I’m looking for a laymen’s explanation for a VA waiver shown on my retirement LES. I am retired army (26 years). I have just been awarded 30% VA disability ($389.00) this shows up on my LES and it has reduced my NET retirement pay. I guess I had thought a person would get their retirement pay AND the VA assessed disability amount, not loose money from retirement because of it. Thanks for in advance for your feedback.

What that means is that they let the VA pay you that amount as it is tax free. Please read the two below paragraphs on when the VA and DOD pay.

You are eligible for CRDP if you have a DVA-rated, service-connected disability of 50 percent or higher and have twenty (20) or more qualifying years of service for a normal retirement.

CRSC may entitle you to additional funds which are designed to compensate you for the reduction of your military retired pay due to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation (also known as the VA waiver's). With CRSC, you can receive either partial or full concurrent receipt of your military retirement pay and your VA disability compensation.

Dave M,

In my case I am not 50% or higher, only 30% . Now since it shows up on my LES as a VA Waiver does that mean they determined it to be CRSC?

CRSC may entitle you to additional funds which are designed to compensate you for the reduction of your military retired pay due to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation (also known as the VA waiver's).

Here is what I’m not understanding --- With CRSC, you can receive either partial or full concurrent receipt of your military retirement pay and your VA disability compensation.

This is my breakdown:
Gross pay - $2,885.00
VA waiver - $389.00
Taxable income - $2496.00
Net Pay before VA waiver was applied - $2658.75
Net Pay after VA waiver was applied - $2330.20

So my army retirement goes down $389.00, I get a check from VA for $389.00 and the monthly advantage of the two is $60.45?

Greetings and special blessings.

Samuel, If your disability is combat connected, you must apply for CRSC through your Branch of Service. If approved, you will receive the $389.00 tax free. The CRSC goes all the way down to 10% whereas the CRDP only goes to 50%. The current NDAA is also going to take the CRSC on down to anyone with a Chapter 61 with less than 20 years. We are still working on the CRDP for less than 50%, but it not looking good, since most veterans with less than 50% can and do work.

Here is a link on CRSC:

http://www.dfas.mil/retiredpay/combat-relatedspecialcompensationcrsc.html

There are other links you can look at from the one above.

I trust this will help you. If you are not combat service connected, I am sorry that you still have to pay your own disability.

Mine was really rough when I first started since I am only CRDP. The only thing I gained was income tax. My retired pay is more than my VA, so this is the first year since 93 that I have had to pay any income tax, then I am not paying very much this year.

I trust this will help you. Any more question, please post here. I have posted on another thread giving the address and phone number for the CRSC sections.

I went looking but could not find the post I am thinking about.

May God richly bless and keep each of you.

In His Service,

Grover

I was looking through the forums here trying to find an answer to something similar.

I have yet to be notified of my disability rating, and on what is now my second RAS I have $568 being deducted for the VA Waiver, but there is no mention or balancing amount for a disability rating?

So, I just had my retirement pay lowered by $568. I'm wondering if it would be better to contact the VA or DFAS?

Thanks!
Mike

It probably means you have received a rating. Contact DFAS to start.

Based on the VA waiver amount, it looks like it may be 40%, which would also seem a bit odd since I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, which is "supposed" to be a 50% disability in and of itself.

I guess we'll wait, and wait, and wait, and see.

Thanks again!
Mike

Now I am confused. According to the article here:http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/retired-pay/waiver-of-pay

Concurrent Receipt
Concurrent receipt means to receive both military retirement benefits and VA disability compensation. Up until 2004 a retiree receiving retired pay who was also eligible to receive disability compensation/pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs was barred from receiving concurrent payments of both retired pay and the VA benefit, unless the member elected to waive that portion of retired pay that is equal to the amount of the VA benefit awarded.

Since 2004 military retirees with a VA rated disability of 50% or more are no longer being required to waive military retirement pay to receive a VA disability compensation. This new law is being phased in over a 9 year period.

However military retirees with a VA rated disability of 40% or less are still required to waive a portion of their military retirement pay to receive compensation.

I retired after 24 years with a disability ating of 60%. Why then am I still paying a VA Waiver?

According to my calcualtion you should receive a CDRP payment of about $929 a month before taxes. Check your DFAS statement.

For members with a disability of 40% or less, they are still required to waive a portion of their gross retirement pay. This VA Waiver is a reduction in gross pay. This amount is then paid to you by the VA and is non-taxable. For members with 40% disability the VA waiver will increase each year by a cost of living adjustment. Basically, a VA waiver allows you to recieve a portion of your retired pay - tax free from the VA.

For members with a disbility of 50% or more they would also see a reduction in thier gross pay for VA waiver and in addition to that recieve Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP. The amount of CRDP you recieve is dependant upon your disability rating and the number of dependants. See this link for updated 2009 CRDP rates -

http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/va-compensation-tables

The amount you recieve in CDRPis computed using these amounts and current restoration rates. You can calculate your CRDP amount using the following site.

http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/retired-pay/crdp-pay-computation

There is a phase out period for members recieving CRDP. From 2004 to 2014 the reduction in gross pay for VA waiver will be reduced and your CDRP will increase. By 2014 you will not have a reduction in your gross pay for VA waiver.

Lauren Blakley,

You are still losing a small part of your retired pay since the CRDP is on the phase in until 2014. You should be getting some 89% of your VA 60% back in your retired pay now. So, your VA waiver should only be around 11% of your VA 60%.

If you still have questions, please ask them.

Grover

I just noticed my husband has a VA Waiver on his mypay, dfas. He has been trying to get a disa. rating, but he gave up. They are taking 601.00 out of his regular retirement pay. Please go to my thread here and hope I can explain it better. Thanks yall.

http://forums.military.com/eve...1282/m/3990043352001

Here's a question, I got an RAS and it says there is a VA WAiver of $1380. I wont recieve any retirement money. The amount owed is $0. So does that mean I will recieve the VA money of $1380. I assume I cant recieve both retirement from the DOD and disability from the VA. I'm worried I am losing my VA money?

He will recieve the VA money tax free.