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Military Guide

The Military Guide To Financial Independence

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Archives

This page lists every article found in The Military Guide Archives. Please feel free to browse around!

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  • 2014: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2013: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2012: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2011: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2010: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

January 2021

  • Reader story: “How I Bumbled Into Financial Independence” (part 2)

December 2020

  • Reader story: "How I Bumbled Into Financial Independence"
  • 2021 VA Disability Compensation Rates - Updated Veterans Compensation Benefits Rate Tables

November 2020

  • Financial Caregiving: Are You Ready?
  • 2020 Veterans Day Free Meals & Discounts
  • Contribution Limits of the Thrift Savings Plan + 401(k) + IRA = ?!?

September 2020

  • “I Would Have Started My Reserve Pension By Now!”
  • Lessons Learned (So Far) From a Money-Savvy Book Launch

August 2020

  • From The Mail Buoy: "The Truth Behind Budgeting-- It’s Not The Budget"

May 2020

  • How I Planned 8 Months of Travel
  • “I’m 59.5 Years Old And Done Writing About *My* Money”

April 2020

  • From The Mail Buoy: Hawaii Investment Rental Properties
  • USAA, Victory Capital, And Schwab: Now What?!?
  • Fear And Despair In The Time Of Bear Markets

March 2020

  • Slow Travel Is Wonderful, Yet We Still Had Challenges

February 2020

  • The "What's Up Next?" Podcast: "Looking Out For Mom And Dad"

January 2020

  • Yet Another Decade In Review Post
  • Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence

December 2019

  • Should You Attend FinCon, Military Influencer Conference, Camp Mustache, CampFI, and FI Chautauqua?

November 2019

  • How Chase Supports Military Entrepreneurs – Chase for Business Military Banking Benefits
  • Introduction To Navigating The Convoluted System Called VA Compensation

October 2019

  • Family Estate Planning For Your Disability

September 2019

  • Military Space Available Travel: Tips for Flying Space-A The Navy Way

August 2019

  • Reader Interview: Planning For The Military Transition
  • VA Loan Certificate of Eligibility - Why You Need it and How to Get One
  • VA Loan Property Types - Which Type of Home Can You Buy with a VA Loan
  • From The Mail Buoy: Staying For 20 And Hacking The High Cost Of Living in Hawaii
  • DD Form 214 - Why It's Important, And How to Get a Copy of Your DD 214
  • “I Inherited Money And Now I Can’t Blog About Financial Independence Anymore”

July 2019

  • VA Loan Limits by County - How Much House Can You Buy with a VA Loan?
  • VA Loan Eligibility and Service Requirements
  • USAA Eliminates PCS And Deployment Discretionary Benefits
  • 2019 Military Pay Charts - Officer and Enlisted Members Receive a 2.6% Raise
  • Military Discounts on Cell Phone Plans - Wireless Plans And Deals For Military Members & Veterans

June 2019

  • The 1980s-2000s: How I Wish I'd Invested Back Then

May 2019

  • The Best Books I’ve Read This Year (So Far)
  • Will Your Retirement Plan Handle Long-Term Care Needs? How Your Genome Impacts Disability, Caregiving, And Estate Planning

April 2019

  • 3 Easy Steps To Financial Freedom From A Dual Military Family Of Five
  • VA Loan Guide - What You Need to Know About Buying a Home with a VA Loan

March 2019

  • "How the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse AFC® Fellowship (and Fate) Found Me"
  • Our Retirement - The Spending Smile Of Financial Independence

January 2019

  • Military Burial Benefits - How to Apply for Military Funeral Honors
  • Good News! How Our Nords Family Financial Independence Life Will Change In 2019

December 2018

  • USAA And The Final Month To Opt In To The Military Blended Retirement System

November 2018

  • Dept Of Defense Update On The Military Blended Retirement System
  • "11 Years Of Service: How I Chose Legacy High Three Over The Blended Retirement System"
  • Your Military Blended Retirement System: It’s Not About The Money.

October 2018

  • Attack Pilot To College Sophomore To Fintech Entrepreneur
  • USAA’s Digital MilEx: Hurricane Readiness and Augmented Reality Vehicle Shopping

September 2018

  • Separating Or Retiring While Overseas (But Not With The Navy!)

