KateHorrell

Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

Everything About The Blended Retirement System


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The Blended Retirement System is the retirement plan for service members who entered the military after 1 January 2018. It also includes some folks who were serving before 31 December 2017 and chose to switch to the BRS. Retirement pay benefits for currently retired service members remain unchanged. Understanding The Terms The military’s new Blended… | Read More…

2022 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…

Your Military Retirement Move: Travel, Household Goods and Storage


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Your military retirement move can be a big step in the transition to civilian life. Retiring military members are authorized a move from their last duty station to a home of selection. This includes the movement of household goods and the transportation of eligible family members. This post is part of The Comprehensive Military Retirement… | Read More…

2022 Contribution Limits for Thrift Savings Plan and IRAs


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The IRS has announced the 2022 contribution limits for tax-advantaged retirement plans . You’ll  want to adjust your savings plans accordingly to get the most benefit from these accounts. 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,… | Read More…

Resume Help for Service Members and Spouses


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Getting a job can be intimidating, especially if you’ve been serving in the military, or out of the workforce for a while. How do you translate your military service into terms that a civilian employer will understand? Or how do you craft a resume if you have big gaps in your work history? There are… | Read More…

2022 Increases In Military Retirement Pay (plus VA Disability, Social Security, and other federal payments)


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The 2022 military retirement pay increase has been calculated, and it’s a doozy – 5.9% for those who retired prior to 2021! This projected increase is based on the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. The Social Security adjustment changes the VA disability compensation rates by law, and while it isn’t law, military retirement pay has customarily… | Read More…

49 Things You Need To Know Before Military Retirement


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I spent the last ten years of my husband’s active duty gathering every single tip and trick that already-retired folks told me that they wish they had known. Now that we’re 6 months past retirement, I’ve made a few updates to this list based on our personal experiences and more things that retirees have shared…. | Read More…

Five Ways To Make The Most of the Blended Retirement System


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Everyone who has joined the military since 1 January 2018 is automatically enrolled in the Blended Retirement System – and many people who were already serving on 1 January 2018 made the choice to opt-in to the BRS. The BRS is a great retirement system that provides some sort of retirement benefits to over 80%… | Read More…

Observations From 6 Days After Military Retirement


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Well, the Horrell household is six days post-retirement, and the to-do list still feels just as large as it did six months ago. And, if this gives you any sense of how things are going, this post’s title started out as “Observations From 5 Days Before Retirement.” If retirement is in your future, perhaps you’ll… | 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.