Separation pay recoupment is a process in which the federal government withholds a portion or all monthly disability compensation or retired pay to recover benefits paid when the service member left military service. The financial consequences of separation pay recoupment can be brutal. Certain separation benefits paid by the Department of Defense can later be recovered through VA disability compensation. VA's transition-benefits guide warns service members that if they recei

For families who have lost a loved one in military service, there are education benefits that can provide an important opportunity for surviving spouses and children to pursue college, career training, and other educational goals. One program available is the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, commonly known as the Fry Scholarship. The program provides eligible surviving spouses and children with education benefits similar to those available under the Post-9/

When military retirement and VA disability intersect, the 20-year mark can be one of the most financially significant milestones of a military career. Historically, military retirees who received VA disability compensation had their military retirement reduced by the amount of their VA payment. In other words, receiving $1,500 from the VA could mean losing $1,500 from military retirement. Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) has changed that, generally allowing eli

One of the most important decisions military retirees make isn't about where they will live or how they will spend retirement. It is how they will protect the people they love after they are gone. Military retired pay ends when the retiree dies. For many families, that paycheck is a significant portion of their household income. The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) exists to replace part of that lost income by providing an inflation-adjusted monthly annuity to eligible survivors.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has taken a significant step toward increasing transparency by publicly reporting how much money it pays to VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents who represent veterans in disability claims. This new reporting initiative doesn't change how attorney fees work, but it does give a clearer picture of where these payments are going and how the process operates. For the first time, the VA is publishing data showing the amount of money it