August 2018

  • Maximizing Your Thrift Savings Plan Contributions In A Combat Zone
  • CampFI And Camp Mustache Are Worth Your Time (And Money)

July 2018

  • FinCon - The Financial Media Conference - How a Small Investment Can Return Dividends

May 2018

  • How Much Is The COLA On My Military Pension?!?
  • The Big Picture On Insurance: USAA’s Annual Reports

April 2018

  • Get Help With Your Tax Returns!

March 2018

  • Our Story: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Financial Ruin and live Happily Ever After!
  • Go Ahead, Buy a home when you leave Active Duty*

February 2018

  • Don’t Buy A Home When You Leave Active Duty
  • Don't Gut It Out To 20: Leave Active Duty For The Reserves Or National Guard

January 2018

  • A GI Bill Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
  • How to Maximize the BRS If You Decide to Opt-In
  • 2018 Military Pay Charts - Officer and Enlisted Members Receive a 2.4% Raise
  • Thrift Savings Plan Contributions In A Combat Zone With The Blended Retirement System

December 2017

  • "Should I Opt In To The Military's Blended Retirement System?"
  • Coping With The Fear Of Investing

November 2017

  • In Memoriam: My Father
  • Tricky Details Of The Military Blended Retirement System
  • Military To Veteran To FinTech Startup
  • Military Influencer Conference 2018 - A Gathering of Like-Minded Veteran Entrepreneurs

September 2017

  • USAA Answers Your Insurance And Financial Questions
  • What Questions Should I Ask USAA At Digital MilEx?

August 2017

  • "Hey, Nords: How's Your Net Worth?!?"

June 2017

  • Camp Mustache 4 Encore (And A Free Book!)
  • The Military Blended Retirement System: "Dude, Where's My Calculator?"

May 2017

  • Your Auto Insurance Premiums Are Rising, But It's Not Just You
  • How To Turn Your Next PCS Into A 20% Raise

March 2017

  • Free Mentoring And Networking For Military Entrepreneurs
  • USAA's Military Retirement Comparison Tool And The Blended Retirement System
  • How Much Is Your Military Pay Really Worth?

February 2017

  • America Saves week is coming!
  • Lower Life Insurance Premiums From USAA
  • Marine to Veteran to Entrepreneur.

January 2017

  • Military Blended Retirement System Spreadsheet
  • 3 Steps to Retire Early on a Military Salary
  • Let's Go Streaking - But Please No Nudity

December 2016

  • The 5 Best Personal Finance Books I’ve Read All Year

November 2016

  • USAA Provides Answers To The Most Important Member Questions
  • 5 Ways For Families To Save Money While Christmas Shopping
  • How Much Is A Military Retirement Worth? Over One Million Dollars - How to Calculate the Present Value of a Military Retirement Pension
  • Are You A Service Member In Debt With Bad Credit? A Legitimate Way to Repair Your Credit Score

October 2016

  • “What Happens At USAA’s DigitalMilEx”... We'll Tell You About It.
  • How to Smartly Use the USAA Career Starter Loan
  • 9 Things To Consider Before You Choose The Military’s New Blended Retirement System?

September 2016

  • USAA's Digital Shift Is Saving Millions Of Dollars
  • 5 Reasons Why Military Retirees Keep Working
  • 2017 Military Pay Chart - 1.6% Pay Raise
  • The New DA Pam 623-3

August 2016

  • A Retired Sailor, Recommends 50 of the Best Personal Finance Books Ever Written
  • How To Calculate A Reserve Retirement
  • Can I Earn A Military Pension And A Civil-Service Pension
  • Using Reserve & Guard Retirement Calculators To Estimate Your Military Pension
  • College 529 Plans - Saving for College

July 2016

  • Title 10 Military Sanctuary & Retirement During A Reserve Career
  • Will The Military Pay Off Your Student Loans
  • 5 Factors You Should Consider When Evaluating the Survivor Benefit Plan
  • Do You Really Need Retired Military Dental Insurance
  • What You Need To Know About National Guard Retirement

June 2016

  • Four Ways Physical Fitness Impacts Financial Fitness
  • What Happens After Your VA Disability Claim Has Been Approved
  • Using USAA's Financial Readiness Score
  • Reduce the cost of insuring your teen driver with USAA
  • How Do I Plan Our Finances For The Rest Of Our Lives?

