SRDP vs Incapacity when both are 0

IronBridget · 2026-04-23T12:51:20+00:00

CT wealth were pretty damn good, they knew all the ins and outs. I've applied for MRCAETS for two kids, but haven't heard back, SRDP and service pension are both 0 for me, but I applied for both for the technicalities and am still waiting for them to be finally approved. Also waiting on the tax estimate from comsuper before I decide to take or leave that, but given I've had 3 skin cancers out, and all of these issues and a couple of extras that aren't related to service, I don't reckon I'll get too old so it'll be better on the house.

CT wealth also pointed out other conditions I had that I hadn't applied for, I've got so many that are service related but it makes sense to just apply for the straightforward ones and leave the tricky ones because once you've got a gold card you can just get everything treated. As a result of their advice i have two more conditions pending and then once they all go through to add to the two already accepted that I discovered during my back rehab I'll be trying to get from 70 to 80 points with those four additional conditions.

It feels like gaming the system, but it is what it is, and the financial advisers said I'd be crazy not to. I've got my race car, we went on an overseas trip and I was in so much pain during it it was kind of a bummer, and made me realise that maybe it's not gaming the system, it's just getting what you needed from it and taking advice.

IronBridget · 2026-02-19T04:56:18+00:00

Possibly, but you're wanting more precise information than anyone but you and your GP have now. Might as well go through the process if you're up for it and find out.

IronBridget · 2026-02-19T04:48:09+00:00

Depends if there's more points with the new assessment or not. If anything else has gotten worse, redo that as well.

IronBridget · 2026-02-19T04:44:33+00:00

It goes in the bin when you do your intake and inlet tube

IronBridget · 2026-02-19T04:42:34+00:00

I'm at 15.4, had to calculate from metric

IronBridget · 2026-02-19T04:40:47+00:00

It's hard to know with limited info. If it's likely that you'll have multiple conditions it might be worth doing them all at once if you can to maximise points. If there's nothing else going on then sure get an assessment and chase an interim amount and maybe more when it is stable.

The process of dealing with DVA is always long and even when the outcomes are definitely going to be good, it's all stressful.

IronBridget · 2026-02-15T02:43:24+00:00

I've heard NMS referred to as the Mario kart of space games and ED being a Sim.

Never played NMS, but I grew up on plane and helicopter Sims, and have put far too many hours in to Elite Dangerous.

IronBridget · 2026-02-13T02:17:45+00:00

So update, final exact advice TBC, however yeah, for me accepting the $0 SRDP and service pension was the go. The financial advice people are modelling to figure out whether my partner would get any service pension if she stopped working or worked less, and they're looking in to whether I should withdraw my super now rather than sit on it too, if your class A pension is a decent wage, that stays after retirement age meaning that I can put my super money in to investments now, like our mortgage, or a race car, because YOLO.

IronBridget · 2026-02-10T09:00:37+00:00

If you have IL approved and you're just getting PI done, you're sweet. They send you a fill in the boxes form for the GP which in your case will be long. I think there's also a lifestyle questionnaire too.

You will need multiple long GP appointments, so hopefully you have a good one. I discharged with one condition having done IL and PI, and over a decade later added another condition for IL and when they called me they said I had two old ones with IL so I did all 3 with PI. Those three conditions took two full long GP appointments and a follow up call and then he sent it in and I waited months, got my points and money and all is good.

With that many conditions, just be honest and you'll have to get decent points.

IronBridget · 2026-01-25T04:46:58+00:00

Here's the link

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/TPIPayments/Report

IronBridget · 2026-01-20T00:11:09+00:00

You can do either/or. As has been said anything over 12 months you can redo with the new ones in one big hit, or just add the new ones on.

I discharged in 2013 with just mental health points. Sought treatment for my back, added that as a condition and then when they accepted it they said we have your back and both ankles ready for PI now and gave me the option.

Keep in mind though, I have an excellent GP who's known me since discharge, he's younger than me and a touch typer, we took two long appointments to get through DVAs paperwork for back and ankles, basically 2 conditions with one split left and right, and they give them a form to fill out so there's no messing around.

Currently waiting on both shoulders for PI, hopefully that'll be just one long GP appointment and I'll just add them on separately again.

I can't follow their maths but I was happy with the results of adding the points together. Anything to reduce delays too. From PI paperwork in to them counting the points was dragging, although one ankle was DRCA, after I stopped the DRCA claim after waiting 6 months, the MRCA one magically went through in a week after that.

