Every military member, no matter how enthusiastic, wakes up one day (or comes out of a frustrating meeting) and asks themselves, “How much longer do I want to do this?” Invariably, this question is complicated by the cliff-vesting nature of the military retirement pay system. Get out before 20 years of service, and you leave… | Read More…

If you marry after military retirement, you have an important decision to make. And there’s a deadline! The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) can be an important part of the income strategy for survivors of military retirees, even survivors who came on the scene after military service was over. In some cases, you can add SBP… | Read More…

Retiring service members and their spouses MUST learn about the Survivor Benefit Plan before they make a decision. The choice whether to purchase the military’s Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage may be the largest financial decision of your life. As I’ve discussed extensively, it is a very individual decision and there is no best answer… | Read More…

The Thrift Savings Plan is undergoing some major modernization and changes, and as part of this program, they’ve updated their online account portal. As a result, you’re going to need to set up a new TSP login. It isn’t hard but there are quite a few steps, and for some people, you may need to… | Read More…

Many military members have questions about the Thrift Savings Plan, often called TSP, and Individual Retirement Arrangements, often called IRAs, and how you can have both and how the contribution limits work. Throw in the Roth and Traditional tax structures of either account, and you can hear some confusing conversations. Even if just one side… | Read More…

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 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 Plan (SBP) “Payback” Period… | Read More…

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…