[Nords note: You have five weeks to decide about opting in to the Blended Retirement System. Get it done before 31 December 2018. We've had some strong pushback on my last post, "Your BRS: It's Not About The Money", and I offered Warner25 the opportunity to explain his legacy High Three perspective. He's reminded ...
Updated for 2018! Veterans Day is Nov. 11, 2018, with the official Federal Holiday designated on Monday, Nov. 12th. This year, hundreds of restaurants and companies are offering military members and veterans a free meal or another discount as a sign of appreciation for their service to our country. This guide ...
We're focused on the wrong factors. Our group of military personal-finance bloggers is sending out a #BRSBlitz about the opt-in decision. You may have seen some of these links on my social media before, and they’re included in the “Related articles” section at the end of this post. If You’re Just Joining the ...
I joined the military for one reason only -- the G.I. Bill. I hadn’t considered that this decision, and the few years I’d spend in the military, would so heavily influence the rest of my life, but there you go. I grew up exceedingly self-aware of my lower-middle-class situation. We lived in an ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. Well, let's take a look. Why I Go to FinCon I'm frequently asked why I go to FinCon and whether ...
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 ...
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 ...
[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 ...
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 
Curtez