CRSC vs CRDP Calculator
Military retirees who receive VA disability compensation waive an equal amount of retired pay, up to all of it. CRDP and CRSC give some or all of it back. Enter your numbers to see which program you qualify for, what each pays by the month and the year, and which one pays more before tax.
Reviewed by Jonathan D., 20-year federal employee · Formulas verified against DFAS / 10 U.S.C. 1413a, 1414 ·
How the two programs work
Start with the offset. Under 38 U.S.C. 5304 and 5305, a retiree who takes VA disability compensation gives up an equal amount of retired pay, up to all of it. If your VA pay is less than your retired pay, your total does not grow; part of it just becomes tax-free. If your VA pay is more, the VA amount above your retired pay adds to your total. CRDP and CRSC are the two ways Congress lets you get some or all of that waived retired pay back.
CRDP (10 U.S.C. 1414) restores the whole waiver for retirees with 20 or more years and a VA rating of at least 50%. It has been fully phased in since 2014. DFAS says it pays CRDP automatically, with no application. Because it is restored retired pay, it is generally taxed the same way as your retired pay; some Chapter 61 pay is tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. 104. Chapter 61 medical retirees with 20 or more years get it only up to the retired pay they would have earned on years of service; Chapter 61 retirees with under 20 years cannot get it at all.
CRSC (10 U.S.C. 1413a) pays the VA compensation for your combat-related disabilities only, capped at your waiver. It works at any combat-related rating from 10%, for any retiree (except those retired under 10 U.S.C. 12731b), including Chapter 61 retirees with under 20 years, but you must apply to your branch. It is tax-free. For Chapter 61 retirees, CRSC plus the retired pay left after the waiver cannot exceed the years-of-service retired pay.
By law you can receive one or the other, not both, and you can switch during an annual open season (10 U.S.C. 1414(d)). DFAS says it pays the higher gross amount by default and holds open season in January.
| Your situation | CRDP | CRSC |
|---|---|---|
| 20+ years (or TERA), VA rating 50%+ | Yes; DFAS pays it automatically | If combat-related; apply |
| 20+ years, VA rating 10% to 40% | No | If combat-related; apply |
| Chapter 61, 20+ years, rating 50%+ | Yes, up to years-of-service pay | If combat-related; apply. Same ceiling as CRDP |
| Chapter 61, under 20 years | No, at any rating | If combat-related; apply. Capped by years-of-service pay (can be $0) |
| Guard/Reserve before retired pay starts | Not yet | Not yet |
Not modeled
The calculator shows one month at your current ratings. These items can change the real DFAS figures:
| Not modeled | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Dependent parents, school-age children 18 to 23, spouse Aid and Attendance | Raise VA compensation and therefore the waiver and both program amounts. Not in the rate table this tool uses. |
| Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) | SMC raises VA compensation, and combat-related SMC counts toward CRSC. The tool leaves SMC out, so if you receive it your amounts will be higher. |
| Individual Unemployability (IU / TDIU) | VA pays IU at the 100% rate; CRDP and CRSC treat it under special rules. Enter your schedular rating and expect DFAS figures to differ. |
| CSB/REDUX retirement system | REDUX lowers the multiplier for each year under 30, pays COLA at CPI minus 1% and recomputes at 62. The tool refuses the Chapter 61 ceiling for REDUX retirees. |
| Guard and Reserve Chapter 61 retirements | Their ceiling uses points-based service and their CRDP test uses qualifying years. The tool refuses these cases. |
| Reservists retired under 10 U.S.C. 12731b | 15 to 19 good years with a disability not in the line of duty. Not eligible for CRSC (10 U.S.C. 1413a(c)(1)). |
| First COLA after a Chapter 61 retirement | The first COLA can be a partial-year increase that depends on your retirement month (10 U.S.C. 1401a). The tool applies the full COLA for your retirement year, so the ceiling can run slightly high. COLAs before 2000 are not supported. |
| Chapter 61 service over 30 years | For retirements after 2006 the tool assumes service past 30 years counts above 75% (10 U.S.C. 1409(b)(3)(B)); for earlier retirements it caps the percentage at 75%. |
| Federal and state income tax | CRSC is tax-free. CRDP is generally taxed like the retired pay it restores, and some Chapter 61 pay is tax-exempt (26 U.S.C. 104). The tool shows gross amounts only. |
| Survivor Benefit Plan premiums | Deducted from retired pay; can change the retired pay left after the waiver. |
| Divorce division (USFSPA) | Can affect how much retired pay reaches you. Not modeled. |
| Waiving retired pay for a FERS or CSRS military buyback | A retiree who waives military retired pay so the military years count toward a FERS or CSRS annuity cannot also receive CRSC (DFAS). Not modeled. |
| Retroactive pay, rating effective dates, and pending VA claims | The tool shows a single month at your current ratings. |
| Major Richard Star Act or any other unenacted bill | Current law only. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CRSC and CRDP?
Can I get both CRSC and CRDP?
Which one pays more if I qualify for both?
I was medically retired under Chapter 61 with less than 20 years. What can I get?
Does applying for CRSC reduce my VA disability pay?
I am a Guard or Reserve retiree. When do these start?
Did the Major Richard Star Act change any of this?
- CRSC: 10 U.S.C. 1413a (amount, waiver cap, Chapter 61 ceilings in (b)(3), eligibility, combat-related definition).
- CRDP: 10 U.S.C. 1414 (50% rating, Chapter 61 rules in (b), one-or-the-other and open season in (d)).
- The offset: 38 U.S.C. 5304-5305.
- Chapter 61 years-of-service multiplier: 10 U.S.C. 1409(b) (2.5% per year; 2.0% under BRS; 75% limit before 2007; full months count), 1412 (round down to the dollar) and 1401a (annual COLA).
- COLA history: Social Security COLA series (same percentage as the military retiree COLA for High-3, Final Pay and BRS), checked against SSA's Federal Register notices, retrieved October 24, 2026.
- Tax: 26 U.S.C. 104 (disability pay exclusions, including combat-related injury).
- VA compensation: VA 2026 disability compensation rates, effective December 1, 2025.
- Payment, election and application: DFAS disability and concurrent-receipt pages; DoD Financial Management Regulation Vol. 7B, chapters 63 (CRSC) and 64 (CRDP).
- Star Act status: S. 1032 on congress.gov.