Marine Corps Retirement in 2025 // How do I...?
Are you "on the fence" about retirement? Are you about to hit that 20-year (or more) active duty mark and considering stepping away from the formation to focus on family, yourself, or a different path/career? Step 1: Pick a date. If you're on the enlisted side of the house, your retirement date is going to be the last day of whatever month you choose. For officers, it's going to be the first day of the month. There's lots of talk out there about the "COLA Trap" that'll "cost you thousands a year in pension payments," but the thing is, those date selections might not line up well with milestones that you/your family have on the horizon. I only mention it because it comes up so often in retirement discussions. If you are interested in the topic, you can find the study here: The COLA Trap Step 2: Now that you've got a date in mind, you can peruse the source document that governs our retirement process, The Marine Corps Separation and...
