CNA, an Alexandria, Va.-based think tank, issued an updated version of its military retirement calculator, which is aimed at helping service members choose the best retirement plan for their needs. The two retirement options include the High-3 plan, which bases retirement pay on the average basic pay a service member receives over a three-year period, and the REDUX plan, which pays a $30,000 bonus immediately but metes out smaller retirement paychecks as time goes on. "The bonus may seem appealing, but it’s important to understand the cost of the short-term gain in terms of lost long-term benefits," said CNA’s Anita Hatiangadi, who helped prepare the report.
