Many Servicemembers are aware of the advantage to planning their financial future and retirement.  As a Servicemember, the advantages of using the Thrift Savings Plan are many, it is a tax deferred or tax exempt method of growing your savings for that day when you do retire.  The Thrift Savings Plan was established by Congress as a 401(K) type retirement investment and savings plan, to closely approximate the type of retirement pensions many corporations provide for their employees. The Thrift Savings Plan is » Read More

Being in the military means that you will have a host of people try to sell you things, drawing on your association as a Servicemember.  Some of the most frustrating can be those that want to sell you financial planning or counseling services. Now, there are a great number of financial planners, even those that are vigilant, and have the best interest of the customer, in this case, the Servicemember at heart.  For those professionals that focus on honest and reputable work they are a » Read More

It is important to build your credit wisely as a member of the Armed Forces. Having reliable credit to draw upon is an excellent benefit, but you should use credit when you have to only. One of the biggest advantages of having excellent credit is having it there when you need it. One place to investigate is the local Federal Credit Union on your base, or in your area.  There are benefits eligible to you as a member of the Armed Forces that allow lower » Read More

Banking does not have to be a grueling affair.  It is important to look for things you value when you are shopping around for a banking partner. Some of the things to look for include:
Compassionate Costs: Fees and extra cost can eat up your balance. Look for banks that waive some or part of the traditional fees.  Some banks have little or no fees; others will refund ATM fees you are charged.  Whatever they have available, » Read More

Building a habit takes time but it’s worth it in the long run.  In his book talking about the Habits of people whom are highly effective Stephen Covey talks about the many good type habits that have kept us on track in our individual life goals.  We all know that dealing with different financial institutions that it is important to develop healthy and good habits.  Developing bad habits can damage your financial health and seriously screw up your financial future. Putting Things Off.  Sometimes we feel like » Read More

Thinking of adopting?  Or have you adopted and just found out that you may be entitled to a reimbursement for some of your costs?  Well, the Defense Authorization Adoption reimbursement program may be for you.  It allows and provides for reimbursement of the costs and fees that you may encounter when you adopt a child. If the child is not yet eighteen years old, and you meet certain rules, you may be eligible for a dedicated reimbursement of up to two thousand dollars per » Read More

Everyone experiences a cash crunch now and then.  The Department of Defense wants to assist Servicemembers in times of crisis.  The DoD is helping to urge Servicemembers to have some sort of a crisis plan in effect.  Emergency savings should be put into place; most emergencies would be taken care of with simply having five hundred dollars set aside.  The DoD featured this theme in their February and March 2007 newsletter.  It is a central message of their “Military Saves” program. It is » Read More

Serving in the United States Armed Forces is a challenge and a solemn thing.  But many Servicemembers do not prepare for their future by setting aside some of their money for the future, and because of this they reach retirement age less prepared to enjoy their golden years. With a little bit of preparation, a person can use the advantage of compounding interest to help them maximize their savings opportunities. When you retire you want to be able to be free, to enjoy your life » Read More

As you progress through your career in the Military, you can see time as your worst enemy.  Or, if you are wise and invest and save a portion of your money, time can become your best friend. There is no single subject where this is truer than retirement.  Retirement is the biggest expense that most people will ever face during their lifetime. How big an expense retirement is depends on the kind of retirement that you want. The more income you have » Read More

Military life is filled with adventure, some of which is planned, and some of which happens from unforeseen events.  Waiting for a crisis is not the best thing to do, its better to have a plan, which includes sufficient insurance for those events, you can prepare for but never plan for. It is a good idea to understand what is available to you as a military serviceperson. All military Servicemembers are eligible for group life insurance through the Serviceman’s Group Life Insurance program, or SGLI. » Read More