KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

Kate Rants: If Your Rental Is Not Making Money, Stop Saying “It’s A Good Investment”


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As a financial educator, and a military landlord myself, I spend a lot of time talking to military families about their rental houses. In almost all cases, these are houses that the family bought at a duty station, and then rented out when they PCSed away from the area. Maybe that was the plan all… | Read More…

BAH Rate Protection (or The Grandfather Clause)


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As the Department of Defense (DoD) released their 2019 BAH rates, this is a perfect time to review BAH rate protection, or “the grandfather clause.” Each year, the DoD does a thorough study of the actual costs to rent a house in each military housing area. They use that information to adjust BAH, with some… | Read More…

How Much Should Military BAH Pay For?


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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…

Why You Should Rent During Retirement/Transition From The Military


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When leaving the military, many people want to buy a house. It’s a perfectly normal desire – for many military families, it’s been a long-term dream to put down roots and buy their “forever” home. No more crazy landlords, white walls, and unpacking every two years! I am so sick of unpacking! Unfortunately, the “forever… | Read More…

When Selling Your House At A Loss Is The Right Choice


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!

Military families have unique challenges when they buy a house.  The biggest challenge is what to do with the house when you receive PCS orders a few years (or months!) later.  Some folks bought the house with clear plans to turn it into a rental property, but the majority planned to sell, or didn’t have… | Read More…

Understanding Depreciation Recapture Taxes on Rental Property


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My friend Forrest has shared his article about depreciation recapture: What Military Landlords Should Know About Section 1250 Depreciation.  Sometimes it’s helpful to hear things from two different voices 🙂 You’ve owned a rental property for a few years, and it’s worked out pretty well.  You’ve made a little bit of money most years, and you’re… | 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…

Advance BAH – Yes, It’s a Thing!


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One little known aspect of the military pay and allowance system is the ability to request advance payment of Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).  While this opportunity has been around since 1999, you will still find that most admin folks and senior leadership are completely unaware that it even exists.  And, unfortunately, even those who… | Read More…

My Journey to Earning $140 of Gift Cards on Swagbucks


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We are renovating a house, and one of the items I really want, but can’t really justify, is a separate small fridge for drinks.  I’ve priced them out online, and the one I want has a regular, new cost of $179 at Home Depot or $159 at Walmart.  I know I can use the military… | Read More…

Don’t Be Shocked By Homebuying Costs


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I was just emailing with a reporter about homebuying costs, and I thought I would share my long version here with you.  We were talking about how buying a house is more expensive than it seems, and in parts where you might not be expecting to spend money.  Even if you have a no money… | 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.