By Jerry Lemme and Brian Voges Concurrent Retirement
By Jerry Lemme and Brian Voges
§ Concurrent Retirement and Disability § Combat Related Special § Concurrent Retirement and Disability § CRSC is a monthly entitlement that Pay (CRDP) allows military retirees to receive both military retired pay and VA compensation. This was prohibited until January 1, 2004. § CRDP is a "phase in" of benefits that gradually restores a retiree's VA disability offset. § You do not need to apply for CRDP. If qualified, you will be enrolled automatically. Compensation. allows eligible military retirees to recover some or all of their retired pay that was offset by their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation. Eligible retirees must have a combat-related injury and may receive this entitlement in addition to any retired pay they receive from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).
§ You must be eligible for retired pay to qualify for CRDP. § If you were placed on a disability retirement, but would be eligible for military retired pay in the absence of the disability, you may be entitled to receive CRDP. § You are a regular retiree with 20 years of service with a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater. § You are a reserve retiree with 20 qualifying years of service, who has a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater and who has reached retirement age. § You are retired under Temporary Early Retirement Act (TERA) and have a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater. § You are a disability retiree who earned entitlement to retired pay under any provision of law other than solely by disability, and you have a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater. You might become eligible for CRDP at the time you would have become eligible for retired pay.
§DFAS determines if you are eligible for an retroactive payment. §If DFAS determines you are eligible they VA will pay the retroactive payment. §Retro active payments can not go back further then January 1, 2004.
You are eligible for full concurrent receipt of both your VA disability compensation and your retired pay, if you are a military retiree who meets eligibility requirements in addition to both of the following: § You are rated by the VA as unemployable, generally referred to as Individual Unemployability (IU). § You are in receipt of VA disability compensation as a result of IU. NOTES: § Generally any veteran on IU is going to be 50% or greater. § This is effective October 1, 2008, and is retroactive to January 1, 2005.
§ Be entitled to and/or receiving military retired pay. § Be rated at least 10 percent by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). § Waive your VA pay from your retired pay. § File a CRSC application with your Branch of Service. § Your branch of service will determine whether or not your disability codes are combat related.
Disabilities that may be considered combat related include injuries incurred as a direct result of: § Armed Conflict § Hazardous Duty § An Instrumentality of War § Simulated War
§ Send a DD Form 2860 to which ever branch the veteran served in. § All DD 214's and DD 215's (especially if for retirement or showing combat ribbons). § Retirement orders and supporting documents. § Reserve Retirement point computation including any 15 -year or 20 -year letter (if applicable). § Copies of ALL VA Rating Decisions, letters, and code sheets (current and prior). Do NOT remove any pages. § Documents discussing changes in benefits including Special Monthly Compensation (SCM) and/or Individual Unemployability.
§ Medical records, or notes, that verify how the injury/disability occurred. (Do NOT send EKGs, lab slips, CDs, diskettes or other electronic media. § Physical Evaluation Board (MEB-PEB) results and/or summaries. § Any evidence which can be used to verify the events or circumstances.
§ Veterans that are medically retired can get CRSC. § Veterans medically retired with more then 20 years of service can get CRDP. § Veteran may be better off with medical retirement and CRSC then with regular retirement and CRDP because Medical retirement is tax free. § We get a lot of questions from veterans about being med boarded. § Almost always better to retire if you have 20 years then to med board if you don’t have combat related injuries. § Remember every veterans situation is different and the services are not very good at explaining options to the veteran.
- Slides: 10