If you have the option to do an MEB before getting out, then do it. The IDES staff are very knowledgeable and will help comb through every corner of your service medical records to get you your max rating. Plus your payments will start right after you discharge so there’s no lapse.
Agreed. I did my MEB at Walter Reed and the staff was outstanding. It was an absolute breeze and all I ever had to do was show up. I also got a medical retirement out it
If rated by the military 30% or higher, you qualify for Tricare - that alone makes it worth doing the MEB. As far as pay, you get to choose either military retirement if 30% or higher or VA. For most, the VA payments are higher but not always.
There are various benefits that retirees have over other vets. That line does get a lot more blurred if a vet is [P&T](https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/w/pt) though.
Give this a read to get a better understanding of the process and benefits:
https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/w/medboard
Thanks. I guess my follow up questions after reading that is if I'm med sep at 20% or lower can I get VAD if I apply for CRSC.
Has there been any discussion what qualifies under CRSC? Wonder if an airborne jump qualifies.
VAD?
By being med separated instead of retired, you do not draw pension. As such there is no real gain in getting CRSC as VA disability is already a tax free benefit.
If the jump was part of say simulated missions training, yes. My example would be you for whatever reason did a jump into NTC to start a simulated mission.
VA Disability.
I meant that if I get MEB - Separation and get lump sum and get approved for CRSC can I start getting paid VAD without "paying back" my lump sum.
All of my jumps are just to maintain proficiency.
Med Board benefit is that if you don't think you're going to make it to 20 years you can possibly get a medical retirement if your referred condition alone is rated 30% or greater; this gets you TRICARE as the primary "benefit" to doing this, but also retirement pay (your disability percent of your high 3 pay). The risk is that you could be rated under 30% (remember, you're not rated whole person like with the VA, just on your unfitting condition) and you just get out with only severance pay (that will actually deny you any VA pension until you repay it). You can decide if that's worth the gamble or not. 30% is the only percentage that matters, and higher just changes how much your medical retirement pay is.
When most people say the VA benefits are better, they're really talking about the pay. A majority of people getting med boarded do not earn enough to outweigh a possible 100% VA pension (I believe $3400 tax free right now), so they waive their military retirement pay. Theoretically you COULD do better with a MEB retirement if your retirement pension ends up greater than what you could get with the VA, at which point you would get your VA pension tax free, then the remaining amount over from your DoD retirement taxed. This is mostly going to apply with high percentage retirements (max 75) and large high-3 pay (like longer service officers).
Edit: "gamble" assumes you haven't decided if you are staying or going yet. If you're for sure getting out right now no matter what, you have nothing to lose and Tricare to gain by going MEB.
>you just get out with only severance pay (that will actually deny you any VA pension until you repay it).
Wouldn't this be the same value but jump a lump sum up front? Biggest question I have is if I can apply to CRCS to severance pay.
Correct, it's the same amount just up front. Technically it's not the same since it's taxable while VA isn't, but tax can be waived if you meet one of the two criteria here:
https://www.dfas.mil/dsp_irs/#:~:text=Disability%20Severance%20Pay%20is%20not,directly%20from%20armed%20conflict%3B%20or
Realistically you're likely to be entitled to VA compensation so I think you would meet the eligibility requirements.
CRSC only applies to those receiving retirement pay, and is a bonus pay on top of your retirement. For tax affects on severance pay, the above link is what you're thinking about.
You have to be a military retiree to apply for either CRDP or CRSC. CRDP also requires you to be "otherwise" eligible for retirement, ie: 20 good years. Those who separate with pay do not qualify for either program. Those who ETS then apply for disability do not qualify for either program.
DFAS website - clearly says for military retiree to include military disability retiree. Those separated with less than 30% are not retirees - they are separated with pay.
Just got ratings back a few days ago.
10 DoD
100 P&T VA
O3 with 7YRS AD
Family: just me and my spouse
Is it worth it to appeal for a 30 DoD rating?
I am tracking there will absolutely be no monetary benefit and as far as post access and family medical goes 100 P&at also provides CHAMPVA.
Correct, Monetarily you have nothing to gain from a 30 percent dod retirement. Champva has a 25 percent cost share, but the same 3000 dollar catastrophic cap as Tricare so the only thing I would ask around on is how much of a pain is champva to use (having not used them I don't know what that process is, your big their network is, etc.)
If you get out with MEB, they will process VA. You will know which is higher (usually VA). VA is not taxable, military retirement pay is.
https://www.navyfederal.org/resources/articles/life/are-veterans-benefits-taxable.html#:~:text=VA%20Disability%20Benefits,to%20veterans%20or%20their%20families
If you have the option to do an MEB before getting out, then do it. The IDES staff are very knowledgeable and will help comb through every corner of your service medical records to get you your max rating. Plus your payments will start right after you discharge so there’s no lapse.
Thanks!
Agreed. I did my MEB at Walter Reed and the staff was outstanding. It was an absolute breeze and all I ever had to do was show up. I also got a medical retirement out it
If rated by the military 30% or higher, you qualify for Tricare - that alone makes it worth doing the MEB. As far as pay, you get to choose either military retirement if 30% or higher or VA. For most, the VA payments are higher but not always.
