KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

BRS: DIEMS vs. PEBD


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You’ve been reading everything about the military’s new Blended Retirement System (BRS), and your situation doesn’t match up with the examples of who falls into the new BRS, the old legacy system, or the choice to opt in.  How can you figure out which group you’re in? With the military’s new Blended Retirement System, there is… | Read More…

How To Renew Your Driver’s License From Out-of-State


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Military families move around a lot, and that can make many things complicated.   Thankfully, most states let you retain your out-of-state driver’s license if you are living elsewhere only because of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders.  But what happens when your driver’s license is expiring?  How can you renew it without traveling to… | Read More…

Using Credit Cards Overseas


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Traveling to another country is fun, but it can also be complicated.  Military families spend a lot of time overseas, whether stationed there, on deployment, or just for fun.  In many cases, credit cards are the easiest and most economical way to pay for things while in traveling.  Credit cards aren’t without their own issues,… | Read More…

What Financial Health Means To Me #FinHealthMatters


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Financial health means being able to care for the people you love. This year, I’ve had more times than usual to be thankful for financial health.  My beloved grandfather, age 95, had a stroke the first week in January.  He has almost completely recovered, thankfully, but it was a very potent reminder of why financial… | Read More…

Understanding The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act


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The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) is important law, but it is very misunderstood.  Passed in 2009, it actually amends the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to provide certain specific protections to military spouses.  It can provide great benefits to military spouses, particularly in the area of state taxes, but there is lot of… | Read More…

How To File For An Income Tax Extension, Military-Style


This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Get a simple, free tax extension to get more time to file your federal tax return. The deadline to file your federal income tax returns is Tuesday, 18 April 2017.  Each year, more than 10 million Americans aren’t ready to submit their returns on that date, and file for an automatic extension of the tax… | Read More…

Save Money With Military Benefits On Your Credit Cards


This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Imagine checking your mailbox and finding a check from your credit card company.  How cool would that be?  Pretty cool.  And it could be you! There’s a lot of conversation, and confusion, about the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and how it applies to interest on credit cards.  In large part, the confusion is because many… | Read More…

Do I Need A General or Specific Power of Attorney?


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If you ask around about powers of attorney, you will hear all sorts of information, and lots of it contradicts itself.  So, what is the real deal?  When do you need a power of attorney, what kind do you need, etc?  Every person has a different situation, so every person has a different answer.  The… | Read More…

Deployment and Medical Expenses – Should You Bunch Your Medical Spending?


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It’s December, and that means endless commercials reminding people to use their flexible spending account dollars before the end of the year.  The Department of Defense, unfortunately, still hasn’t implemented the flexible spending account that they were directed to create in the 2010 Defense Authorization Bill. If we don’t have flexible spending accounts, why should… | Read More…

Capital Gains Rules for Military Families


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Note:  this is not professional tax advice.  While I have confirmed this information with various professionals, do not take my word for it.  Read the tax rules yourself (link at the bottom) and consult with your tax professional to see how the rules apply to you. When you’re in the military, one of the most… | Read More…

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Disclaimer

Kate does not represent the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any government agency. This blog is strictly for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content on this site should not be considered professional financial or legal advice. I may receive compensation through affiliate or advertising relationships from products mentioned on this site. All reviews on this site represent the personal opinions of the author and I never accept compensation for positive reviews. (That would be pretty uncool!) All references to third party products, rates, and offers may change without notice.