You've probably heard it before. Retirement isn't an event, but a process. There is a lot of preparing and planning that goes in to the retirement process. It's important to understand not only what will happen to your income when you retire from the Army, but what benefits you are entitled to as a Retired Soldier, and when different benefits kick in. Luckily, you don't have to figure this out alone, that's what pre-retirement briefings are for.
The earlier you start, the more prepared you'll be. If you are 12 to 24 months away from retiring, you need to start thinking about the retirement process, if you haven't already. Before deciding to retire, there are four important steps to follow. First, contact the human resources specialist at your personnel office to see if you are eligible to retire. Second, contact your Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP) office for information on finding a job after transitioning out the Army. Third, contact your Retirement Services Officer (RSO) for information on retirement benefits and entitlements - retired pay, the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), health benefits, and for the pre-retirement briefing schedule. RSOs are listed at https://soldierforlife.army.mil/retirement/rso. Fourth, arrange for your pre-retirement physical between six months and one month before you start transition leave. The earlier you start, the smoother your transition will be.
Also be sure to visit the MyArmyBenefits Retirement Calculator, which will allow you to financially plan for retirement by performing "what-if" exercises to see how your benefits might change, and what your monthly retirement pay will be. For more information about pre-retirement, please visit the Soldier for Life pre-retirement page, and download the pre-retirement counseling guide.
Related Links:
MyArmyBenefits Retirement Calculator
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