May 2016

  • Memorial Day - Free Burgers, Pizza And More For Military
  • Beware Of Huge Flaws In The Military Blended Retirement System
  • What's The Next Step To Financial Independence?
  • Should I Use A Financial Advisor Or The Thrift Savings Plan?
  • Buying a Home During Your Military Transition - What If It Becomes a Rental Property?
  • 2016 Master Sergeant Promotion List
  • Almost Free Money: NFCU Offering $710 In Bonuses For Military Appreciation Month
  • Military Retirement Journal - 1 Year from Retirement and Counting...

April 2016

  • How To Get A USAA Cashier's Check
  • Alzheimer's Care Financial Update
  • What The VA Really Does With Your Disability Claim
  • What Happens When (Not Just How) You File Your VA Disability Claim
  • How A Simple Survey Helps Service Members Prepare To Transition
  • Why You File Your Veterans Disability Claim (Not Just How)

March 2016

  • Should I Stop Drilling And Go To The Individual Ready Reserve?
  • It's Official Infantry, Armor Opens To Women: Effective 1 April
  • 13 Credit Card Companies That Provide CASH Refunds to Service Members Under The SCRA
  • Book Review: "Smarter Faster Better" by Charles Duhigg
  • How NOT to do it: Applying for VA disability years after military separation
  • Why You Should Strongly Consider Not Participating in the Survivor Benefit Plan
  • How To Find Portable Careers For Military Spouse's
  • Why Estate Planning Matters to You in the Military (Even if You Think it Doesn't)
  • Retirement Lifestyles: "Can I Get Back Into The Military?"
  • Comparing E7 Retirement Pay: Active-Duty Versus Reserve

February 2016

  • Military Healthcare Pro Tips For Tricare Errors
  • Military Saves Week and MilCents: Start Saving And Investing Now
  • Three Rules of Thumb for Buying a House (in the Military)
  • "Should I Invest In The Thrift Savings Plan Or In Taxable Accounts?"
  • "Can I Transfer My Roth IRA To My Roth TSP?"

January 2016

  • One Last Post Before The Pro Bowl Presented By USAA
  • The Pro Bowl Presented By USAA
  • I'm Goin' To The Pro Bowl With USAA!
  • Military Retirement Journal - Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist
  • Sanctuary In The Reserves: Only On Active Duty
  • Reserve Retirement: Time In Rank And High-Three Pay
  • How Many Years Does It Take To Become Financially Independent?

December 2015

  • 4 Lessons I Learned Filing For Disability Benefits
  • Travel While You Can
  • Fisher House Foundation - Helping Our Military Families
  • Book Review: "Work Rules!" By Googler Laszlo Bock

November 2015

  • Financial Advice To Start Your Military Career
  • Lifestyles In Financial Independence: Your Mortality

October 2015

  • REVEALED: Our Asset Allocation During Financial Independence
  • Surviving An Involuntary Separation
  • Getting Older In Early Retirement
  • Do You Need A Digit Account?

September 2015

  • The Facts About The FY16 Navy MAVNI Program
  • Using A Checklist To Format Your Blog Posts

August 2015

  • Top Three New USAA Products And Services
  • How (And Why) To Transfer Your TSP To An IRA

July 2015

  • Surprising Secrets Of Slow Travel
  • Ask The Readers: Transferring GI Bill Benefits in the Individual Ready Reserve?
  • Finding Your Military Work-Life Balance
  • Retiring From The Individual Ready Reserve Or National Guard

June 2015

  • Top 10 Reasons Military Spouses Benefit From Facebook Groups
  • The 2016 Military Pay Chart
  • 12B Combat Engineer Officially Opens To Women
  • Should You Choose Medical Separation Or Retirement From The Reserves
  • Can Choosing REDUX Guarantee A Military Retirement?
  • How To Build Your Credit Score After Joining The Military

May 2015

  • How to Become a Spy Without Leaving the Corporate World
  • Making The Transition: Federal Civil Service
  • Why All Nurses Should Consider the Military First
  • How Do You Survive A Stock Market Crash?
  • Being Smart About Investing In Education
  • 7 High-Earning Jobs Perfect for Post-Military Vets
  • "The Military Guide" Sales Update (The GSA Schedule Rocks!)
  • How to Avoid Dipping Into Retirement Funds Post-Military
  • Education And The Disabled Veteran

April 2015

  • Stay For 30 Or Retire At 27?
  • Survivor Benefit Plan Wants Permission To Do The Right Thing
  • "Should I Invest In Real Estate? Or Buy Stocks?"
  • Military Retirement With Reserve Enlisted And Officer Service
  • Tips For Investors Just Starting Out

March 2015

  • Fast Personal Growth Through Slow Travel
  • TSP Tax-exempt Rollovers and Withdrawals
  • Lifestyles In Retirement: 90 Days In Spain

February 2015

  • Preparing For The Unexpected
  • Book Review: Energize Your Retirement (!)

