Doug Nordman The theme was: "Are You Ready?" Oooh, I almost forgot my traditional FTC disclosure: The Federal Trade Commission fears that I've lost my objectivity and become a USAA fanboi. My family and I have been USAA customers for decades. We've spent tens of thousands of dollars on their products. I joined ...
Doug Nordman A reader writes: I’ve been commissioned from the Navy’s enlisted ranks and have not yet reached eight years of commissioned service. I’m eligible for retirement and I’ve enjoyed active duty-- until now. I’d like to retire as an officer but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get to 10 years. I’m considering retiring ...
Doug Nordman Quick review: the military’s Blended Retirement System offers matching contributions to your Thrift Savings Plan, and in 2018 you can contribute up to $18,500. Your contributions can go into your Roth TSP or into your traditional TSP (or in any combination of the two up to a total of $18,500). As long as ...
Doug Nordman It’s that time of year again: people are looking at meetup dates and their travel budgets. They’re wondering why in the world anyone would want to spend hundreds of dollars to talk about financial independence. You’re not the only person wondering about the value. Whenever someone recommends Camp ...
Doug Nordman It’s that time of year again: people are looking at conference dates and their travel budgets. They’re wondering why in the world anyone would want to spend hundreds of dollars to talk about financial independence. If you’re serious about frugality and a high savings rate, then ...
Doug Nordman The question was asked on the Facebook group “Military Spouse Retirement Information”: "Is there a date that is better to retire on than any other day of the year? It used to be the case that it was better to retire sometime after 1 January or 1 February. I believe it had something to do with COLA, but I don’t ...
Doug Nordman I get many questions about USAA’s services & products. After six years of their financial conferences and dozens of interrogations interviews of their executives, I think I’ve learned enough about their business model (and the insurance industry) to help you navigate your choices. My spouse and I have been USAA ...
Doug Nordman [This post is brought to you by Patrick Weinert, who's making an encore appearance. You can find his previous post in the "Related articles" section at the bottom. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines.] When I was first introduced to the world of ...
Doug Nordman [This post is brought to you by David Pere of the site "From Money To Millionaire", and he's another enthusiastic surfer! We've paddled out at Oahu's White Plains Beach a few times. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines .] The Beginning (Bio) I grew up ...
Eddie Wills This is a friendly rebuttal to Nords’ recent post Don’t Buy a Home as you Leave Active Duty. The GubMints family has lived in the same North San Diego home we bought back in 2000, 4 months after leaving Active Duty. I’m here to show you that you CAN make it happen, but not without sacrifice. Post Length: ~ 1750 Words ...
Doug Nordman Over three years ago, I suggested that buying a home on active duty is setting yourself up for financial failure. That post has aged exceptionally well, and now it’s time to double down. Don’t buy a home as you leave active duty, either. You’re setting yourself up for more financial failure and a heartache with ...
Doug Nordman This post gets personal. Let me give you the permission to think about these questions in your own career. A reader writes: I'm active duty and coming up on year #9 this May. I have owned your book for a few years and dig into the blog content on occasion. Love it! My question has to do specifically with one of ...
We're military veterans, not financial advisors. We're trying to share what we've learned and to pay it forward – but you have to make your own decisions.
What worked for us will probably work for you, but unfortunately, we can’t guarantee it. Let us know if something’s not working for you, and we’ll try to figure out a better way... Continue Reading...
