Podcasts about platinum card

Today we'll talk about how Chase is breaking up the family (rule), we'll discuss whether American Express is high when introducing "as high as" offers, and we'll talk about how Chase has made the Chase Sapphire Reserve card harder to explain and harder and recommend.(01:27) - How to move Avios between British Airways, Qatar, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Finnair(04:56) - Major refresh coming to The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express "later this year"Read more about this here.(10:53) - The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ending 35% points rebate on business & first class flights except for selected airlineRead more about this here.(13:03) - It seems American Express and Delta may be working on an even more premium card(15:10) - Chase launching business version of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card Monday June 23.Find our Coffee Break episode 59 "The real Sapphire Reserve for Business" here.(16:20) - Removing Sapphire family rule, expanding 48 month rule & allowing new cards without welcome offersLearn more about this here.(20:39) - Chase Travel℠ portal ending 1.5c & 1.25c redemptions, replacing with Points BoostRead more about this here.(24:28) - Mesa Homeowners Card now transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan & SAS EuroBonus(26:52) - Gift of College Cards now sold at Stop & Shop(29:47) - Jetblue status matchRead more about this here.(31:10) - Good Flying Blue business class award availability to/from Europe(32:13) - Transfer bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott BonvoyMain Event: Sapphire Reserve: More costly, coupony, and complicated(34:01) - New Chase Sapphire Reserve card summary(40:57) - Unchanged perks(41:42) - New perks(44:53) - Unchanged coupons(45:38) - New coupons(1:04:52) - Old vs new(1:14:36) - Chase Sapphire Reserve card timeline(1:29:30) - Is there a way to game this into one more lower Annual Fee? If for instance we requested changing the billing cycle, could we move it up so it gets billed on Oct 25th and thus is $550?Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Your net worth isn't the full picture of your wealth. Financial independence is great, but if your health, relationships, and purpose suffer, are you really wealthy? In this episode, Jamie and Spencer break down The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom and how to create a life that's truly rich—beyond just the numbers in your bank account. Overview: Financial wealth is only one piece of the puzzle. Sahil Bloom's book introduces the concept that true wealth comes in five forms: time, social, mental, physical, and financial wealth. Jamie and Spencer reflect on their own experiences in the military and beyond, exploring how service members often have hidden riches in some areas—like social and mental wealth—but struggle in others, like financial or physical health. Wealth isn't just about money. The most financially successful people often struggle in health, relationships, and purpose. The goal isn't to maximize one area but to balance all five types of wealth so you can build a truly rich life—one that's deeply fulfilling, not just financially secure. Key Points: The Five Types of Wealth Defined: A breakdown of time, social, mental, physical, and financial wealth—why all five matter. Military Service & Wealth: How military members often have strong mental and social wealth but struggle in financial and physical areas. Time Wealth & How to Own Your Schedule: The importance of time freedom—are your days designed to build the life you want? Social Wealth & Deepening Relationships: How to build lasting friendships, especially after leaving the military. Mental Wealth & Purpose: How defining a personal mission statement can shape a more fulfilling life. Physical Wealth & Health: The long-term impact of fitness, nutrition, and recovery on overall life satisfaction. Financial Wealth & The Enough Life: The danger of chasing an ever-moving financial goal and defining your version of financial sufficiency. Mentioned Resources & Links: Sahil Bloom's book The Five Types of Wealth The quiz on Sahil Bloom's website (for assessing your wealth across all five categories) The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Episode 46 about Psychology of Money Personal Finance Club – Jeremy Schneider's simple investing strategies For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Too restrictive or a key part of a military families financial planning? Today's episode is a no-holds-barred discussion about the pros, cons, and real-life strategies behind 529 plans. Episode Summary: In this episode, Spencer and Jamie dive deep into the world of 529 college savings plans—a tax-advantaged tool designed to save for qualified education expenses. They explore the basics of how 529 plans work (after-tax contributions, tax-free growth, and penalty-free withdrawals on qualified education expenses) and highlight recent changes that expand their flexibility beyond just college tuition. The conversation unfolds as Spencer raises his skeptical questions, while Jamie defends the plan's benefits by sharing personal experiences and strategies. From multi-generational planning to overcoming the challenge of overfunding, the discussion covers everything you need to know to determine if a 529 plan fits into your family's financial strategy. Key Discussion