January 2015

  • Book Review: #MoneyChat THE BOOK
  • My Financial Independence: 2014 Review and 2015 Plans
  • Survey Results For "The Millennial Next Door"
  • Army Officers Will Keep Their Officer Pensions
  • Don't Buy a Home on Active Duty

December 2014

  • Do You Really Need An Allotment?
  • Why I Won't Buy Long-Term Care Insurance
  • Book Review: Rich As A King

November 2014

  • More Answers from USAA Social Exchange 2014
  • How To Get Military Discounts On Flights
  • Book Review: Gold Diggers And Deadbeat Dads

October 2014

  • Military Discounts Are Not Entitlements
  • One More Year Syndrome
  • Reduce Your Driving Risks After Deployment

September 2014

  • "Do I Really Need Servicemembers Group Life Insurance?"
  • Survey Results For "The Retiree Next Door"
  • How to Start Your Blog -- Or Outsource It!
  • Eight Reasons Not To Worry About Military Retirement

August 2014

  • Hiring Our Heroes: Teaching Employers To Hire Military Veterans And Spouses
  • Is Tricare Standard good enough?
  • LEAKED: Statistics From The Army Officer Separation Board

July 2014

  • "Do I Need An Annuity?"
  • Ask The Readers: What Law Allows An Officer To Be Retired On Enlisted Pay?
  • Funding The Gap: "I Need Money From My TSP!"
  • TERA Early Military Retirement Or A Reserve Retirement?
  • Blogging Lessons Learned From Interviews (Plus A Great Benefit)

June 2014

  • How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
  • The 2015 Military Pay Chart
  • USAA Auto Circle: An Online Service To Help Buy Or Sell A Car
  • Coming Soon: New USAA Brokerage Services
  • Reader Update: From The Military To Bridge Career To Retirement

May 2014

  • The Pitfalls of Your Parents' Finances
  • Do Military Members Need An Emergency Fund?
  • Start a Roth IRA For Your Kid
  • How To Get Kicked Out Of Tricare
  • Lifestyles in Retirement: Hawaii Vacation

April 2014

  • Book Review: "When She Makes More"
  • An Alternative Option for Vacationing and Retirement Lifestyle
  • No More Military Retirement or Tricare Prime?!?
  • Mixed Plate: Military Sanctuary, Disability, And Civilian Pensions
  • Tricare or MTF: Will The Army Pay For Tattoo Removal?
  • The Frugal Effect

March 2014

  • It's Official: The 2014 Version Of AR 670-1 Goes Into Effect
  • Military Retirement With Enlisted And Officer Service
  • ALARACT 082/2014 - Effective Dates To Coincide With Release Of Updated AR 670-1
  • USAREC CG Proposes Radical Changes To Army Recruiting
  • New AR 670-1: Army Grooming & Appearance Regulation Leaked Online
  • Early Withdrawals From Your TSP and IRA After The Military
  • Career Assistance Program - AAFMAA Offers $4000 Loan
  • Can I Count On A Military Pension?

February 2014

  • Financial Independence and The Cost of Raising a Family
  • How Should I Invest During Retirement?
  • How Do You Justify Your Spending?
  • Medical Tourism at Bangkok's Bumrungrad Hospital
  • Insuring A Soldier: Life Insurance For Military Members

January 2014

  • Lifestyles In Retirement: Bangkok
  • I'm A Boring Investment Competitor
  • Book review: paperback version of "The Power of Habit"
  • Handling Your Cashflow After the Military
  • How I Cost My Dad Over $2000 in Medicare Benefits
  • Guest Post: "2013 Review and 2014 Plans"

December 2013

  • Insurance for a young adult
  • Congress Cuts Military Pensions
  • Hanging on for the military pension
  • How Do I File a Military Medical Malpractice Suit?
  • RV Life, A Few Things To Consider

