Chapter 30 Kickers and Opportunities for Additional Contributions
Higher monthly benefits are paid to chapter 30 participants with "kickers" and to chapter 30 participants who make additional chapter 30 payments. You may have a kicker, additional contributions, or both. The higher benefit rates are paid automatically when benefits are paid. If you don't receive the benefit you believe you are entitled to receive, call the VA about the discrepancy so that VA can resolve the discrepancy with the Department of Defense.
A kicker is part of the enlistment contract. It's often referred to by its Madison Avenue name; Army College Fund, Navy Sea College Fund, or whatever the newest recruitment ad calls it. If a contract has a $12,000 kicker, for example, then the monthly kicker is $333.33 ($12,000\36 months), which increases the $1,034 full-time chapter 30 benefit to $1,367.33.
If you participate in chapter 30, you pay $1,200 towards your chapter 30 benefit. The $1,200 is withheld from your pay during your first 12 months of service and it's non-refundable. Starting 11/1/00, you may pay up to $600 more towards chapter 30. The amount you pay is matched 9 to 1. A maximum $600 contribution increases the full-time chapter 30 benefit $150, to $1,189 for categories IB, IC and III, and to $990 for category 1A.
Contact
If you would like additional information, please contact us at 503.399.5004 or via e-mail. You may also fax us at 503.399.3908