Retiree Fact Sheets

Concurrent Receipt of Military Retired Pay and VA Disability Compensation

Congress needs to fully eliminate the law that makes most disabled uniformed services retirees forfeit part or all of their military retired pay for VA disability compensation.

COLAs and Military Retired Pay

Government retired pay promises must be kept, including annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to prevent erosion of retirees' purchasing power by inflation.

Retired Pay versus Active Duty Pay Adjustments

Retired pay and active duty pay increases are different in most years because they are based on different compensation principles.

Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act Reform

The Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA), which governs division of military retired pay in divorce cases, contains significant inequities.

Government Pension Offset (GPO)/Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

Significant changes to Social Security in 1977 and 1983 cut Social Security benefits of many federal (Civil Service Retirement System) retirees and state retirees who did not participate in Social Security.

30-Year Paid-up SBP

The FY1999 Defense Authorization Act authorized a 30-year paid-up Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provision. Retired SBP enrollees who have attained age 70 and paid SBP premiums for at least 30 years will be able to stop paying premiums, while retaining SBP coverage for their survivors. But instead of making it effective Oct. 1, 2003 as proposed in the legislation, Congress delayed the effective date of this change until Oct. 1, 2008.