Money Go?
Many decide they need more than the standard $400,000 coverage and opt for additional disability coverage. A retiree essentially would
break even or have a slightly larger post-retirement income if they decided to remain on TRICARE and factored their retire- ment pay into the mix. However, how many soon-to-be retirees dreamed about the additional in- come they would enjoy once they were earning two incomes? Starting income might not be
your top transition concern, and the skills you bring to the civil- ian marketplace might make this
MILITARY *O3/*O5 COMPARING COMPENSATION
CIVILIAN
Gross Pay Federal Taxes State Taxes Dental TRICARE (Prime enrollment) SGLI
$105,415/$146,527 $11,268/$20,691 $0 $0
$565 $348
Net Pay: $93,234/$124,923 or $7,769/$10,410 per month
Gross Pay Federal Taxes State Taxes Dental Medical Group Term Ins Disability Ins
$125,000 $25,547 $6,464 $1,020 $5,277 $425 $350
Net Pay: $85,917/$91,194 or $7,160/$7,599 per month
*O3 over 6 years with dependents at Fort Belvoir, Va., basic allowance for housing (BAH) *O5 over 20 years with dependents at Fort Belvoir, Va., BAH *Federal taxes as head of household
income deliberation pointless. But until you take the time to sit down and evaluate your (and your fam- ily’s) fi nancial priorities and factor in civilian compensation, you won’t
be prepared to make the appropri- ate decisions. — Capt. Paul Frost, USN (Ret), program director,
MOAA Transition Center Three Things to Know: VA Claims
When you’re ready to apply for VA disability compensation, there are a lot of things to consider. Here are the fi rst three things you need to know and do. For more information on who can fi le a VA disability compensation claim, email
vso@moaa.org. 1. You must know what type of
service you had. Were you on Title 10 active duty? Were you on Title 32 active duty? Were you completing re- serve training? The type of service will dictate what benefi ts you’re eligible for and what additional steps you have to take when gathering evidence. Your service type also will aff ect how long your claim will take to process. Gen- erally, Reserve and National Guard records are harder to retrieve. You will need a copy of your Form DD-214, your Report of Separation, or an equivalent document to fi nd this information. Tip: It’s important you submit your Form DD-214 or equivalent for every
period of active duty. To request a copy of your Form DD-214, visit the National Archives veterans’ service records site (
www.archives.gov/veter ans/military-service-records). 2. Collect as much evidence as
you can to support your claim. Don’t rely on the VA to gather all of your medical records and proof of service. If they cannot get your records, your claim may be denied due to lack of evidence. Also, any civilian care you received during service will not be part of your service treatment re- cords, so if you want these records included, you must contact your civilian physician to obtain copies of your records and include them in your packet as evidence. Tip: While you still are on active
duty, check out or ask for a copy of your medical records and make sure they cover all duty stations and pe- riods of service.
3. Stay informed. Regulations pertaining to disability claims change from time to time. Make sure you understand the current law when you apply. For instance, do you know about the new Camp Lejeune, N.C., presumptive service connec- tion fi nal rule, published in January? That’s where trusted sources like MOAA can be of help. We host webi- nars and publish articles to keep you up-to-date on changes to your bene- fi ts. Visit
www.moaa.org/vsowebinar for information. Tip: MOAA is your best advocate
relating to military benefi ts. You can receive updates directly in your inbox by signing up for our e-newsletters at
www.moaa.org/email. For answers to basic questions about VA disability claims, email
vso@moaa.org. — Quincey Adams, veteran services and career resource specialist, MOAA Transition Center
MAY 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 73
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