Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 73— - ANNUITIES BASED ON RETIRED OR RETAINER PAY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - RETIRED SERVICEMAN’S FAMILY PROTECTION PLAN › § 1436
When a person picks a military annuity, the service branch must work out how much to cut from their retired or retainer pay as of the date they become eligible. The calculation must ignore cost‑of‑living increases tied to the Consumer Price Index. It must use an actuarial method with tables picked by the Board of Actuaries and an interest rate of 3 percent per year unless the Secretary of the Treasury sets a different rate by August 1 for the next year after looking at average yields on long‑term U.S. government marketable debt over the prior six months. The service uses the method and tables that are in effect on the date of the computation. Under rules the Secretary issues, a retired member can apply to change their annuity choices. The member may be allowed to reduce the annuity they picked (but not below a set minimum), opt out of the annuity program, switch from one specific annuity option to another if they had that earlier election when pay first began and they have no eligible child beneficiary, or say that a child who is at least 18 but under 23 is not an eligible beneficiary. A child aged 18–22 is not treated as eligible unless they were unable to support themselves because of a mental or physical condition that began before their 18th birthday.
Full Legal Text
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 1436
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73