Fort Campbell Post-Retirement Services

Online at https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary.html

Contact the Retirement Services Office at 270-798-5280 or 270-798-3310

• Address changes. Our office can make this change. Keep address current as the Army uses this address to provide you with information regarding your benefits. The Army Echoes newsletter is also mailed to this address.

• Allotments. Our office can make this change. Retired pay accounts may have six discretionary allotments (payment of premiums for health, auto, or life insurance; voluntary payments to a dependent, former spouse and relatives; deposits into a financial institution, mutual fund, or investment firm; payment of an auto or personal loan, mortgage, rent, and consumer debts).

• Beneficiary updates. Our office can make this change. Beneficiaries for unpaid retired pay receive a payment equal to the number of days in a month before the retiree dying. This is separate from the Survivor Benefit Plan.

• Tax withholding updates. Our office can make this change. Marital status selected along with the number of exemptions determines how much is withheld from your retired pay. Use this calculator for more information: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator

• Bank account changes. Our office can make this change. Change the bank and account where your retired pay is sent every month.

• VA Compensation/VA Waiver. When you apply for VA compensation, you waive the right to retired pay in order to receive tax-free payments from the VA. Unless you qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP), the amount you receive from the VA will reduce your retired pay dollar-for-dollar. VA payments will continue, unaffected, even when there are changes to your retired pay.

• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments/debts. If you elected to take part in the SBP, premiums will be repaid automatically from your retired pay account. If your retired pay is completely offset (reduced) due to VA compensation, there is no money to make automatic premium payments. However, you must still make premium payments (and will receive a bill in the mail every month, explaining how you can make these payments). Click for more information https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/provide/sbp/payment/
• Automatic SBP Coverage. If you were married at retirement and failed to make a SBP election or declined SBP and failed to have your spouse sign a concurrence form agreeing with your election, you will receive automatic SBP coverage. If your retired pay is completely offset (reduced) due to VA compensation, there is no money to make automatic premium payments. However, you must still make premium payments (and will receive a bill in the mail every month, explaining how you can make these payments). Click for more information https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/provide/sbp/payment/

• Cost of living adjustment increases. Retirees do not get an "automatic" raise every year. Rather, they may receive a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase. COLA increases only happen when there is inflation in the US economy. The Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (aka Cost-of-Living Allowance) is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI-W), which is a measurement of a broad sampling of the cost of consumer goods and expenses. It is based on the percentage increase of the CPI-W from the 3rd quarter of the previous year versus the current year’s 3rd quarter (July, August, and September). The CPI is compared to the previous year. If there is an increase, there is a COLA. If there is no increase, there is no COLA.

• Divorce/Former spouse payments. Former spouses of military retirees awarded a portion of retired pay must apply for this. Retirees cannot apply for the former spouse (there is literally no place for the retiree to sign on any of the documents). See instructions for applying on the Forms page.

• Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP). Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) allows military retirees to receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation. This was prohibited until the CRDP program began on January 1, 2004. Requirements for CRDP are listed here https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crdp/

The SBP is a program similar to life insurance but paid as an annuity. Retirees have to make a decision on SBP when retiring. Because SBP is so complex, visit https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Library/Federal-Benefits/Survivor-Benefit-Plan-(SBP) or call the Retirement Services Office at 270-798-5280 or 270-798-3310 for more information.

TRICARE plans

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

Federal Dental and Vision coverage

Pharmacy benefit

TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy

• Former spouse assistance in filing for a portion of retired pay. Our office can assist former spouses with the application. Got to the "Forms" page for more information and required forms.

• TRICARE benefits. Former spouses may be authorized TRICARE benefits. Go here for more information https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility/FormerSpouses

Annual Council Report

Council By-Laws

Council Meeting Minutes