Concurrent Receipt Acceleration Possible for IUs

The House version of the fiscal 2006 defense authorization act would allow military retirees who are rated as 60-to-90 percent disabled but 100 percent unemployable to receive full concurrent receipt by Oct. 1, 2009. Prior to Jan. 1, 2004, military retirement pay was reduced by the full amount of disability compensation a veteran received from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under current law, retirees who have been rated by VA as 50-to-90 percent disabled will see that offset gradually decrease until Jan. 1, 2014, when they will receive both benefits in full. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 30,000 retirees will be affected by the new legislation if it passes the Senate.