I'm National Guard, Chapter 61 retired. I am looking for some help computing my CRSC.
1) Gross Pay: $1,751.00
2) DoD disability retirement: 30%
3) Active duty time: 10 yrs 1 mo 4 days
4) VA: 90%, $3,010.96, spouse and 5 kids
5) CRSC disability: 40%
6) I do not qualify for another type requirement
I used the CRSC calculator for chapter 61 retirees and it's showing my pay should be $774.16 but I'm actually getting $1,090 and I'm confused at where the discrepancy is? I also submitted a CRSC and DoD reconsideration and am expecting a 50% award for DoD as it would match my VA award for the same condition that had been rediagnosed after I retired. Trying to figure out if my pay will go up or down after the reconsiderations are complete. The calculator is showing it going down, so looking for more clarity if possible.
Thank you
Need to figure out a few things.
1. High 3: going off 1751 / 30% = 5836.66
2. DoD 30% = 1751 ; if 50% = 5836.66 x 50% = 2,918.33
2a. DoD Residual = 0 since VA payment of 3010.96 ( spouse + 5 kids) is higher.
3. AD time longevity multiplier = 10 yrs 1mo 4 days = roughly 25.2% multiplier
3a. Earned Longevity pension which is cap for CRSC = 5836.66 x 25.2% = 1,470.84
4. No change from your #. VA 90% = 3010.96
5. CRSC 40% = 1090 actual | CRSC calculator shows 774.16
6. N/A
Ok, so first thing ill address is the discrepancy from the CRSC Calculator and the actual payment. The creator of the calculator has stated that it only shows the payment as the veteran with no dependents.
1. Using 2025 pay rates "
Past rates: 2025 Veterans disability compensation | Veterans Affairs"
40% with 0 dependents = 774.16
1a. w/ spouse and 1 child = 922.16 + 168 (42.00 per additional child under 18 | 4 kids) = 1,090.16
1b. You are losing out on $380.68 (1,470.84 (3a Longevity cap above) - 1090.16 (CRSC 40%)
from your earned longevity with a CRSC @ 40%.
1c. Not everyone gets their full earned longevity and VA % as a ch 61 retiree. See Statement below regarding total payment by law.
2. If CRSC reconsideration = 50%. Your new CRSC payout would be
2a. w/ spouse and 1 child = 1,287.04 + 212 (53.00 per additional child under 18 | 4 kids) = 1499.04 using VA pay chart.
2b. 1499.04 is higher than 1,470.84 (3a.) which is your cap. CRSC pays the lesser of the two, so your actual payment would roughly be 1,470.84.
Your DoD reconsideration might have no grounds as DoD rated you for the symptoms/% that you had that the time of the MEB/PEB not at your current state, specially since it was re-diagnosed
AFTER you retired. Even if its the same condition that medically retired you unless you were on the TDRL and had to get re-examined. Before signing the PEB findings, you had a chance to submit a VARR (VA Rating Reconsideration) if you thought the % was rated to low by the VA, but once you signed that paperwork, you agreed to the DoD% that the PEB found and retired you at. DoD ch 61 doesnt work like the VA, where if your disability gets worst, you can submit a claim to get it rated higher. When did you get your DoD % and medically retire? When did you get re-diagnose after retirement that rated that condition higher?
Getting Higher DoD% will not benefit you too much as you are getting close to your earned longevity cap of 1,470.84 from CRSC. The math works out with higher DoD% which leaves you a residual if the payment is higher than VA payments, but its a lot of calculations involved and if you get some ch 61 residual, your CRSC payment would be lower by that same amount. Majority of people would get their ch 61 pay offset by VA and get $0 ch 61 payment.
By law you cannot receive more than VA payment + earned longevity. So right now your cap is 1,470.84 + VA % payments. I say VA % payment because you could get 100% VA and higher payment or lower % and lower payment.
It can be a payout from the combo of:
a) DoD % + CRSC % + VA % or
b) CRSC + VA% or
c. DoD% + VA%
Equaling = 1,470.84 + VA % payments.
CRSC works like the VA does, if the disability that is deemed combat related per CRSC has the rating% increased by the VA, you can submit a reconsideration to CRSC and they would increase/decrease the %. See below:
https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/CRSC Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
Do retired Soldiers need to submit a request for reconsideration of their claim for a Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) rating when the VA increases their Service-Connected Disability rating?
Yes, please submit;
1) CRSC Form 12e, and
2) Department of Veterans Affairs narrative summary showing the increase or decrease in their VA disability rating and submit via:"
"The calculator is showing it going down, so looking for more clarity if possible."
The reason the calculator is showing the payment as going down when you plug in different % is because you need to adjust the gross pay (1751) with the DoD% changes. You need to use your High 3 that we calculated earlier and multiply that by the theoretical DoD% you are looking at.
High 3 = 5836.66
30% = 1751
40% = 2,334.66
50% = 2,918.33
60% = 3502
If you had a 1751 and said it was 10%, then the high 3 would be $17,510.
If you had a 1751 and said it was 30%, then the high 3 would be $5836.66
If you had a 1751 and said it was 50%, then the high 3 would be $3,502
Everything is based off your High 3, and the % payouts is multiplied to that High 3.
