Reg Retirement vs medical retirement

D

DarkerSavant

Well-Known Member
Registered Member
I apologize in advance if this is absolutely redundant question. I tried to find what I could searching here but have reached my physical limit. I have an eye injury making reading painful and the source of my woe facing medical retirement. Due to a paperwork error on my medical facilities part they can't yet submit me for MEB for a few months, but it was suggested to me that I apply for it instead of waiting to retire. I am concerned that if I accept medical retirement and if it was timely I would lose some of my high 3 as I am not at it for my grade.

What I need to know is if medically retiring nets me the same or greater benefits as regular retirement. I am struggling to research this because of this eye injury causing me pain. I am over 22 active duty years and have a previous rating of 100% VA before coming back active. So I am not worried about that portion as it was already made permanent, lucky me right? Anyways I was told I would get 75% of my base pay along with my 100% VA if I accept medical retirement compared to regular retirement which would be 55% of base pay + VA. Can anyone shed some light on this and please keep the response succinct as possible (eye pain reading). Thank you so much in advance.

P.S. Redditor pointed me here and was weird trying to register because apparently I came across this site 10 years ago and it helped me in researching my initial claim coming from active duty.
 
Hello @DarkerSavant

You mentioned you have 20-plus active duty years. That and a VA rating of 50% or more qualifies you for CRDP.

With regular retirement: You receive all your retired pay plus all your VA comp.

With medical retirement, it is more complex, but you will end up with all your VA comp and DFAS will pay an amount that is equal to your longevity retirement amount (could be a combination of residual retired pay and CRDP)

Not many who qualify for a regular retirement show up here to discuss disability retirement. I am unsure if it would be allowed. Several of the other SMEs might help here.

Bottom line: In your scenario, a medical retirement would not give you more gross pay from DFAS.

Ron
cc: @chaplaincharlie @Provis @RetiredColonel-MikeT
 
Curious about this topic as well. Do most that qualify for regular retirement opt for that rather than having to go through the IDES process? I figure if you’re going through IDES at 20 plus and found unfit, might as well take the disability retirement, no?
 
A lot depends on the percentage that you get from both DOD and VA through the medical process. If you are at 24 years and rate 60% regular retirement, but your DOD retirement only comes in at 20% or 30%, then it might not make much sense. However, if you are ready for retirement at 20 or 21 years, and your retirement would be a little over 50%, but your medical disability percentage is closer to 100, then it would probably make more sense to take the medical. The thing is, you won't know until you go through the process. You can always turn down the findings at the end and opt for regular retirement.
 
CrustyGrunt said:
Curious about this topic as well. Do most that qualify for regular retirement opt for that rather than having to go through the IDES process? I figure if you’re going through IDES at 20 plus and found unfit, might as well take the disability retirement, no?
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You get the higher of the 2 so you are set either way. If you think one of your unfitting conditions will be combat related and your total DOD% will be higher than your earned regular retirement then you come out ahead because your Chapter 61 retirement will be exempt from Federal Income Taxes. Otherwise its a wash with CRDP taken into account.
 
“You get the higher of the 2 so you are set either way. If you think one of your unfitting conditions will be combat related and your total DOD% will be higher than your earned regular retirement then you come out ahead because your Chapter 61 retirement will be exempt from Federal Income Taxes. Otherwise its a wash with CRDP taken into account.”

Perfect.

Ron
 
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