Points & Takeaways: Understanding 529 Fundamentals: Contributions are made with after-tax dollars, but the account grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified expenses (college, K–12 tuition, apprenticeship programs, computer equipment, and internet access) remain tax-free. Jamie explains the flexibility and evolving nature of 529 plans, including options to roll over funds to a Roth IRA (subject to annual limits and other restrictions) if the money isn't immediately needed for education. Flexibility vs. Restriction: Spencer shares his concerns about the plan's restrictions and whether the benefits favor high-income families more than those who might truly need the tax advantages. Jamie counters by emphasizing that the primary goal is to ensure your child's educational expenses are covered, while also noting that any “overfunding” isn't a total loss—it comes with backup options like beneficiary changes and penalty adjustments if funds are withdrawn for non-qualified purposes. Practical Money Management: Real-life insights on how to balance your overall financial strategy: build a solid retirement plan, clear debt, and then contribute to a 529 plan once you've established your own financial security. Jamie outlines his personal approach, including how much he's contributed over the years and his strategy for managing contributions as his children get closer to college age. Discussion of exit strategies: potential rollovers, transferring balances between beneficiaries, and even using scholarship funds to unlock part of the 529 savings without penalties. Generational and Strategic Considerations: Beyond college savings, the episode explores whether 529 plans can serve as a mechanism for a multi-generational legacy—providing educational support for nieces, nephews, or future grandchildren. The balance between maximizing tax-free growth and maintaining account flexibility is a recurring theme, with both hosts stressing the importance of aligning a 529 plan with your broader financial plan. Actionable Insights for Listeners: Evaluate Your Priorities: Before you start pouring funds into a 529 plan, ensure you've taken care of high-priority items like debt repayment and retirement savings. Start Early: Open an account when your child is young. Even small, regular contributions can accumulate significantly over time. Customize According to Your Needs: Understand that the “perfect” plan isn't one-size-fits-all. Consider factors like potential state tax deductions, investment options (like Vanguard 529's low-cost index fund style), and your own financial situation. Plan for Flexibility: Keep in mind exit strategies (such as rollovers to Roth IRAs and changing beneficiaries) so that if your situation changes, you're not locked into funds you can't use as intended. If this episode sparked some thoughts about your child's educational future or your family's financial planning, drop us a message on Instagram or visit our website at MilitaryMoneyManual.com.  Links mentioned: Kate Horrell's College Savings resources Episode 124 w/ Kate Horrell Episode 165 w/ Daniel Kopp FINRED flyer on 529s For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Did you know there's a way to get tax-free income, tax-free growth, AND tax-free withdrawals—all legally? If you're in the military, you have access to one of the most powerful wealth-building tools that civilians can only dream of. Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) is the golden ticket, and in this episode, we break down exactly how you can leverage it to maximize your savings and accelerate your journey to financial freedom. Episode Summary: Military members deployed to a Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) location receive tax-free pay, but did you know this can also supercharge your retirement savings?  No federal income tax on military pay earned in a combat zone. Contributions to Roth IRA or Roth TSP using tax-exempt combat pay grow tax-free. Withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free, giving you a massive financial advantage. We also discuss the Savings Deposit Program (SDP), tips for avoiding common financial mistakes, and strategies to maximize your tax-free earnings while deployed. Key Takeaways: Maximize Your Benefits: Understand the triple tax benefits and how to supercharge your Roth TSP and Roth IRA. Combat Zone Pay Benefits: Know which locations qualify and how even touching a combat zone for one day can get you CZTE benefits. Emergency Fund First: Use the extra tax-free income to build financial security before investing. Savings Deposit Program (SDP): Earn a guaranteed 10% return with this little-known military savings program. Tax Planning Strategies: Advanced moves like Roth conversions, tax-gain harvesting, and earned income tax credit eligibility. Watch Out for Common Mistakes: Avoid lifestyle inflation and missed opportunities to grow tax-free wealth. Links mentioned today: IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces Tax Guide IRS.gov CZTE locations (as of this publishing) DFAS.mil's Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) info Savings Deposit Program (SDP) Article Responding to CP04 IRS Letter Article Military Tax Experts Alliance Episode 167 w/ Ryan Guina, Contributing up to $70,000 to TSP while Deployed! Episode 116 - Roth TSP and Roth IRA are Different!! For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Are you just