2019-2020 UNITED STATES ARMY RETIREMENT PLANNING …

2019-2020

UNITED STATES ARMY

RETIREMENT PLANNING GUIDE

Educate | Inform | Connect

2019?2020

UNITED STATES ARMY RETIREMENT PLANNING GUIDE

AUTHORED BY Army Retirement Services Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 Arlington, VA 22202-3531

DISTRIBUTED BY Association of the United States Army

FOR COPIES CONTACT 1SG Stephen Canonico United States Army, Retired Assistant Director, Retired Soldiers, Veterans, and DA Civilians Affairs Association of the United States Army

Phone: 703-907-2408 Email: scanonico@

FOREWORD

The Association of the United States Army, as the professional voice for America's Soldiers of yesterday, today and tomorrow, wants to help you and your Family through the stressful and hectic period of preparing for retirement. You owe it to yourself to be as well prepared as possible to enjoy the retirement you have earned.

Read this retirement planning guide cover-to-cover, and keep it handy as a ready reference.

Online, add the Army Retirement Services site (. army.mil/retirement) and your local Retirement Services Officer's (RSO) site () to your "favorites" list. And, of course, work with your RSO -- your expert on all topics associated with military retirement. Keep in mind that you will have the support of an RSO throughout your retirement years, no matter where you live.

AUSA will continue to do our part in helping you plan for the "rest of your life" by continuously updating and improving our support to the Army and those who serve. It is one of the ways we help every Soldier and spouse understand important topics such as the value of the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP); the benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and the medical care that is available from TRICARE, the military world-class health care system.

I would like to acknowledge Army Retirement Services for providing an insightful and informative guide for retiring Soldiers of all components. We offer this guide to those who have devoted their professional lives to ensuring our nation's security. Thank you for your service.

"Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier...a Soldier for Life!"

Carter F. Ham General, U.S. Army, Retired President Association of the United States Army

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword ............................................................................................................................. iii

Chapter 1 -- Introduction 1-1 Soldier for Life Mindset................................................................................................ 1 1-2 Retirement is a Process................................................................................................. 2 Chapter 2 -- How to Plan Your Retirement 2-1 General......................................................................................................................... 3 2-2 The Spouse's Perspective............................................................................................... 5 2-3 When You Can Retire.................................................................................................. 5 2-4 Change of Mission....................................................................................................... 6 2-5 Soldier for Life--Transition Assistance Program............................................................... 6 2-6 Retirement Physical...................................................................................................... 7 2-7 Household Goods Transportation................................................................................ 7 2-8 Retirement Recognition............................................................................................... 8 2-9 Transition Leave & Permissive TDY............................................................................ 8 Chapter 3 -- Retirement Benefits 3-1 Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)...........................................11 3-2 Military Identification and Privilege Cards.......................................................................11 3-3 MyArmyBenefits (MAB)............................................................................................13 3-4 Army Emergency Relief.......................................................................................................13 Chapter 4 -- Retirement Pay 4-1 Retired Pay Plans.........................................................................................................15 4-2 Disability Retirement..................................................................................................19 4-3 Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC)........................................................19 4-4 Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP).................................................. 20 4-5 Other Retired Pay Information.................................................................................. 20 4-6 Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)............................................................................................21 Chapter 5 -- Medical Care 5-1 TRICARE Programs?Medical Care After Retirement.............................................. 23 5-2 TRICARE Select........................................................................................................25 5-3 TRICARE Prime........................................................................................................25 5-4 TRICARE Plus.......................................................................................................... 26 5-5 Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP).................................................... 26 5-6 TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)............................................................................ 26 5-7 TRICARE Young Adult (TYA)................................................................................. 27 5-8 TRICARE for Life (TFL).......................................................................................... 27 5-9 Temporary Disabled Retired List (TDRL) Beneficiaries............................................ 27 5-10 TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits................................................................................... 27 5-11 Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)....................... 28

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Chapter 6 -- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits 6-1 General....................................................................................................................... 29 6-2 VA Disability Compensation...................................................................................... 29 6-3 Benefits Delivery at Discharge and Fully Developed Claim Programs....................... 30 6-4 VA Home Loans......................................................................................................... 30 6-5 GI Bill.........................................................................................................................31 6-6 Converting SGLI to VGLI..........................................................................................31 6-7 VA Medical Care.........................................................................................................31 6-8 VA Dental Care.......................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 7 -- Survivor Benefits 7-1 General........................................................................................................................33 7-2 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).........................................................................................33 7-3 Basic SBP Questions Answered.................................................................................. 34 7-4 SBP's Perceived Negatives........................................................................................... 39 7-5 The Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP).......................................... 40 7-6 RCSBP Eligibility....................................................................................................... 40 7-7 RCSBP Election Options........................................................................................... 40 7-8 RCSBP Election Categories.........................................................................................41 7-9 RCSBP Election Costs................................................................................................41 Chapter 8 -- Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act 8-1 General....................................................................................................................... 43 8-2 Background................................................................................................................ 43 8-3 Division of Retired Pay............................................................................................... 43 8-4 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).........................................................................................45 8-5 Military Identification and Privilege Cards................................................................ 46 Chapter 9 -- Reserve Component Retirement System 9-1 General........................................................................................................................47 9-2 Non-Regular Retired Pay Process................................................................................47 9-3 Changes to Retirement Age for Certain Reserve Component Soldiers....................... 48 9-4 Retirement Points Accounting System (RPAS).......................................................... 49 9-5 Qualifying Year.......................................................................................................... 49 9-6 Maximum Point Rule................................................................................................. 50 9-7 Computation of Retired Pay....................................................................................... 50 9-8 Cost-of-Living Adjustments to Retired Pay.................................................................51 9-9 Notification of Eligibility (NOE) (20-Year Letter)......................................................51 9-10 Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)..................................................51 9-11 Your Responsibility......................................................................................................52

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