November 2013

  • Veterans ID Cards Can Be Scanned With QR Code Reader
  • Fixing The Fixed Indexed Annuity
  • "Are You Sure You're Ready To Leave The Military?"
  • Save Just One Percent More
  • Seven Benefits of the VA Home Loan
  • How Do Veterans File a PTSD Claim?
  • Just Announced: Special Duty Assignment Pay Changes January 2014
  • Book review: "Lean Body, Fat Wallet"
  • Updated: Sweeping Changes To The Army's Tuition Assistance Program Beginning January 2014
  • 'Legal Presumption' Of Disability for Vets, Former POWs
  • How Safe is Your Cash While You’re Working
  • Options For National Guard And Reserve Retirement

October 2013

  • Reader Question On Veterans Group Life Insurance
  • Personal Branding: And Why It Should Matter To Service Members & Veterans
  • Qualified Reservist Distribution - TSP & IRA Withdrawals for Reservists
  • Book Review: "Give and Take"
  • The Crucial First Step to Point Yourself Towards Success After the Military

September 2013

  • Life After the Military – Now What?
  • National Guard and Reserve Retirement at the Maximum Pay
  • Reserve Retirement Eligibility
  • The Affordable Care Act and Military Veterans
  • Sanctuary and Military Mobilization
  • Selling A Personal Finance Book In The Military Exchanges
  • Buying Your Military Service Credit In The Federal Civil Service
  • Should You Self-Publish or Use a Traditional Publisher?
  • Military Reserve Retirement, Tricare, and Medicare

August 2013

  • Out Of Debt & Heading For Financial independence
  • Book Review: "Soldier of Finance" By Jeff Rose
  • Military Veterans Rate A FREE One-year Linkedin Premium Upgrade
  • Maximizing TSP Contributions From A Combat Zone
  • Protecting Your Military Benefits In A Divorce
  • Military Reserve Retirement Points and "Good Years"
  • Extreme home improvement: DIY photovoltaic array

July 2013

  • The Bright Side of Solar Power Purchase Agreements
  • I'm Still a Tricare Delinquent
  • Entrepreneur Resources for Veterans
  • Extreme Home Improvement: The Finances of Your Residential Photovoltaic Array
  • Maximizing Your Civil Service Computation Date
  • Three Reasons to Keep Your Retirement Savings in the Thrift Savings Plan
  • "I'm in the Military and I Just Got My Degree! Now What?"
  • Divorce And A Military Reserve Pension
  • Book Review: "Rent vs. Own"

June 2013

  • Mixed plate: Tricare, "back pay" issues, early Reserve & Guard retirement
  • How many years does it take to reach financial independence?
  • Military Reserve Sanctuary, Retirement, and Time in Grade
  • Keys To Saving When You Start Your Career
  • Lifestyles in Retirement: Cable TV Troubleshooting
  • 5 Ways to Ease the Transition from Military to Civilian Career
  • "I'm setting a good example by working at a job"
  • More problems with peer-to-peer lending
  • Peer-To-Peer Loan Calculator - How Much Are You Really Paying for That Loan?

May 2013

  • The Problems With Peer-To-Peer-Lending
  • Book review: "The Longevity Project"
  • TRICARE Prime premiums and United Healthcare
  • Amazon Affiliate Sales - Another Way to Make Money Online
  • Military Retirement and Divorce - How Does a Divorce Impact Military Retirement Pay?
  • Details of the blog move

April 2013

  • Military Retirement From The Individual Ready Reserve
  • Ask the Readers: Returning to Duty After Military Retirement?
  • Total Pay: How much will your next paycheck be?
  • Guest Post Wednesday: "You’ve Been SERB’d!"
  • Lifestyles in Hawaii: Hawaii Island (the Big Island)
  • Reserve Military Pension for "Discharge" Instead of "Retired Awaiting Pay"
  • Reserve Military Retirement For Active-Duty Veterans With Previous Reserve Or National Guard Service
  • Military Retirement Lessons Learned
  • Military Benefits After One Enlistment (part 2 of 2)

March 2013

  • Military Benefits After One Enlistment
  • USAA and membership growth
  • Guest Post Wednesday: "Thinking of Retiring Abroad? Buy Homes in Costa Rica! Check Out A ‘Dual Guide’ On What You Need to Know!"
  • Joining the Military During a Drawdown
  • Military Reserve Sanctuary and Active-Duty Retirement
  • The Commissary Rewards Card - An Easy Way to Save Money at the Base Commissary
  • I Tried 23andMe Genetic Testing & Here's My Review
  • Guest Post Wednesday: Tips to save while (your spouse is) deployed, Sea Services edition

