Service members often have access to a mix of retirement programs, allowances, and deployment-related benefits that can affect cash flow and long-term planning. Used thoughtfully, these tools may help support goals like building an emergency fund, reducing high-cost debt, and contributing consistently to retirement accounts.
For many service members, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the main long-term savings vehicle. Recent Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) reporting shows the TSP is the largest defined contribution plan in the U.S., with more than 7.25 million accounts, and total assets shown at $963 billion at year-end 2024 (with additional 2025 activity reported).
Costs also matter over time. TSP publishes fund expense ratios, which vary by fund; for example, it reports a 2025 total expense ratio of 0.035% for the C Fund.
If you are covered by the Blended Retirement System (BRS), DoD describes a TSP component that includes an automatic 1% contribution plus up to 4% additional matching contributions (for a total DoD contribution up to 5%), depending on your own contributions and eligibility rules.
Contribution limits can change annually. The IRS announced that the elective deferral limit that applies to 401(k)-type plans, including the federal government’s TSP, increases to $24,500 for 2026, with a catch-up contribution limit generally increasing to $8,000 for age 50+ (and a higher catch-up amount for ages 60–63).
A practical consideration is that matching is often tied to ongoing paycheck contributions, so some service members choose to spread contributions across the year to reduce the risk of missing match eligibility in later pay periods. (How matching applies can depend on your plan rules and service status.)
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is designed to offset housing costs and varies by location, pay grade, and dependency status. DoD describes BAH as an allowance and notes it is not taxed as income at the federal level.
A compliance-friendly way to think about BAH is as a housing budget input, not “extra income.” Many service members use it to map predictable monthly obligations (rent or mortgage, utilities, commuting, renters or homeowners insurance) and then decide what, if anything, remains for savings goals.
For eligible deployments, the DoD Savings Deposit Program (SDP) can be a notable short-term savings tool. DFAS describes the SDP as paying 10% annual interest on deposits up to $10,000 for qualifying members, with specific eligibility and timing rules.
Combat zone tax rules can also affect planning. The IRS provides an overview of the combat zone exclusion and points to Publication 3 as the detailed reference. The specifics depend on status, location, and pay type, and commissioned officers may be subject to limits that differ from enlisted and warrant officers.
Because these topics can be highly fact-specific, many service members use official guidance (and, when needed, a qualified tax professional) to confirm eligibility, exclusions, and documentation.
PCS moves can create real-world budget pressure, even when major items are reimbursable. The IRS notes that active-duty members may be eligible to deduct unreimbursed moving expenses (or exclude reimbursed expenses) if the move is due to a military order and incident to a permanent change of station, subject to the rules.
Military OneSource also outlines PCS-related tax considerations and reminders around unreimbursed expenses and documentation.
Most planning approaches come back to a few repeatable steps:
Military benefits can materially shape savings capacity, but outcomes still depend on contribution behavior, market returns, career length, and personal spending decisions. Building a repeatable system, reviewing official rules annually, and seeking qualified advice for tax or complex planning questions can help you stay aligned with your goals.