Reserve and National Guard retirement pay and VA disability compensation come from two different systems, and qualifying for one does not cause you to forfeit the other. Reaching a 100 percent P&T VA rating does not cancel, reduce, or disqualify you from non-regular (Reserve) retired pay that you earned through 20 or more qualifying years of service. Your entitlement to Reserve retired pay is based on your years of qualifying service and reaching the eligibility age for pay to begin, not on your VA disability status.
For most reservists, non-regular retired pay starts at age 60. Under changes made by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, that age can be reduced below 60 (in three-month increments for each cumulative period of 90 days served on qualifying active duty or active duty for training in a fiscal year) for certain periods of active service performed after January 28, 2008. Whether this applies to you, and by how much your eligibility age is reduced, depends on your specific record of qualifying active-duty periods, which your branch's personnel/retirement office or DFAS can confirm.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →What does interact between the two systems is how the pay is calculated once you are actually drawing both military retired pay and VA compensation at the same time. By law, military retired pay is offset dollar-for-dollar by VA disability compensation unless you qualify for either Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). CRDP generally requires a VA rating of 50 percent or higher (100 percent P&T qualifies) and that you are actually in retired pay status. CRSC has its own eligibility rules tied to combat-related conditions. If you qualify for CRDP, it is generally phased in automatically once retired pay starts, but you can also submit CRSC applications through your branch if that route applies to your situation.
Because you are 55 and not yet in retired pay status, the relevant next step is to confirm your exact Reserve retirement eligibility age with your service's personnel command (or DFAS) using your latest Notice of Eligibility (20-year letter) and retirement points statement, since any qualifying active-duty periods after 2008 may have already reduced your eligibility age below 60.
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