KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

2020 Retired Military Paydays – With Printables


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Military retirement pay comes once a month. It is paid on the 1st of the month unless the 1st is on a weekend or holiday, in which case it is paid on the previous business day (the last business day of the previous month.) Military retirement pay is paid in arrears, meaning that the payment… | Read More…

Validate Your TSP Contact Information Or Risk Being Locked Out


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Starting in December, Thrift Savings Plan online access will require two-factor identification. Be sure your account details are up to date, or you might found yourself locked out of your account. You know the TSP board – always making things safer. And sometimes more difficult. I appreciate their commitment to cyber-security, but sometimes I don’t… | Read More…

49 Things You Need To Know Before Military Retirement


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While the Horrell tribe is still a few years from retirement, I’ve been putting together a list of things that already-retired folks tell me that they wish they had known. Take advantage of their wisdom! The Transition Assistance Program The in-person Transition Assistance Program class is your primary source of information about the process. Use… | Read More…

Be Sure You Are Keeping Up With These Retiree Newsletters


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It can be hard to keep up with changes in benefits, laws, and programs. One of the best ways to remain informed is to read the various retiree newsletters published by each branch of the military and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). This stuff isn’t just for retirees – there is useful information… | Read More…

Military Retiree Medical: Tricare Prime, Select, or USFHP?


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One of the big questions during military retirement is: Which Tricare health care coverage should I choose? Or maybe you’ve been retired for a while, and you’re wondering if the Tricare health plan you’re using is the right one for your situation? Or you’re moving to a new area and need to figure out your… | Read More…

Should You Sell Back Your Military Leave, or Take Terminal Leave?


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One hot topic in military finance is the selling of leave. Generally, these are folks who are separating or retiring, and they’re trying to figure out what to do with their leave. I used to have a single answer, and then I opened my mind a little, discovered that there are a lot of variables… | Read More…

Need A Little Help With Your SBP Decision?


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This is a guest post from my good friend Daniel Kopp at Wise Stewardship Financial Planning. Daniel and I have talked extensively about the struggles with the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) decision, and he has decided to offer a special financial planning package just for this oh-so-important choice. Because I believe so strongly in the… | Read More…

Commissioning? Understand Your Blended Retirement System Options


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May and June are the biggest commissioning time of year. Not only do all the service academies graduate then, but thousands of ROTC students also graduate and enter their active military service. This years’ group of newly commissioned officers face a unique question: should they opt into the military’s new Blended Retirement System (BRS), or… | Read More…

What Is A Transition Fund, And Why Do You Want One?


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If you’ve hung out around The Paycheck Chronicles long enough, you may have heard me talk about having a transition fund. I think I may have made up that term…maybe not. But I sure am fond of it. So what exactly is a transition fund, and why would you want one? What Is A Transition… | Read More…

How To (Maybe) Fix A Blended Retirement System Opt-In Mistake


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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…

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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.