10 U.S.C. §1414
Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP)
Lets a military retiree receive both retired pay and VA disability compensation without the usual offset.
Read the official text of 10 U.S.C. §1414In plain English
Normally, a military retiree’s retired pay is reduced dollar for dollar by the amount of VA disability compensation they receive. CRDP removes that offset for qualifying retirees.
To qualify you generally need 20 or more years of creditable service and a VA disability rating of 50 percent or higher. CRDP is restored automatically — there is no application — and it is taxable, because it is retired pay.
CRDP is not the same as CRSC. CRSC is tax-free and requires the disability to be combat-related, but does not require 20 years of service. A retiree may be eligible for both and must choose the one that pays more, with an annual open season to switch.
What the rule actually requires
- Applies to retirees with 20 or more years of creditable service.
- Requires a VA disability rating of 50 percent or higher.
- Restores retired pay that would otherwise be offset by VA compensation.
- CRDP is taxable; CRSC under 10 U.S.C. §1413a is not.
Why this matters to your claim
Crossing from 40% to 50% can trigger CRDP and change a retiree’s monthly income by far more than the rating table alone suggests.
This is our plain-English summary, written for veterans — it is not the regulation itself and it is not legal advice. The controlling text is the current official version, linked above. The VA makes all final decisions about eligibility and payment.
Official text of 10 U.S.C. §1414
