During Military Consumer Month, and whenever you sit down to work on your financial goals, think through how you can maximize what you earn, spend wisely, protect your assets and be a savvy borrower, saver and investor.
Your spouse’s deployment doesn’t need to throw your finances off track.
In the military, you learn to prepare for the future by using the tools at your disposal. Saving money is one important aspect of this. The more money you save, the more prepared you will be for opportunities or unexpected events that come your way. Read about several savings tools to help you get the most out of your military pay.
A financial plan evaluates your current financial state, sets goals for your future and makes a concrete plan for financial freedom.
Getting a tax refund may seem like free money, but it’s not. It’s money you worked hard for and are entitled to get back from the government. As you decide what to do with your refund ─ whether you are looking to help secure you financial future or otherwise ─ consider these options.
It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. The best way to get started is the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement savings plan for federal employees and members of the uniformed services that gives you two ways to sock away some cash.
As a new service member, you probably have financial pressures you’ve never faced before, such as paying rent or buying a car. And you’re beginning to make financial choices that can negatively or positively impact your future, such as paying off credit card debt.
Deployment can impact a household budget. Your pay could change, or you could incur some unexpected expenses. With the right information and a little extra effort, you can stay fiscally fit during deployment and stay in command of your household budget. Follow these tips to achieve financial stability and health even while you’re gone.
They say money can’t buy happiness, but a financially-healthy future can buy peace of mind. Plus, financial security at home allows service members to be more focused and mission-ready.
Financial security at home helps you be more focused and mission ready. To help you be your best both financially and professionally, Military OneSource offers free financial counseling to service members and their families on issues such as budgeting, money management and debt reduction.
The Department of Defense offers a number of financial counseling options for you and your family to help plan and control your financial future.
You have a unique vision of what you want the future to look like. Maybe you want to buy a home, send your children to college or you’re looking toward retirement. When it comes to planning for your “some-day” expenses, they become a lot more attainable if you start planning and saving early.
Did you realize that if you have trouble managing your finances, your unit readiness will be affected? It’s true. Money problems affect not only your life, they also affect the lives of those in your unit. How? If you have financial problems, your job performance and your personal life will suffer and you could lose your security clearance. All of these factors directly affect unit readiness.
The first step toward owning your own home is meeting with a lender to secure a loan. The Home Loan Program, through the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a substantial benefit you have earned with your military service. These invaluable loans require no down payment, no private mortgage insurance, and negotiable interest rates.
As a service member, you’ve earned financial benefits to help protect your future.
This year, take your skills to the next level with courses and content designed specifically to support your personal growth and career-advancement goals.
The military recently adopted a new retirement plan called the Blended Retirement System which extends benefits to a lot more service members than the old plan. The good news: the BRS can put your service member on the path to long-term financial security. And, the more a service member contributes to their own retirement, the more the Department of Defense matches it.
Enhance your personal and professional life by taking MilLife Learning’s expert-led, award-winning courses ─ available to you anytime from anywhere.
Inheriting money or property can be complex. Be prepared by understanding the basics and learning where you can get help.