. No commissions, no products sold, no conflicts of interest. The military financial advice landscape is full of commission-driven advisors targeting service members. We are not that.
We're local. We understand Kings County housing costs, the NAS Lemoore community, and the financial rhythms of a base that sends families through a PCS cycle every 2–3 years. Our advisors have relationships in this community.
Most financial platforms cannot correctly model tax-free BAH and BAS alongside taxable base pay. We built our military module around it. BRS, TSP matching, VA loan strategy, and PCS planning are first-class features — not afterthoughts bolted onto a civilian platform.
You've spent your career in service to the country. Your financial future deserves the same discipline, the same preparation, the same mission focus. Start with a free 20-minute review — no sales pitch, no pressure. Just a real conversation about where you are, where you're heading, and whether we're the right fit.
Fiduciary. Fee-Only. Built for those who serve.