What is my RMC?
Enter your monthly basic pay, BAH and BAS from your Leave and Earnings Statement. The calculator adds the federal tax advantage to give your Regular Military Compensation (RMC).
- RMC a year
- $83,320.51
With $4,000.00 basic pay, $2,000.00 BAH and $450.00 BAS a month, your RMC is about $83,320.51 a year.
- RMC a month
- $6,943.38
- Pay and allowances a year
- $77,400.00
- Federal tax advantage
- $5,920.51
- Federal tax saved
- $4,618.00
RMC a year: $83,320.51. With $4,000.00 basic pay, $2,000.00 BAH and $450.00 BAS a month, your RMC is about $83,320.51 a year.
The results are estimates for information only. They are not financial, tax, or legal advice. Check the numbers with your lender or a qualified professional before you decide. Terms of use
How to calculate
Works out Regular Military Compensation (RMC): basic pay, BAH and BAS plus the federal tax advantage of the tax-free allowances, as a civilian salary you would need to match.
Example with the default inputs (Basic pay a month $4,000.00, BAH a month $2,000.00, BAS a month $450.00, Tax filing status Single): With $4,000.00 basic pay, $2,000.00 BAH and $450.00 BAS a month, your RMC is about $83,320.51 a year.
Method: RMC = 12 × (basic pay + BAH + BAS) + tax advantage; tax advantage = G − 12 × (basic + BAH + BAS), where G − tax(G) = 12 × basic − tax(12 × basic) + 12 × (BAH + BAS), with 2026 federal income tax on income less the standard deduction.
- Federal income tax for 2026: rate schedules and the standard deduction; no credits, other income or itemized deductions.
- Social Security, Medicare and state income tax are not part of the tax advantage.
- Special and incentive pays and bonuses are not part of RMC.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Basic pay a month $4,000.00, BAH a month $2,000.00, BAS a month $450.00, Tax filing status Single gives Pay and allowances a year $77,400.00, Federal tax saved $4,618.00, Federal tax advantage $5,920.51, RMC a year $83,320.51.Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 single brackets, $16,100 standard deduction): tax on $48,000 is $3,580
- Basic pay a month $3,000.00, BAH a month $0.00, BAS a month $0.00, Tax filing status Single gives Federal tax advantage $0.00, RMC a year $36,000.00.Source: 37 U.S.C. 101(25): with no allowances RMC is basic pay alone, $36,000
- Basic pay a month $6,000.00, BAH a month $3,000.00, BAS a month $330.00, Tax filing status Married filing jointly gives Pay and allowances a year $111,960.00, Federal tax saved $4,795.20, Federal tax advantage $5,449.09.Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 joint brackets, $32,200 standard deduction): tax $4,280 on $72,000 and $9,075.20 on $111,960
How it works
Let B, H and S be monthly basic pay, BAH and BAS.
- Taxable pay a year W = 12 × B. Allowances a year A = 12 × (H + S).
- tax(x) = federal income tax on x: taxable income = x − standard deduction (not below 0), taxed with the 2026 rate schedule for the filing status.
- Pay and allowances = W + A.
- Federal tax saved = tax(W + A) − tax(W).
- Federal tax advantage. Find the salary G with G − tax(G) = W − tax(W) + A: the salary that, fully taxed, leaves the same after-tax income. Tax advantage = G − W − A (0 when there are no allowances). G − tax(G) rises in straight pieces between bracket edges, so G is found exactly on the piece that holds the target.
- RMC = W + A + tax advantage. RMC a month = RMC ÷ 12.
Nothing is rounded; money shows to the cent.
2026 federal brackets (taxable income)
| Rate | Single from | Married filing jointly from | Head of household from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 12% | $12,400 | $24,800 | $17,700 |
| 22% | $50,400 | $100,800 | $67,450 |
| 24% | $105,700 | $211,400 | $105,700 |
| 32% | $201,775 | $403,550 | $201,750 |
| 35% | $256,225 | $512,450 | $256,200 |
| 37% | $640,600 | $768,700 | $640,600 |
Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household.
Assumptions
- Federal income tax only: no credits (such as the child tax credit), other income, or itemized deductions. Social Security, Medicare and state income tax are not part of the tax advantage.
- Pay and allowances stay the same for 12 months.
- After 2026 the page keeps the 2026 brackets until it is updated and says so.
Worked examples by hand
Single, $4,000 basic, $2,000 BAH, $450 BAS. W = $48,000; A = $29,400. tax(W): taxable $31,900 → $1,240 + 12% × $19,500 = $3,580. tax(W + A): taxable $61,300 → $1,240 + $4,560 + 22% × $10,900 = $8,198; tax saved $4,618. Target = $48,000 − $3,580 + $29,400 = $73,820. In the 22% piece, G − tax(G) = G − ($5,800 + 0.22 × (G − $66,500)) = 0.78 × G + $8,830, so G = $64,990 ÷ 0.78 = $83,320.51. Tax advantage = $5,920.51. RMC = $83,320.51.
Single, $3,000 basic, no allowances. No tax advantage: RMC = $36,000.
Married filing jointly, $6,000 basic, $3,000 BAH, $330 BAS. W = $72,000; A = $39,960. tax(W): taxable $39,800 → $2,480 + 12% × $15,000 = $4,280. tax(W + A) = $2,480 + 12% × $54,960 = $9,075.20; tax saved $4,795.20. Target = $72,000 − $4,280 + $39,960 = $107,680. In the 12% piece, G − tax(G) = 0.88 × G + $4,360, so G = $103,320 ÷ 0.88 = $117,409.09. Tax advantage = $5,449.09.
Other questions people ask
What is RMC?
Regular Military Compensation is basic pay, the housing allowance (BAH), the food allowance (BAS), and the federal tax advantage of the allowances, which are not taxed (37 U.S.C. 101(25)). It is the civilian salary that would give the same pay after federal income tax.
What is the tax advantage?
BAH and BAS are free of federal income tax. The tax advantage is the extra salary a civilian would need so that, after paying federal income tax on all of it, they keep as much as you do.
Why is the tax advantage bigger than the tax I save?
A civilian pays tax on the extra salary too. The tax saved is the tax on your allowances; the tax advantage grosses that up: in the 22% bracket it is the extra tax divided by 0.78, more or less.
Does RMC include special pays?
No. Special and incentive pays, bonuses, and the cost of benefits such as health care are not part of RMC.