trying to survive financially? Or are you on your way to building a lasting legacy? Discover the 7 levels of wealth adapted for military life and learn how to move from paycheck-to-paycheck living to financial freedom and abundance! This isn't about rank or time in service – it's about intention and systems. This episode is inspired by Ramit Sethi's video on the seven levels of wealth, viewed through a unique military money lens. The levels aren't tied to rank or experience; a junior service member could be ahead of a senior one. Everyone starts somewhere, and there's no shame if you're not at the final step yet. The Seven Levels of Wealth (with a military twist): Levels 1-2: Beginner's Mindset Level 1: Survival Level 2: Stability Levels 3-4: The Boring Middle Level 3: Security Level 4: Growth Levels 5-7: The Advanced Phase / Financial Freedom Level 5: Freedom Level 6: Abundance Level 7: Legacy Links mentioned today: Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover YNAB app (military discount) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Navigating PCS Chaos, Saving Money, and Finding Adventure! PCSing is a constant in military life, often bringing stress, extra costs, and confusion. But it doesn't have to be a nightmare! In this episode, we dive deep into practical tips and strategies to help you survive your next Permanent Change of Station (PCS), save money, and maybe even make it an adventure. We cover everything from getting your paperwork in order to leveraging financial benefits and preparing your family for the journey. In this episode, we discuss key strategies for managing your PCS: Getting Organized & Paperwork: The importance of physical binders and electronic backups for documents. Tips for outprocessing checklists and hand-carrying essential items like orders, Power of Attorneys, birth certificates, passports, and social security cards. Keep vital documents separate from movers. Financially Preparing: The crucial need to start saving cash early for unreimbursed expenses. Access to liquid money helps with stress management and avoiding debt. Cutting expenses is the first step to saving. Understanding Financial Benefits: Dislocation Allowance (DLA): An entitlement can be taken as an advance upfront (not a loan). Rates vary by pay grade and dependents (e.g., O-5 w/ dependents $5,339, E-4 w/ dependents $3,400 in 2025).  PCS Pay Advance: Option for up to one month's base pay, interest-free, paid back over 12 months. A tool for necessary situations, better than high-interest loans. Moving Your Stuff (HHG government move vs. PPM): Options include full government shipment (through TMO) or the Personally Procured Move (PPM). A partial PPM is recommended for conus moves to get paid for weight in your car. A full PPM offers significant profit potential by paying you the government's cost (examples mentioned: Jamie's $14,000 profit in 2023, and potential $10,000 profit in 2025). Challenge misinformation about PPM rules by referencing the JTR. Temporary Living Expenses (TLE) & Temporary Living Allowance (TLA): TLE (CONUS to CONUS, CONUS to OCONUS, or OCONUS to CONUS variants): Max $290/day, limited to 21 days, can be split between old and new PDS. Can be used for M&IE even when staying with family/friends. TLA (OCONUS): Up to 60 days upon arrival, 10 days upon departure. Covers lodging plus M&IE. Reference the JTR due to common misinformation. Prioritize minimizing stress over maximizing per diem. Preparing Your Family: Frame the move as an adventure. Acknowledge feelings (sadness, excitement) for everyone. Involve older kids in packing. Remember it's a team effort. Decluttering: Less stuff makes moving easier, especially with PPM. Reduces mental stress. Try methods like the hanger trick, Marie Kondo ("spark joy"), or the "poop test" for toys. Holding a garage sale can generate extra cash. Smart Travel & Leave: Explore circuitous travel or taking leave en route by getting it on your orders. PCS is a prime opportunity to take leave between assignments. Can take leave before departing or upon arrival. Understand BH timing. Inventory & Support: Video and photograph your belongings for inventory in case of loss or damage. You are not alone. Lean on your support network, friends, family, or sponsor for help. Links Mentioned: DFAS website for TLE details  DTMO website for TLA details Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Your ultimate (source document) guide for entitlements Kate Horrell's PCS checklists Previous Podcast Episode on the $14k PPM Profit Article about Circuitous Travel  Podcast episode about Circuitous Travel Podcast episode about Legacy Planning for Military Families For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

The military retirement is one of the best benefits in the world... but is it worth the cost in years of your life? Summary: How is military retirement pay calculated Military retirement can be worth at least $1,500,000! Benefits for military retirees Intangible benefits of military service What veterans miss about the military after retirement Links: Enlisted Money @enlistedmoneyguy on Instagram Brandon's blog post- Is Doing 20 Years in the Military Worth it? past episodes w/ Brandon include: ep 96- Enlisted Money Basics ep 128- Continuation Pay ep 143- DCFSA Brandon Lovingier, ChFC®, MQFP®, joined the Army right out of high school and has served over 19 years. He wasn't always good with money, but now his family is debt-free and building wealth. He established Enlisted Money to help enlisted service members avoid his mistakes. He earned his Chartered Financial Consultant – ChFC® designation in 2022 and Military Qualified Financial Planner – MQFP® in 2023. He received The American College of Financial Services NextGen Financial Professional Award for 2024. He's spoken at MilMoneyCon and loves mentoring other service members on their own financial freedom journey. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Most couples would rather talk about their sex life with a friend than money! What would it look like if we both felt good about money? Today we talk about how to get started with dreaming together and how to discover how to create a shared vision and discussing what kind of money stories do you want to write together as a couple Jamie's 3 main take-aways: You and your spouse have to talk about money, understand where they're coming from, and their money scripts Your priorities will be different; find a way to get to a shared vision Whatever system you choose, shared goals and a shared vision are MOST important Spencer's main lessons: Discover how money can be a source of collaboration between you and your partner Connect with your partner and use the medium of money to do that Money doesn't have to be a source of stress or strain Other topics we discussed: Communication Dreaming conversations (visionary dreams, not costs at first) Be curious about why your spouse may have negative mindsets about money "I wonder what it would look like if we had a talk about money this week" Working each person's priorities into your budget with whatever system you choose Starting the meeting with appreciation for each other "A budget is a tactical solution to a psychological problem" - Ramit Sethi "A budget's not going to save you, but learning how to connect over money just might!" - Ramit Sethi  Housing, transportation, and food are often the 3 biggest areas military couples often overspend in Links: Money for Couples by Ramit Sethi The Money for Couples podcast Ramit's 10 Money Rules, episode 108 of our podcast Ramit flow chart @militarymoneymanual on instagram YNAB (military discount) Justin Peter's FI Minded podcast Money Scripts podcast episode #82 with Daniel Kopp For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Holding too much cash can be a drag on your gains. You shouldn't have too much of it sitting in your account without a specific purpose. Today you'll learn answers to questions such as: How much is too much? Where should I keep my cash? What should I do today if I have too much cash? Links from today's episode: Erik Baskin at Baskin FP Past podcast episodes with Erik Baskin include episode 72, episode 129, and episode 168. Erik Baskin on LinkedIn The Veteran Finance podcast with Erik Baskin For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Which is better, lump sum investing or Dollar Cost Averaging? Bottom line, neither is significantly better, although lump sum investing statistically wins slightly. The more important factor in you building wealth is that you invest consistently for the long-term!  Missing just the 10 best trading days between 2002-2022 would cut your returns by 50%. Don't play games when you know it's impossible to win. Just keep investing! Links from today's episode: Vanguard white paper on lump sum vs. DCA Military Money Manual blog post on this topic How to Time the Market World's Worst Market Timer (only investing at the peak) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Better every day. That's the goal. Not perfection. What skill have you ever learned that you were perfect at right from the start? Then why are you so hard on yourself when your financial journey isn't perfectly smooth and easy? Each positive decision you make, each money conversation you have with your spouse is like a good set at the gym. Not every rep is perfect, so you keep working on it. This week, we're talking mindset shifts to help you think of one way you can PRACTICE this week with: Spending intentionally Communication Overcoming exessive frugality & moving on from seasons of aggressive saving Money management is a skill that improves with practice. You'll get better with each rep. Don't expect perfect from you every day (or from your spouse!). What decision today could be one rep?  For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

"Reading has changed my life!" Today's key topics include: VA House Hacking as a young officer, military influencer and off duty employment in the Air Force, personal finance for military women, and self improvement for new officers and cadets. As a young officer, Lanae is debt free except her mortgage, owns a home using her VA loan, has a very high savings rate, and helps spread awareness about how women can improve their knowledge and personal finance situation. Links: Lanae's Instagram @lanaeslife1 Spencer's article about the VA Loan Our VA loan podcast episode w/ Rich Carey Our VA Loan- Everything you Need to Know podcast episode See Important Disclaimer for Department of the Air Force Influencers Lanae is a Force Support Officer stationed in Colorado. She earned her commission through the ROTC program at Ohio University and received her Bachelor's of Science degree in Communication Studies 2022. She became a home owner and debt free at 23 years old and loves to read, travel, be outdoors, and is passionate about personal finance education for women. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