February 2013

  • Guest Post Wednesday: 5 Benefits of VA Home Loans
  • Top Ten Financial Bad Habits (And Three Good Habits)
  • Should You Start A Civil Service Bridge Career After The Military?
  • When do you stop contributing to tax-deferred accounts?
  • Sea story: the Admiral Rickover interview
  • Navy: women are joining the crews of VIRGINIA-class attack submarines
  • Book Review - To Forgive Design: Understanding Failure

January 2013

  • 40 miles for Tricare Prime -- or maybe Tricare Standard
  • Guest Post Wednesday: "My Road to a Reserve Retirement"
  • Dealing With Credit Card Fraud -- Any Suggestions?
  • Reader Advice: Update on Ben's bridge career
  • Save Money by Fixing Your Own Plumbing
  • Guest Post Wednesday: Employment Opportunities for Disabled Veterans with Disability Compensation
  • The RAO Bulletin on Veteran Administration Benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid
  • Guest Post Wednesday: My Military Career Savings and Investment Story

December 2012

  • Book review: "Pocket Your Dollars"
  • Guest Post Wednesday: "If You Are Starting a Small Business, Do Not Expect To Get Paid"
  • Beginner's Guide to Part-Time Blogging for Money
  • Reader questions on Reserve retirement Tricare and points
  • Guest Post Wednesday: Homeless Veterans
  • Interview: What's Wrong With Long-term Care Insurance?
  • Guest Post Wednesday: Financial Relief for Veterans

November 2012

  • Guest Post Wednesday: From Battlefield to Boss-- MBAs for Ex-Military Personnel
  • Should I Get Out of the Military, or Stick Around for Retirement?
  • Will you work after military retirement?

October 2012

  • Combat Zone Contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan
  • How much cash in a retirement portfolio?
  • Navy Reserve Retirement Credit for ROTC Summer Training

September 2012

  • Geriatric Financial Management Update
  • More Lessons Learned on Insurance (part 2 of 2)
  • Frugality After Financial Independence - Saving Money on Shaving, and Other Thoughts
  • Lessons Learned on Insurance
  • Guest post Wednesday: The importance of your retirement account Exit Strategy.
  • Lifestyles in Hawaii: "Naked on the beach"

August 2012

  • Good reasons NOT to live in Hawaii
  • Military insurance: SGLI, VGLI, SBP, and other benefits
  • Over a decade later, REDUX still sucks
  • This is why we blog: another "net disability exclusion" story
  • So you want to be a landlord.
  • Book review: "Abundance"
  • IRS Denies Military Retirement "Net Disability Exclusion"
  • Ask your Dad if you should contribute to the Roth TSP.

July 2012

  • Want to buy a franchise business in Hawaii?
  • Sea story: Titanium toilet valves
  • The TSP matches contributions for military members?
  • Book review: "You Are NOT So Smart."
  • More new military retirement and early retirement links
  • Tricare fee increases coming in October
  • Guest post: Advice to Stretch Your Military Retirement Pay
  • The Regulation for Calculating an Active-Duty Pension

June 2012

  • Reader Questions About Retiring on a Military Enlisted Pension
  • Forensic Geriatric Finances
  • Book review: "All The Money In The World"
  • Tricare, vehicle insurance, and uninsured/underinsured motorists
  • "Top Ten Reasons to Never Retire"
  • Lifestyles in early retirement: Hawaii long-term travel
  • USAA's savings goals and 529 plan calculators
  • Lifestyles in early retirement: long-term travel
  • Observations on a military transition

May 2012

  • Sea story: “Swim call!”
  • Lifestyles in Early Retirement: Habits and getting things done
  • Marine Corps Offers Early Retirement - Details on the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA)
  • Retire at 17 years of service or 20?
  • Retirement planning: "Just tell me what to do!"
  • Book review: “Why We Buy”
  • Military Drawdown Brings New Career, Pay, and Benefits Changes
  • Buying a used car on a cash advance in a new town
  • 529 college savings for military families
  • Book report: "The 36-Hour Day"

April 2012

  • Questions on the 4% "safe" withdrawal rate
  • How much will military veterans leave on the table?
  • Old-school frugal (part 2 of 2)
  • If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now - How to Catch up on Your Retirement Planning
  • Roth TSP: 7 May, but later for military
  • Old-school frugal
  • Translating Military Experience to Civilian Careers
  • Sea story: Simulate submarine life at home
  • Do you have affluenza?
  • Book report: “The Mindset List”

