CRDP vs CRSC Calculator — Concurrent Receipt 2026

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Compare CRDP and CRSC for military retirees with a VA rating: the VA waiver, what each program pays back, the Chapter 61 cap, and which pays more before and after tax.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated September 2026 · Source: DFAS — Comparing CRSC and CRDP; DoD FMR Volume 7B, chapters 63-64

$
Spouse

Pays more (gross)

CRDP

Monthly total with CRDP

$4,461.45

Monthly total with CRSC

$3,382.84

Monthly pay under each option

VA waiver onlyCRDPCRSC
VA compensation (tax-free)$1,961.45$1,961.45$1,961.45
Retired pay after waiver (taxable)$538.55$2,500.00$538.55
CRSC (tax-free)$0.00$0.00$882.84
Total per month$2,500.00$4,461.45$3,382.84
Total per year$30,000.00$53,537.40$40,594.08
Per month after 22% tax on retired pay$2,381.52$3,911.45$3,264.36

VA pays $1,961.45 a month at 70%; the waiver takes $1,961.45 of retired pay. VA rates effective December 1, 2025; the next increase follows the Social Security COLA on December 1, 2026. The combat-related 40% rating alone pays $882.84.

You can receive CRDP or CRSC, not both. In the first year you qualify for both, DFAS pays whichever is higher in gross dollars and gives you 45 days to switch. After that you can change only in the open season, January 1-31.

CRDP is automatic, taxable and divisible with a former spouse. CRSC needs an application (DD Form 2860) to your branch, is tax-free and is not divisible under the USFSPA. SBP premiums come out of retired pay, or out of CRSC when retired pay is too small.

The Major Richard Star Act, which would give CRDP to combat-injured medical retirees with fewer than 20 years, has not become law. VA disability calculator · Military retirement calculator

Use the CRDP vs CRSC Calculator — Concurrent Receipt 2026 above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Military retirees with a VA rating normally cannot collect both checks in full: retired pay is reduced dollar for dollar by VA compensation, which is called the VA waiver. Two programs give that money back. CRDP (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) restores the waived retired pay automatically for retirees rated 50% or more, and since 2014 it restores all of it. CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) pays the VA rate for the combat-related conditions alone, for ratings as low as 10%, but only after you apply to your branch.

You can have one or the other, never both. CRDP is retired pay, so it is taxable and can be divided with a former spouse; CRSC is tax-free and cannot. CRSC can never exceed the amount waived, and medical (Chapter 61) retirees face one more cap: CRSC plus the retired pay left after the waiver cannot exceed 2.5% (2.0% under BRS) times years of service times the retired pay base. Chapter 61 retirees with fewer than 20 years cannot get CRDP at all, which leaves CRSC as their only option.

In the first year you qualify for both, DFAS pays the program with the higher gross amount and gives you 45 days to switch. After that, changes happen only in the January 1-31 open season. Because DFAS compares gross dollars, the calculator also shows each option after tax, where tax-free CRSC can come out ahead. VA amounts use the rates in effect since December 1, 2025, which rise with the Social Security COLA each December.

Example: 20-Year Retiree Rated 70%, 40% Combat-Related

  1. 1 Input: $2,500 a month of gross retired pay, a 70% VA rating with a spouse ($1,961.45 a month), and combat-related conditions that combine to 40% ($882.84 with a spouse).
  2. 2 VA waiver: retired pay is cut by $1,961.45, leaving $538.55.
  3. 3 CRDP restores the full $2,500, so the monthly total is $2,500 + $1,961.45 = $4,461.45. CRSC pays $882.84 tax-free on top of the $538.55, a total of $3,382.84.
  4. 4 Result: CRDP pays $1,078.61 a month more, and still $647.09 more after a 22% tax on retired pay ($3,911.45 against $3,264.36). CRSC wins in cases such as a Chapter 61 retiree with 12 years of service, who cannot get CRDP at all.

Source: DFAS — Comparing CRSC and CRDP; DoD FMR Volume 7B, chapters 63-64 · Last updated: September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get both CRDP and CRSC?
No. A retiree who qualifies for both receives one. DFAS pays the higher gross amount in the first year, and you can switch each year during the January 1-31 open season.
Is CRSC taxable?
No. CRSC is tax-free and is not retired pay, so it is not divided with a former spouse. CRDP is restored retired pay, so it is taxable and can be divided.
Who qualifies for CRDP?
Retirees entitled to retired pay with a VA rating of 50% or more, including TERA retirees and Reserve retirees once they draw retired pay. Chapter 61 medical retirees with fewer than 20 years of service are excluded. No application is needed.
How is CRSC calculated for a Chapter 61 retiree?
CRSC starts at the VA rate for the combat-related rating alone and is capped at the amount of retired pay waived. On top of that, CRSC plus the retired pay left after the waiver cannot exceed 2.5% (2.0% under BRS) times years of service times the retired pay base.

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