KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

Blended Retirement System: How To Choose Between The Military’s Retirement Systems


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This post was sponsored by USAA as part of the military personal finance bloggers #BRSBlitz education campaign. As 2018 comes to a close, there is a lot of stuff going on. We’re preparing for various holidays, some people are moving, and there is a general last minute rush to get things done before the end… | Read More…

50+ Places To Learn About The Military’s New Blended Retirement System (BRS)


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Every single day, I meet a service member or spouse who either doesn’t know about the military’s new Blended Retirement System (BRS), knows wrong information about BRS, or doesn’t know enough about BRS. It’s worrying and frustrating and concerning all at the same time. For anyone who is eligible to opt-in to the BRS, this… | Read More…

When Is The Next Military Payday?


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One more paycheck before Christmas: The next regular, active duty payday is Friday, 14 December 2018. When are you going to see that paycheck? Most military members will have their military pay deposited on Friday, 14 December 2018. However, depending on your bank or credit union, you may have access to your funds earlier if they… | Read More…

2018 and 2019 Active Duty Military Paydays – With Printables


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During this interim time while we wrap up 2018 and head into 2019, I’ll have both the 2018 and 2019 printable calendars here. I’ll delete the 2018 ones once we get into 2019. As always, please let me know when you see an error – there is bound to be at least one 🙂 While… | Read More…

Kate Rants: Why Is Tricare Still Messed Up?


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I’m feeling a little crankly this morning. This whole Tricare open season has me stressed about whether to switch to Tricare Select, and I’ve been spending a ton of time comparing the costs and benefits and trying to figure it all out. Which is ridiculous, because this is already my full-time job and I should… | Read More…

How Much Should Military BAH Pay For?


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!

I was at a really great military spouse event on Wednesday (thanks, USO!) and someone mentioned that BAH doesn’t always cover the cost of housing. It’s true that a lot of military families spend more than their BAH on housing. I hear things like this all the time, something along the lines of “I don’t… | Read More…

Credit Card Benefits Free For US Military and Spouses


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This is a guest post from my friend Spencer at Military Money Manual. He’s really savvy when it comes to taking advantage of the credit card offers available to the military. I hope you find some useful nuggets in here! Thanks to recent changes in 2017 with Chase’s military policy, military servicemembers and their spouses… | Read More…

Vision Insurance for Military Families (Currently Serving and Retired)


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Starting in 2019, military and retiree families will be able to purchase vision insurance through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). Depending on your family’s situation, vision insurance can be a great way to lower your out-of-pocket spending on vision care, glasses and contacts. If you’re interested in taking advantage of a… | Read More…

2019 TSP and IRA Contribution Limits


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The IRS has announced the 2019 contribution limits for tax-advantaged retirement plans. Don’t forget that you can contribute to both a 401(k)/TSP type employer-sponsored plan and an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA), and that non-working spouses can have IRAs, too. 2019 Limits for Employer-Sponsored Plans like 401(k)s and TSP The elective deferral limit, which is the… | Read More…

2018 and 2019 USAA Military Pay Deposit Dates – With Printables


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!

I’ve had lots of lovely requests looking for the 2019 USAA pay deposit calendars. Y’all are so organized! I’ve added 2019 to the bottom of this post, and then I’ll delete 2018 when the year ends. As always, please let me know when you see errors in the calendars. There is always at least one…. | 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. All references to third party products, rates, and offers may change without notice.