My spouse and I were not brilliant investors. We made the typical dumb mistakes of our 20s and 30s and we paid ridiculously large fees along the way to financial independence, but a high savings rate overcame all of those errors. Your FI journey will be better (and cheaper!) than ours, but the math is the same. ...
[This post is brought to you by Alecia D. Blair, M.S., AFC®. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines.] About six months after having my second child I found myself eager to return to work. It was summer in beautiful ...
2018 was quite the turbulent year for the financial independence crowd, and it’s just going to get busier in 2019. Let me cover a few highlights from last year and then give a personal update. I’m here to reassure you that financial independence is sustainable and life is good. At the end of the post, I’ll share a ...
Here’s the latest information and tools to make your military Blended Retirement System decision-- and a new way to think about your career and your choices. [Note: I'm participating in Kate Horrell’s #BRSBlitz initiative. I’m not compensated by USAA for this campaign and you won’t see any FTC disclosures like ...
On Wednesday 28 November, the DoD BRS office held a teleconference. The numbers As of Monday 26 November, the unofficial opt-in numbers are: 307,213 307,207 active-duty total opted in 243,709 active duty 63,498 Reserve/Guard. This is out of roughly 1.6 million opt-in eligible servicemembers. ...
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. In 2019 you can contribute up to $19,000. Your contributions can go into your Roth TSP or into your traditional TSP (or ...
[This post is brought to you by Dan, who’s done a lot of data runs with the BRS calculator. His new website KeepInvestingSimpleStupid.com is freshly launched, so please check on its progress! If you’re interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, then see our posting guidelines.] Welcome to January 2018! ...
A reader asks: I'm in the National Guard. I'll be deployed for about 45 days into a combat zone. I'm signing up for the BRS and I'm contributing my 5% in order to get the DoD's 5% match. I'm employed in the civilian world by a corporation that contributes 6% of gross pay into my 401(k). I can also make 415(c) ...
[This post is brought to you by Dan, who's done a lot of data runs with the BRS calculator. His new website KeepInvestingSimpleStupid.com is under construction, so please check on its progress! If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, then see our posting guidelines.] ...
[This post is brought to you by Patrick Weinert, who knows how fear and uncertainty can disrupt even the most logical investing plan. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines.] I’m Patrick Weinert, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, and I ...
I really wanted to use the titles "Hidden Secrets Of The BRS!!" or "Shocking Urban Legends Of The BRS Revealed-- #4 Is Jaw-dropping!!" But this is a serious life-changing decision. I've had a ton of reader BRS questions and feedback. The good news is that a group of us military personal-finance bloggers have ...
What influenced your decision to join the military, and what led to your decision to leave active duty? Giff Carter, Chief Revenue Officer GIFF CARTER (GC): I’m a bit embarrassed to say, but the movie Top Gun. I joined in 1989, it was shortly after the movie came out, the Cold War was in full force and, ...
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...
Doug Nordman