Reference & AI
Military Money Guides
Written from active dutyThe decisions behind the calculators. PCS moves, deployment pay, and retirement elections, explained in plain English by someone who lives them.
Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force
Our calculators give you the number. These guides give you the decision. Should you do a PPM? How do you capture every dollar on a deployment? Should you take the BRS lump sum? They’re written from inside the military, not from a corporate desk, and every figure traces to an official 2026 source. No fluff, no "10 money tips," just the real math and the gotchas nobody warns you about.
Showing the 7 guides that cite CRDP vs CRSC Calculator. See all guides
Guides for the CRDP vs CRSC Calculator
7 publishedRetirement & Transition
The Major Richard Star Act in October 2026: 340 House Cosponsors, 80 in the Senate, and Still No Vote
The Major Richard Star Act would let medically retired veterans with combat-related disabilities keep their full retired pay alongside VA compensation. It has more cosponsors than almost any bill in Congress. It has not had a vote in either chamber. Here is exactly where both bills stand as of October 3, 2026, who it would cover, and what those veterans can claim today.
6 min readVeterans Benefits
California SB 296: From 2027, a 100% Disabled Veteran's Home Is Half Exempt up to $1 Million, or Fully Exempt Under the Income Limit
California replaced its flat disabled veterans' exemption for the 2027 through 2031 lien dates. Above $371,778.00 of assessed value, half the home is exempt up to $1,000,000.00; under $83,474.00 of household income, all of it is. Here is what that is worth by home value, and why VA compensation and retired pay decide which tier a retiree lands in.
7 min readRetirement & Transition
Marschner v. Marschner: The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether a Divorce Deal Can Make a Veteran Repay a VA Waiver
On October 1, 2026 the Supreme Court agreed to hear No. 25-1349, a North Dakota divorce in which the veteran promised to make up any retired pay his former spouse lost to a VA waiver. The question is whether Howell v. Howell (2017) voids that promise. Here is what is decided, what is not, and what a waiver costs a former spouse at each grade.
7 min readVeterans Benefits
The Trump VA Benefits Update, Sorted: What Is Signed, What Pays Out, and What Is Still a Bill (October 2026)
Searches for a "Trump VA benefits update" are rising, and most of the coverage mixes a signed executive order, a VGLI premium holiday, a claims report and two unpassed bills into one story. Here is each item with its document, its status and its dollar value.
7 min readVeterans Benefits
Trajector Filed for Bankruptcy With Veterans' Lawsuits Pending. The Claim Deadline Is Now October 31, and the Law on Paying for VA Claim Help
Trajector, a company that charges veterans in connection with VA disability claims, filed for Chapter 11 on July 23, 2026 while proposed class actions against it were pending. The deadline printed on the bankruptcy notice for filing a claim was October 1; an agreed order signed October 5 moved it to October 31, 2026. The veterans' motions to file as a class and to pause the deadline were heard on October 15, and no ruling on them was on the docket as of October 19. Here is what the court record shows, and what federal law says about paying anyone for help with a VA claim.
7 min readVeterans Benefits
2027 VA Disability Rates: The Increase Is 3.6%, and One Thing Is Still Missing
The percentage behind the 2027 VA disability rates is now fixed: the September CPI-W, published October 14, 2026, puts the cost of living adjustment at 3.6%, the same figure Social Security announced that morning. What is still missing is the law: the bill that carries the increase to disability compensation has not passed. Here is every rating at 3.6%, alone and with a spouse, and what has to happen before it is paid.
6 min readVeterans Benefits
Can VA Disability Be Garnished for Child Support? What Federal Law Allows, and What State Courts Still Do
Federal law shields VA disability compensation from creditors, and in most cases from garnishment. There is one exception written into the statute, a Supreme Court decision that lets state courts count the money anyway, and a VA rule that changed on February 9, 2026. Here is each piece, with the text it comes from.
6 min readHow these guides are sourced
Every figure comes from a primary 2026 source: the Joint Travel Regulations, DoD Financial Management Regulation, DFAS pay tables, IRS publications, or U.S. Code. Each guide lists exactly which. Worked examples are clearly labeled illustrations, never real-person claims. Read more about our research methodology and update cadence.
REF: Military Toolkit Guides, effective 2026
Official 2026 DoD, DFAS, DTMO, IRS, and VA sources
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.
Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial