JANUARY 6, 2025 – As the new year begins, Soldiers and their Families have a fresh opportunity to take charge of their financial well-being. With a variety of free programs offering education and counseling services, the Army is equipping families with the tools they need to achieve financial readiness and support mission success throughout the year.
Financial Frontline
Financial Frontline is a service that provides Soldiers and their families with comprehensive support, including access to financial education and free counseling services.
Through their services, Soldiers can find specific information based on milestones such as pre- and post-deployment, PCS, divorce and marriage, promotions, new child, continuation pay and disabling sickness or condition pay. They can also see the policies for blended retirement, the transition assistance program, the financial readiness program, pre-separation counseling and more. There are also links to the military spouse money mission with advice for how Army families can share money advice with their children and to the Army survivor outreach services program.
The site also includes information about the Thrift Savings Plan, combat zone tax exclusion, paying off student loans, estate planning, free credit monitoring and understanding credit.
Financial Readiness Program
The Financial Readiness Program offers information, finance calculators, online training and other tools on this site run through Army MWR. The site also has fact sheets and links to federal, state and territory benefits as well as a resource locator to find locations where benefits services are provided in each state and territory.
The Financial Readiness Program is available at every installation through Army Community Services. They offer Soldiers classroom training and individual counseling sessions on several topics, including how to save and invest money, how to establish savings goals, debt elimination strategies, and saving for emergencies.
MilSpouse Money Mission
The goal of this site is to educate and empower military spouses to help them make financial choices. The team provides certified financial planner professionals. They provide free financial education and resources through blogs, financial tips, videos and more.
Taxes are just one of the many items financial readiness counselors can help Soldiers and their families with on installations.
Military One Source
Through Military One Source, all service members and their families, regardless of service branch, can receive personal financial management counseling. This includes National Guard and Reserve.
Counselors can go over finances and suggest ways to pay down debt. They can also teach savings techniques, checking account management, investing and making a family budget. They can provide information on consumer rights and make appropriate referrals to military and civilian resources responsible for resolving credit report complaints. They can provide support and information on the Savings Deposit Program and TSP.
Military Wallet
The Military Wallet is a personal finance and benefits website for military members, veterans and their families. It has information about VA disability compensation, the veterans benefits guide, TSP, the VA home loan and post-9/11 GI Bill.
The site also has links to VA disability pay charts and social security disability for veterans.
Army Family Web Portal
The Army Family Web Portal hosts a variety of computer-based courses for Soldiers and their families that offer insights into consumer affairs and personal financial management.
For more information on the Army’s financial readiness resources, Soldiers and their families are encouraged to visit the resource locator library and Army Emergency Relief programs.
By Shannon Collins, Army News Service