Codes

This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.

Description

GOTMILRP indicates whether the respondent received income from a military retirement pension during the previous calendar year.

For 1976-1987, the amount of income from a military retirement pension was combined with various types of retirement income other than Social Security and Railroad Retirement (i.e., company or union pensions; federal government employee pensions; state or local government employee pensions; regular payments from paid-up insurance policies and annuities; and IRA and KEOGH accounts) in the INCRETIR variable. If respondents did not receive federal government employee pensions during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 1 in GOTFEDRP), they did not receive state or local government employee pensions during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 1 in GOTSTLRP), they did not receive private pension income during the previous calendar year (from company or union pensions, paid-up insurance policies and annuities, and IRA and KEOGH accounts) (i.e., they have a code of 1 in GOTPVTRP), and they did receive income from military retirement pensions during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 2 in GOTMILRP), then the dollar amount in INCRETIR for 1976-1987 should indicate the amount of income specifically from military retirement pensions. If individuals received income from military retirement pensions as well as from one or more of these other sources of retirement income, then the amount of income specifically from federal military retirement pensions cannot be identified. Even in this case, however, researchers can use GOTMILRP to analyze the characteristics of the recipients of military retirement pensions.

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

For 1988-2004, respondents could specify up to two sources of retirement income, in SRCRETI1 (First source of retirement income) and SRCRETI2 (Second source of retirement income). Persons with a code of 3 in either of these variables (i.e., those who mentioned a military retirement pension) for 1988-2004 are roughly comparable to persons who answered "yes" (code 2) in GOTMILRP for 1976-1987.

As was the case for 1976-1987, income from military retirement pensions was still combined with other types of retirement income in INCRETIR for 1988-2004. Beginning in 1988, the specific amount received from a military retirement pension can usually be identified, even for persons with more than one type of retirement income (in addition to Social Security). If an individual reported receiving a military retirement pension in SRCRETI1, the amount of income received from that military retirement pension is specified in INCRETI1. Similarly, if an individual reported receiving a military retirement pension in SRCRETI2, the amount of income received from that military retirement pension is specified in INCRETI2.

Receipt of a military retirement pension (identifiable through GOTMILRP, SRCRETI1, and SRCRETI2) should not be confused with receipt of a veteran's pension paid through the Veterans' Administration (and identifiable through GOTVPENS for 1988-2004). Military retirement pensions are paid after twenty years of employment in the U.S. armed forces and are not means-tested; veterans' pensions are paid to some veterans with low incomes whose active service occurred, at least in part, during a period of war.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_INCS21_A1