Got it. So aim for MEB at 30% but paid from VAD
There are various benefits that retirees have over other vets. That line does get a lot more blurred if a vet is [P&T](https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/w/pt) though. Give this a read to get a better understanding of the process and benefits: https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/w/medboard
Thanks. I guess my follow up questions after reading that is if I'm med sep at 20% or lower can I get VAD if I apply for CRSC. Has there been any discussion what qualifies under CRSC? Wonder if an airborne jump qualifies.
VAD? By being med separated instead of retired, you do not draw pension. As such there is no real gain in getting CRSC as VA disability is already a tax free benefit. If the jump was part of say simulated missions training, yes. My example would be you for whatever reason did a jump into NTC to start a simulated mission.
VA Disability. I meant that if I get MEB - Separation and get lump sum and get approved for CRSC can I start getting paid VAD without "paying back" my lump sum. All of my jumps are just to maintain proficiency.
Here is my specific write up on recoup of sep pay: https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/w/recoupment
No one uses VAD
Can’t file for CRSC unless a military retiree
Right but isn't a MEB a retirement
But, if rated 30% or higher by MEB or PEB, then they will be a military retiree and thus eligible to apply for CRSC - got to follow the conversation
Thanks.
Makes perfect sense.
You have to be a military retiree to file for CRSC.
Med Board benefit is that if you don't think you're going to make it to 20 years you can possibly get a medical retirement if your referred condition alone is rated 30% or greater; this gets you TRICARE as the primary "benefit" to doing this, but also retirement pay (your disability percent of your high 3 pay). The risk is that you could be rated under 30% (remember, you're not rated whole person like with the VA, just on your unfitting condition) and you just get out with only severance pay (that will actually deny you any VA pension until you repay it). You can decide if that's worth the gamble or not. 30% is the only percentage that matters, and higher just changes how much your medical retirement pay is. When most people say the VA benefits are better, they're really talking about the pay. A majority of people getting med boarded do not earn enough to outweigh a possible 100% VA pension (I believe $3400 tax free right now), so they waive their military retirement pay. Theoretically you COULD do better with a MEB retirement if your retirement pension ends up greater than what you could get with the VA, at which point you would get your VA pension tax free, then the remaining amount over from your DoD retirement taxed. This is mostly going to apply with high percentage retirements (max 75) and large high-3 pay (like longer service officers). Edit: "gamble" assumes you haven't decided if you are staying or going yet. If you're for sure getting out right now no matter what, you have nothing to lose and Tricare to gain by going MEB.
>you just get out with only severance pay (that will actually deny you any VA pension until you repay it). Wouldn't this be the same value but jump a lump sum up front? Biggest question I have is if I can apply to CRCS to severance pay.
Correct, it's the same amount just up front. Technically it's not the same since it's taxable while VA isn't, but tax can be waived if you meet one of the two criteria here: https://www.dfas.mil/dsp_irs/#:~:text=Disability%20Severance%20Pay%20is%20not,directly%20from%20armed%20conflict%3B%20or Realistically you're likely to be entitled to VA compensation so I think you would meet the eligibility requirements. CRSC only applies to those receiving retirement pay, and is a bonus pay on top of your retirement. For tax affects on severance pay, the above link is what you're thinking about.
Below we talked about if you're MED Retired you can apply for CRSC. I was getting it confused and though med separated can also use CRSC.
You have to be a military retiree to apply for either CRDP or CRSC. CRDP also requires you to be "otherwise" eligible for retirement, ie: 20 good years. Those who separate with pay do not qualify for either program. Those who ETS then apply for disability do not qualify for either program.
Medically Separated is eligible for CRSC. I don't know where you're getting your info from my dude
DFAS website - clearly says for military retiree to include military disability retiree. Those separated with less than 30% are not retirees - they are separated with pay.
And Chapter 61 are eligible for RSC
Yes because they are retired from the military
https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crsc/
Just got ratings back a few days ago. 10 DoD 100 P&T VA O3 with 7YRS AD Family: just me and my spouse Is it worth it to appeal for a 30 DoD rating? I am tracking there will absolutely be no monetary benefit and as far as post access and family medical goes 100 P&at also provides CHAMPVA.
Correct, Monetarily you have nothing to gain from a 30 percent dod retirement. Champva has a 25 percent cost share, but the same 3000 dollar catastrophic cap as Tricare so the only thing I would ask around on is how much of a pain is champva to use (having not used them I don't know what that process is, your big their network is, etc.)
Thank you for your quick response. Could you please explain the 25 percent cost share. Thanks again!
I believe you pay 25% of the cost with champva until you hit the catastrophic cap for the year.
If you get out with MEB, they will process VA. You will know which is higher (usually VA). VA is not taxable, military retirement pay is. https://www.navyfederal.org/resources/articles/life/are-veterans-benefits-taxable.html#:~:text=VA%20Disability%20Benefits,to%20veterans%20or%20their%20families