---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 12739"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "12739"
heading: "Computation of retired pay"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/12739"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part II — Personnel Generally"
  - "Chapter 1223 — Retired Pay for Non-Regular Service"
---

# §12739. Computation of retired pay

- (a) The monthly retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) of a person entitled to that [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under this chapter is the product of—
  - (1) the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) base for that person as computed under section [1406(b)(2)](/usc/10/1406.md?p=b-2) or [1407](/usc/10/1407.md) of this title; and
  - (2) 2½ percent of the years of service credited to that person under [section 12733 of this title](/usc/10/12733.md).
- (b) If a person entitled to retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under this chapter has been credited by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) with extraordinary heroism in the line of duty and if the highest [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) held satisfactorily by that person at any time in the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) is an enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7), the person’s retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) shall be increased by 10 percent of the amount determined under [subsection (a)](#a). The [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4)’s determination as to extraordinary heroism is conclusive for all purposes.
- (c)
  - (1) Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#c-2), the total amount of the monthly retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) computed under subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) may not exceed 75 percent of the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) base upon which the computation is based.
  - (2) In the case of a person who retires after December 31, 2006, with more than 30 years of service credited to that person under [section 12733 of this title](/usc/10/12733.md), the total amount of the monthly retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) computed under subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) may not exceed the sum of—
    - (A) 75 percent of the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) base upon which the computation is based; and
    - (B) the product of—
      - (i) the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) base upon which the computation is based; and
      - (ii) 2½ percent of the years of service credited to that person under [section 12733 of this title](/usc/10/12733.md), for service under conditions authorized for purposes of this paragraph during a period designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense for purposes of this paragraph.
- (d) Amounts computed under this section, if not a multiple of $1, shall be rounded down to the next lower multiple of $1.
- (e)
  - (1) If a member of the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) is recalled to an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) in the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) under [section 10145(d) of this title](/usc/10/10145.md?p=d) and completes not less than two years of service in such [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4), the member is entitled to the recomputation under this section of the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) of the member.
  - (2) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may reduce the two-year service requirement specified in [paragraph (1)](#e-1) in the case of a member who—
    - (A) is recalled to serve in a position of adjutant general required under [section 314 of title 32](/usc/32/314.md) or in a position of assistant adjutant general subordinate to such a position of adjutant general;
    - (B) completes at least one year of service in such position; and
    - (C) fails to complete the minimum two years of service solely because the appointment of the member to such position is terminated or vacated as described in [section 324(b) of title 32](/usc/32/324.md?p=b).
- (f) **Modernized Retirement System.—**
  - (1) **Reduced multiplier for full tsp members.—** Notwithstanding subsection [(a)](#a) or [(c)](#c), in the case of a person who first performs [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component service on or after January 1, 2018, after not having performed [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) or [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component service on or before that date, or a person who makes the election described in [paragraph (2)](#f-2) (referred to as a “full TSP member”)—
    - (A) [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) shall be applied by substituting “2 percent” for “2½ percent”;
    - (B) [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A) of subsection (c)(2) shall be applied by substituting “60 percent” for “75 percent”; and
    - (C) subparagraph (B)(ii) of such subsection shall be applied by substituting “2 percent” for “2½ percent”.
  - (2) **Election to participate in modernized retirement system.—**
    - (A) **In general.—** Pursuant to [subparagraph (B)](#f-2-B), a person performing [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component service on December 31, 2017, who has performed fewer than 12 years of service as of December 31, 2017 (as computed in accordance with [section 12733 of this title](/usc/10/12733.md)), may elect, in exchange for the reduced multipliers described in [paragraph (1)](#f-1) for purposes of calculating the retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) of the person, to receive Thrift Savings Plan contributions pursuant to [section 8440e(e) of title 5](/usc/5/8440e.md?p=e).
    - (B) **Election period.—**
      - (i) **In general.—** Except as provided in clauses [(ii)](#f-2-B-ii) and [(iii)](#f-2-B-iii), a person described in [subparagraph (A)](#f-2-A) may make the election described in that subparagraph during the period that begins on January 1, 2018, and ends on December 31, 2018.
      - (ii) **Hardship extension.—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may extend the election period described in [clause (i)](#f-2-B-i) for a person who experiences a hardship as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9).
      - (iii) **Persons experiencing break in service.—** A person returning to [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component service after a break in [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component service in which falls the election period specified in [clause (i)](#f-2-B-i) shall make the election described in [subparagraph (A)](#f-2-A) within 30 days after the date of the reentry into service of the person.
    - (C) **No retroactive contributions pursuant to election.—** Thrift Savings Plan contributions may not be made for a person making an election pursuant to [subparagraph (A)](#f-2-A) for any [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) period beginning before the date of the person’s election under that subparagraph by reason of the person’s election.
  - (3) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) shall prescribe regulations to implement this subsection.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(j)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3004; amended Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, § 632(a), (b), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2572; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title VI, § 642(b), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2259; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, § 642(a), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2365; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VI, § 631(b), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 843; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 623(a), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1428.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in formula 3 of the table in section 1401(a) of this title, prior to amendment by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1662(j)(2).

### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (f)(2)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “within 30 days after the date of the reentry” for “on the date of the reentry”.

2015—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–92 added subsec. (f).

2009—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–84 added subsec. (e).

2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–364 designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (2), the” for “The”, and added par. (2).

2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–314, § 632(a)(2), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–314, § 632(a)(1), (b), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c) and substituted “total amount of the monthly retired pay computed under subsections (a) and (b)” for “amount computed under subsection (a)”. Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–314, § 632(a)(1), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2017 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 623(b), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1429, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 2018, immediately after the coming into effect of the amendment made by section 631(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 843) [amending this section], to which the amendment made by subsection (a) relates.”

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment; Implementation

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–92 effective Jan. 1, 2018, with certain implementation requirements, see section 635 of Pub. L. 114–92, set out as a note under section 8432 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, § 632(c), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2572, provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section] shall take effect on October 1, 2002, and shall apply with respect to retired pay for months beginning on or after that date.”

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.