KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

BAH Rate Protection (or The Grandfather Clause)


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!

As the Department of Defense (DoD) gets ready to release the 2022 Basic Allowance for Housing rates, this is a perfect time to review BAH rate protection, or “the grandfather clause.” (Rates are usually announced on or around the 15th of December.) Each year, the DoD does a thorough study of the actual costs to… | Read More…

Everything About Military Moving Inconvenience Claims


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!

Moving has challenges. (If that isn’t the biggest understatement ever.) And just when you think that you’re past the hard part, sometimes your stuff gets delayed. Maybe there was a problem at the warehouse, or your truck driver quit, or the ship broke. But to you, the reason doesn’t really matter, because you just need… | Read More…

The Hidden Costs of Homebuying


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!

Ask anyone who has bought a house, and they’ll pretty much universally agree that buying a house is more expensive than it seems on the surface. And that there are places where you didn’t anticipate needing to spend money until you get to them. I still remember buying our first house and then realizing that… | Read More…

The Math of Buying and Selling Houses, 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!

The topic of home ownership for military families is a hot one.  I absolutely agree that there are many reasons that a military family may want to buy a house:  the pleasure of being able to do whatever you want to the house, the guarantee that you won’t have to move mid-tour, the difficulty in… | Read More…

2021 Military Basic Allowance for Housing Rates


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!

They’re out!  Go see!  The Department of Defense has announced the 2021 military basic allowance for housing rates any day now! As usual, there will be some big winners and some big losers. (If you are on an iPhone, you may need to open this page using the three dots instead of clicking through from… | 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 a few years ago 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…

Evacuations, Military Entitlements, and Insurance Coverage


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!

There are TWO hurricanes headed to the Gulf Coast of the United States, and wildfires are burning across much of the west. Military bases are preparing. Many military families are wondering if they should evacuate, and when and if the military or their insurance company will help with expenses if they evacuate from the path… | Read More…

Capital Gains Rules for Military Families


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!

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…

From the Mailbag: Dislocation Allowance Frequently Asked Questions


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!

Ah, dislocation allowance, aka DLA! Such a huge benefit, and such a source of frustration. Here are some of the DLA questions I’ve answered recently. (As always, things change. Talk to your finance folks to find out the exact rules for your branch this week.) Learn more at Everything About Dislocation Allowance. Can I Get Dislocation… | 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…

Affiliate Disclosure

This site does contain advertising and affiliate links. If you click on an advertisement or link, I may be compensated. I only promote companies that I love and trust. Kings High Media/KateHorrell.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

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.