Concurrent Receipt

[SSDOUG]

Now that the New Defence Authorization Bill 2004 has been passed and signed by the President....

I would like to know when and how we are to receive our Concurrent Receipt...I am 100 percent disabled and receiving VA Disability..and would like to get my Military Retired Pay that I worked for 26 years, since WWII to receive..but was taken from me and others like me since receiving 100 percent from the VA.

I see no new post on this subject since the new law went into effect. I have searched many military sites and there is no mention of the new bill that includes concurrent receipt for disabled veterans.

There is still only mention of the previous bill for combat related disabilities. My Disability is Service Connected.

Does anyone have information as to this subject. When, How do we receive our due. Do we have to reapply...or will we receive it automatically from the military retired pay..etc..

thanks,
SSDOUG

[billr]

Information on concurrent receipt from the Military Officers Assn of America web-site (moaa.org)

The proposal will benefit as many as 200,000 disabled retirees in two ways:

First, all retirees with at least 20 years of service and VA disability ratings of 50% or higher will see their military retired pay offsets phased out over a ten-year period starting January 1, 2004.

Second, the recently enacted Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) will be expanded to include all combat- or operations-related disabilities-from 10% to 100% ratings, also effective January 1, 2004. Currently, only those with qualifying disabilities rated 60% or higher or who have a disability associated with a Purple Heart are eligible.

In both cases, Guard and Reserve retirees with 20 qualifying years of service (including those with less than 7,200 retirement points) will be eligible.

CRSC payments are in the amount of the VA disability compensation paid for whatever percentage of the member's disability rating is due to combat-related disabilities, as determined by the parent service. Retirees must apply to their parent service for CRSC payments, but there is no phase-in period for CRSC. DoD is discouraging all those not currently eligible for CRSC from applying until this provision is signed into law.

Disabled retirees rated 50% and higher who do not elect CRSC payments should start seeing their retired offset phased out automatically, starting January 1, 2004. No application is expected to be required. For 2004, qualifying retirees should see their retired pay increase by a flat amount, depending on disability, as follows:

$750 for 100% disabled;

$500 for 90%;

$350 for 80%;

$250 for 70%;

$125 for 60%; and

$100 for 50%.

The remaining retired pay offsets would then be phased out over the following nine years. In 2005, they would get back another 10% of any remaining offset; in 2006, they would get back 20% of the remaining offset; in 2007, 30% of the remaining offset; and so on. By January 2014, disabled retirees with 50% and higher ratings will be entitled to full concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation.

Disabled retirees who qualify for both programs would have to choose one or the other. Because the CRSC program provides full payment immediately vs. the 10-year phase-in for concurrent receipt, legislators plan to allow an annual election option for CRSC-eligibles. This recognizes that a retiree who is 100% disabled, but only 60% of that is due to combat-related conditions, may find it advantageous to elect full CRSC payments for a few years until the concurrent receipt payment rises to a level that exceeds the CRSC payment. Because CRSC payments are tax-free and nondisability retired pay is not, this could also figure into qualifying retirees' election decisions.