March 2012

  • Military retirement with low savings
  • Starting your kid's Roth IRA
  • Bridge career: "HA!"
  • "So Nords, why are you still blogging?" (part 3)
  • Lifestyles in military retirement: Las Vegas
  • Is the Roth Thrift Savings Plan right for you?
  • "So Nords, why are you still blogging?" (Part 2)
  • Completely worth the money
  • "So Nords, why are you still blogging?"
  • Book review: "Give Smart"
  • Get on LinkedIn, get a job

February 2012

  • "I'll never retire!"
  • Book review: Your Retirement Quest
  • A complete waste of money
  • USAA's retirement planner and financial goal-planning tools
  • Starting Your Bridge Career After the Military
  • Book review: "When The Time Comes"
  • TSP tips and trivia
  • Military pay & benefits cuts
  • Book review: You're On Your Own

January 2012

  • Book review: Leaving the military for "The Corner Office"
  • Sea story: The trouble with toilet paper
  • Geriatric financial lessons learned
  • Save or invest?
  • Joining NFCU, PenFed, and USAA (part 2 of 2)
  • New Year's Resolution: joining NFCU, PenFed, and USAA

December 2011

  • Should You Join The Reserves or National Guard?
  • Book review: "A Bittersweet Season"
  • Infographic on Drawing Down the Troops from Iraq
  • Parent's letter to an 18-year-old
  • Five reasons to NOT retire early
  • Military Drawdown Predictions
  • Update to "Just Write It"
  • Covering a Mortgage in Retirement - How Not Paying Off Your Mortgage Can Lead to More Financial Flexibility and a Larger Investment Portfolio
  • Retirement planners and calculators (part 2 of 2)

November 2011

  • Geriatric financial management update
  • Do you really need $2M to retire?!?
  • Retirement planners and calculators (part 1 of 2)
  • USAA on retirement calculators
  • Five retirement strategies that don't work
  • Is the 4% withdrawal rate really safe?
  • Geriatric financial management
  • Book review: 1001 Things to Love About Military Life
  • Protecting military with the SCRA

October 2011

  • Problems with retirement calculators
  • Book review: Stop Acting Rich
  • Just write it.
  • DIY home improvement
  • Lifestyles in Military Retirement: Living in Hawaii
  • Personal finance, mobile banking, and mobile wallets
  • Sea story: "Hand me a dustpan!"
  • Medicare, Tricare For Life, Medigap insurance, and Congress
  • The Military Drawdown and Benefits Cuts

September 2011

  • Lifestyles in military retirement: Empty nester
  • Book report: Dilemmas of Family Wealth
  • Pricing insurance and investments
  • Answers to USAA's questions
  • USAA's underwear secrets
  • Introverts, extroverts, and retirement
  • More on caring for an elder's finances

August 2011

  • Pension pitfalls
  • Lifestyles in military retirement: surfing photos
  • DIY home maintenance
  • Financial lessons learned from caring for an elderly parent
  • Book Review: "Get Rich Click!"
  • Join the military to get rich and retire early?: the rest of the story
  • Join the military to get rich and retire early?

July 2011

  • Charitable Gift Funds - How to Set Up An Account to Donate to Your Favorite Cause
  • Details of the 4% Safe Withdrawal Rate
  • Trends in retirement
  • Trends in personal finances
  • Lifestyles in military retirement: Napili Bay
  • Getting Rich In The Submarine Force
  • "What, me worry?"
  • Book review: Eric Tyson's "Personal Finance in Your 20s For Dummies"
  • Five Money Missteps

June 2011

  • Sea story: Looking for an Engineer in all the wrong places
  • Update on TRICARE and Congress
  • Chasing yield
  • USAA: Seven Money Rules to Break
  • How much should you save for college?
  • Retirement For Dual Military Couples
  • Book review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security and Medicare
  • Early retirement and the kid's college fund
  • Book Review: Liz Weston's "The 10 Commandments of Money"
  • Raising a money-smart kid
  • Raising an ER-smart kid

May 2011

  • Lifestyles in military retirement: Haleakala Crater redux
  • Retiring Early -- with Kids?
  • Building the Ultimate Investment Portfolio
  • Would you like a financial planner with that?
  • Lifestyles in military retirement: Haleakala Crater
  • Sea story: "If I was in the Air Force"...
  • Getting "the job call"
  • Suze Orman advises a dual-military couple
  • So where should I invest my money now?!?