30%-40% international funds in your portfolio!? What is home-country bias and why you may want exposure to markets other than just the US stock market. Links:  https://www.baskinfp.com/ Military Tax Experts Alliance Vanguard article on international investments "U.S. stocks are unlikely to repeat their past outperformance over the coming decade" - Vanguard  Spencer's personal assett allocation For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Entreprenuership, Guard benefits, TSP while deployed, and more! Topics from today: Starting TheMilitaryWallet.com Joining the Guard after 8 years Why he joined the Guard VA disability Guard pay, healthcare, and retirement differences Transition Assistance Medical Program (TAMP) TSP contributions in a combat zone Annual additons limit Ryan's personal considerations for whether to continue serving past 20 years Ryan Guina is The Military Wallet's founder. He is a writer, small business owner, and entrepreneur. He served over six years on active duty in the USAF and is a current member of the Tennessee Air National Guard. Ryan started The Military Wallet in 2007 after separating from active duty military service and has been writing about financial, small business, and military benefits topics since then. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

64% of veterans will leave initial first post-military job in the first two years! Repeat guest Kate Horrell joins us again to discuss her thought-provoking post on this topic. Of course there are always outliers and unique circumstances, but in genral we hope this conversation helps you slow down and question the pressure to "stabilize" and find your "perfect, dream home" immediatley after you leave active duty.  Main reasons to consider renting for 1 or 2 more years include: Employment instability Effect of stress on decision-making Financial upheaval and the unknowns Links we mentioned: Kate's article "Don't buy a house when leaving active duty" The Syracuse University study  KateHorrell.com Kate's Military Family's Confidently Prepared™ Life Binder Kate's new book on the GI Bill (coming ~4/15/25) Kate Horrell is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, and Military Qualified Financial Planner®. She's also the spouse of a retired sailor and mom of four young adults. She writes about the financial issues that affect military families - pay, allowances, and benefits. Plus college stuff, landlording, moving, taxes. We cover a little bit of everything. Her goal is to give you the tools to make the best decisions right now, so you'll be confidently prepared for whatever comes next - whether that's a PCS move, transition to civilian life, or retirement. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

As an optimzer, Jamie was concerned about how to perfect his family's GI Bill strategy. In the middle of a discussion (after we wrapped up last week's podcast recording with Daniel), we hit record for this non-standard format. As Jamie allows himself to be vulnerable and curious about the words he used, Daniel is able to help him work through some anxiety and negative feelings.  You'll also hear some tactical advice for using and sharing the GI Bill. Links we mentioned: Financial Therapy certificate Daniel and Spencer both earned through Kansas State Wise Stewardship Financial Planning Daniel Kopp is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner and founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning where he helps young widows and widowers as well as servicemembers get their financial lives in order by aligning their money with their values. He is also an Air Force veteran after almost 9 years as an officer on active duty during which he served as an Air Battle Manager participating in combat deployments and training opportunities all across the world. Outside of his official military commitments, Daniel has always had a passion to help servicemembers and their families master their finances where he served as a volunteer financial counselor during most of his time on active duty. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

If you've been eyeing an American Express card but aren't sure which one to get, you're in the right place! In this episode, we break down two great personal cards—the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express—and two great business cards—the American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.  These powerhouse cards are key for earning American Express Membership Rewards®. We share our personal experiences with these cards, favorite card benefits, and what we'd recommend for anyone looking to maximize their points-and-miles strategy. First, the Personal Card Breakdown The American Express® Gold Card: The Food Lover's Dream Card Pam kicks things off by sharing why the American Express® Gold Card has been a staple in her wallet for years and how the benefits this card offers are amazing for foodies.  The Platinum Card® from American Express: Travel Perks Galore The Platinum Card® from American Express isn't just a credit card; it's a travel lifestyle. If you're a frequent traveler, this card's benefits can come in clutch.  Up Next: Two Great Business Cards American Express® Business Gold Card: Small-Business Winner This card is perfect if you want flexible spending-category bonuses and great perks for small businesses (including office-supply stores).  