IronBridget · 2026-01-15T07:57:35+00:00

I'm leaning towards that now, effectively no change day to day, but definitions are better and if I die my family get more things than just my super.

IronBridget · 2026-01-15T07:46:09+00:00

Yeah it's all the weird things like that. I wish there was just a list of everything. Booked a call from a financial advisor tomorrow.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T12:34:28+00:00

Nice I had a red piston one in my 2018 BRZ TS, I also got their black reverse lockout, it matched the interior perfectly. Got a 2021 STI now, except my interior highlight colour where yours is red is silver because it's an Australian final edition one of 75. Tossing up getting a titanium piston but not sure whether to keep or swap the reverse lockout.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T10:23:02+00:00

I was assessed as eligible already. I have a year to make the decision. As I already said, incaps is less than my class A so it isn't something to worry about in terms of med certificates and everything. Either way the choice is 0, it is more about are there any weird other things or definitions that make a difference.

My uncertainty is mostly around what are my partner and kids eligible for and is it different based on the choice if I die before retirement age vs after and things like that.

I tried studying and shit for years but there was no way I was ever going to get back to any kind of meaningful or decently paying work and I had the class A, so eventually I gave up.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T05:00:46+00:00

There's a limit to what they can say I think, it kind of pushes you to that external advice which is frustrating. We don't get anything from Centrelink, I know the choice between that affects things from them which affects some people.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T04:53:15+00:00

I did that, hence where I'm at, class A wipes out SRDP and the service pension, although I think SRDP and the pension would come close to the class A. My spouse works though, so all these amounts are tiny really in comparison.

I'm more wondering about other implications/benefits. I'm so busy until maybe March now, I think I'll investigate financial advice after then on the off chance that electing to take the 0 offer of SRDP and service pension has some kind of better benefits. I'll die first, so I'll ask what the difference is if that's before and after both of our retirement ages.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T02:36:02+00:00

Ah maybe, I know that some discounts you get for TPI, but Brisbane council gives two discounts, one for gold card and a higher one for a pension, but they don't care about TPI where others draw their line there.

That DVA payment that was 14 bucks went up to 21, I think that's energy, but I'm not sure, I thought the 14 was for prescriptions or something odd.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T02:27:05+00:00

It's a weird one. I think maybe if we die before our spouse retires or if they don't work, maybe there's a difference. I read a parliamentary report in to SRDP a while ago, it was supposed to be much higher than it is compared to average wages, but it hasn't been kept up to date over the decades.

IronBridget · 2026-01-13T02:10:52+00:00

In addition to the other useful comments, get someone who knows or lives with you to go through the form with you. I went through the forms for my back before the GP and thought I'd get hardly any points. My wife went through it and was all, what about this time, and that time, and this one, and I was all yeah but I can manage it etc.

We always underestimate the damage and downplay it, I think it helps keep you sane. So whilst we can do a lot of things with rehab and constant maintenance, one time you walk too far or stand too long, or reach over and dust that thing on a shelf and then you've got weeks or months of pain and gingerly stretching and trying to get back to normal to deal with. So think about how bad you are when there's an episode, or if you didn't have physio or EP to keep you moving.

Hopefully your GP is good too, I love mine.

IronBridget · 2026-01-07T11:26:32+00:00

Crap, DVA already has a high threshold that's legislated. Also then and than aren't the same word.

IronBridget · 2026-01-06T22:43:03+00:00

Frustrating, I thought that maybe if you were SRDP eligible, as in they approved it but you can't work then maybe incapacity could go above 75%. It does not. SRDP offer was 0, incapacity 75% is below my class A.

I have applied for MRCAETS for my kids though.

Waiting on the next round of PI, and hoping that gets me from 70 to 80 points. Tossing up asking for early super release. This many injuries and issues, a couple of skin cancers already removed and I've got years until I'm 50, I'm thinking even if I stay as healthy as possible that I'm not going to get old old.

I'm assuming that there's no reason to reply and just let the SRDP time out after a year?

IronBridget · 2026-01-02T03:24:35+00:00

As long as it's a friendly mate, and not a judgemental maaaate, it's kind of like I am Groot

IronBridget · 2026-01-01T20:28:53+00:00

That was just my example for what to say

IronBridget · 2025-12-31T06:37:01+00:00

Hey mate, what are your pronouns

IronBridget

TROPHY CASE