Because months aren’t always 28 days long, and because military paydays don’t happen on weekends or holidays, there are times where there is a long stretch between military paychecks. Sometimes, it can be as long as 20 days! If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, or you budget pretty tightly, that can create some challenges to making sure… | Read More…
Banks and Credit Unions With Early Deposit Of Military Pay
Everyone loves getting paid, and people love getting paid early. Even when you’re financially secure, and you don’t need the money immediately, there’s a psychological boost from getting paid a day or two before the actual payday. (Not a psychologist, can’t explain why, but it’s so true!) If you are receiving pay from the military,… | Read More…
How To (Maybe) Fix A Blended Retirement System Opt-In Mistake
You may remember that last January, there was a flurry of concern about folks who had accidentally opted-in to the military’s new Blended Retirement System (BRS) when they were just trying to check their Leave and Earnings Statement (LES). While that particular problem seemed to have decreased as the year went on, there were other… | Read More…
10 Things To Do During A Government Shutdown
For those of you not affected by THIS shutdown, read this article so you’re not in a bind next time it happens: 12 Ways to Prepare For The Next Government Shutdown It’s happened again: Congress has failed to pass a spending bill, and part of the federal government has shut down. Unfortunately, the part that has… | Read More…
Life Insurance or SBP? Asking The Right Questions
This post is part of a larger series about the Survivor Benefit Plan. Here’s the complete list of posts. Everything About The Survivor Benefit Plan Understanding the SBP-DIC Offset Life Insurance or SBP? Asking The Right Questions Retiring Military: Should You Choose SBP? 10+ Places To Learn About The Survivor Benefit Plan The Survivor Benefit… | Read More…
USAA and NFCU Announce Loans Programs If The Government Shuts Down
Two of the largest banks used by military members have announced their programs to assist customers if a government shutdown delays pay. Both USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) offer interest-free loan program to eligible customers if pay is interrupted. While we all hope that the government does not shut down, and military pay… | Read More…
12 Ways To Prepare For The Next Government Shutdown
You’ve probably heard that the January 2018 government shutdown has ended, and Congress has agreed to fund the government for 17 more days. At that point, it is possible that we’ll be in the same situation we just left: a shutdown. What should military families be doing to be better prepared for the next government… | Read More…
2018 Military Retirement Paydays
It’s almost 2018, and lots of us are planning our financial year. It’s easier when you know when you’ll get paid! While military pay is relatively easy, there can be some tricky bits. Military retirement pay days are on the first of the following month, except when the 1st falls on a weekend or federal… | Read More…
Ten Alternatives To A Payday Loan
It’s common to find yourself stuck in a situation where your expenses have grown a little too big for your paycheck. When that happens, it is easy to look for a fast and simple solution to your problem. Fast and simple solutions are rarely permanent solutions, and often they make the overall problem worse. This… | Read More…
Understanding the Changes to Military Retirement
There have been some changes since this post was written. See the most current details at Everything About The Blended Retirement System. The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contains some significant changes to military retirement. The new system, called the Blended Retirement System (BRS), will begin on 1 January 2018, with some current service members… | Read More…