April 2011

  • TSP annuity options
  • TSP withdrawal options
  • Military Long Term Care Insurance - Through the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program
  • Back to the Trinity Study
  • The Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan
  • More SBP details
  • Military Survivor Benefit Plan - An Overview to Help You Decide if You Should Buy in or Not
  • Sea story: "Hang on!!"
  • Military Dental Care - Active Duty and Retiree Dental Care

March 2011

  • Lifestyles in Military Retirement: Learning to Surf in Hawaii
  • Asset allocation considerations for a military pension (part 3 of 3)
  • Asset Allocation Considerations for a Military Pension (part 2 of 3)
  • Asset Allocation Considerations for a Military Pension
  • Saving base pay and promotion raises
  • Effect of Inflation on a REDUX Military Pension
  • Military Pension Inflation Protection - How and Inflation Indexed Pension Keeps Up with Cost of Living
  • TIPS and I bonds for military retirement?
  • Living with Inflation - How to Handle Inflation in Your Investment Portfolio
  • Effect of Inflation on a Dollar - Why You Need to Factor Inflation into Your Retirement Plans

February 2011

  • Sea Story: Blowing the Job Interview of the Decade
  • During retirement: Paying it forward
  • During retirement: You will change. Your plans may change too.
  • During retirement: Back to school?
  • During retirement: where do you want to go next?
  • During retirement: rebel a little
  • During retirement: Healthy lifestyle
  • During retirement: take small financial steps (part 2 of 2)
  • During retirement: take small financial steps (part 1 of 2)
  • During retirement: The inevitable job offers

January 2011

  • Volunteering for Charity or Neighbors
  • Dealing with "retiree guilt"
  • Forget about who you were and discover who you are
  • The transition to a bridge career
  • Retirement: don't recreate your old environment
  • Retirement: Relax, Reconnect and Re-engage
  • "So, Nords, how did you start blogging?"
  • Sea story: "Secure blowing sanitaries!!!"
  • The "Fog of Work"

December 2010

  • Tailor Your Investments to Your Military Pay and Your Pension
  • Military Members & Real Estate: Should You Rent, Buy, or Live on Base?
  • Where to put your savings while you're in the military
  • Simple Ways to Start Saving for Retirement
  • Frugal Living is Not Deprivation - How Living on Less Can Result in a Richer Life
  • The Easiest Path to Financial Independence - Start Saving Early
  • Retiring without a Military Pension - How to Create Your Own Retirement Plan
  • Retiring on Multiple Streams of Income
  • Where Do You Live After You Leave the Military?
  • Reserves and National Guard: Tricare Reserve Select and Tricare Retired Reserve health insurance
  • Mobilizing with the Reserves and National Guard
  • Reserves and National Guard - Another Way to Earn a Military Retirement

November 2010

  • Construction Tour of the New USS ARIZONA Memorial Museums
  • The command's farewell and saying "See you later" to everyone else
  • Exit Interviews, Last-Minute Questions, and the Retirement Ceremony
  • Medical and dental exams
  • Military Retirement and Discharge Paperwork
  • Six Months Before Retirement... Preparing for a Military Retirement
  • I'm going to retire. Now what? (part 2 of 2)
  • I'm Going to Retire from the Military. Now What? (part 1 of 2)
  • Lifestyles in Military Retirement: Surfing
  • Military retirement: how much can I really spend?
  • Military retirement spending: how much will I need?

October 2010

  • Sea story: "Battle Stations Missile"
  • Retirement finances: what will I spend?
  • Retirement budgeting
  • Writing and Publishing - A Behind the Scenes Look at The Military Guide
  • Financial myths of retirement (part 2 of 2)
  • Financial Myths of Retirement (part 1 of 2)
  • Myths Of Military Retirement And Early Retirement
  • Where Are All the Retirees? How Do We Ask for Their Advice?
  • When Should You Stop Working? - Determining the Best Time to Retire
  • The Biggest Benefits of a Military Retirement

September 2010

  • “But... but... but what will I DO all day?!?”

April 2010

  • Blue Star Families: Finally A Nonprofit We Can Trust

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About The Military Guide

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…

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