The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Even More Travel Perks A great go-to card for cell-phone insurance coverage & statement credits, plus travel benefits like lounge access a new Hilton credit.  Credits & Perks:  Jess breaks down the key differences between all the perks and credits, and whether they might make sense for you. As Alex puts it, "Don't let the credits stress you out. If using them feels like work, the card might not be worth it for you." Pro Tips for Maximizing Your Cards The Travel Mom Squad shares some expert tips to get the most value: elevated offers, reminders for monthly credits, and how to earn referral points. Links: Credit Card Benefits Cheat Sheet: https://travelmomsquad.kit.com/benefits-cheat-sheet Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Cards mentioned in the episode The American Express® Gold Card: http://travelmomsquad.com/american-express-gold The Platinum Card® from American Express: https://travelmomsquad.com/refer/american-express-platinum-card/ American Express® Business Gold Card: http://travelmomsquad.com/american-express-business-gold The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: http://travelmomsquad.com/american-express-business-platinum Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Why we love American Express Membership Rewards® for travel 01:00 – The personal cards 02:30 – Restaurant benefits, quirks, and ice-cream cakes galore 10:15 – Travel benefits: lounge access, travel perks 17:00 – The key differences explained 21:30 – The business-card breakdown 24:30 – All about business welcome offers 33:00 – How to inquire about retention offers 38:30 – Our final verdict: which cards we keep and why If you want to earn more American Express Membership Rewards®, this episode is a must-listen! Tune in to hear all the details, plus some hilarious behind-the-scenes stories about how we use our points for everyday treats and family travel.  

Word on the street is the Amex Platinum card is going to be "refreshed" which may mean new benefits, new cost, new rebates, and more. In this episode, we'll make some predictions about what we might see. (01:06) - Predicting the Refreshed Platinum Card annual fee (02:55) - Earning rate change? (04:04) - Coupon changes? (06:49) - Will the airline incidental fees credit change? (11:57) - Perk changes? Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media. Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads

How to teach your military kids about healthy and positive money habits, set expectations for college, use the GI Bill, and leverage 529s and other investment accounts for your military family. With today's guest, Daniel Kopp, we discussed: Teaching kids spending, saving, and giving buckets Teach, demo, supervise with your kids Give them chances to fail Wants vs. needs & delayed gratification Don't make money a big secret- talk about it Evolving the lessons you teach your kids as they age 529s, UTMAs, taxable brokerage accounts, and life insurance Tax efficient gifting strategies FAFSA for military families VA chapter 35 Prepaid college  The "College Pre-Approval Process" How to avoid overpaying for college Links we mentioned: Money Scripts episode w/ Daniel Kopp (episode # 82) Cybersecurity 101 podcast episode (#157) Military Financial Advisors Assocation (MFAA) FDIC's Money Smart Catalog CFPB's Money As You Grow program NCUA Games U.S. Mint free games and activities for children Military to Financial Planner podcast Wise Stewardship Financial Planning Daniel Kopp is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner and founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning where he helps young widows and widowers as well as servicemembers get their financial lives in order by aligning their money with their values. He is also an Air Force veteran after almost 9 years as an officer on active duty during which he served as an Air Battle Manager participating in combat deployments and training opportunities all across the world. Outside of his official military commitments, Daniel has always had a passion to help servicemembers and their families master their finances where he served as a volunteer financial counselor during most of his time on active duty. Books mentioned in this episode: Raising your Money-Savvy Family for Next Generation Financial Independence by Carol Pittner and Doug Nordman How to Pay for College by Ann Garcia The Missing Billionaires by Victor Haghani & James White The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze Four Money Bears by Mac Gardner For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Making your money more focused on your future expenses, goals, and desires. We were inspired by the updates to the YNAB method to share these powerful questions and help your family become more intentional and proactive. Main themes from today's episode: Use these 5 questions to give every dollar a job for what matters to you What to do when you feel like everyone is coming for your hard-earned dollars Building a system so you can thrive Choosing whether to spend a hard-earned dollar now or put it to work with a productive asset 5 questions to ask: What does this money need to do before I'm paid again? What larger, less frequent spending do I need to prepare for? What can I set aside for next month's spending? What goals, large or small, do I want to prioritize? What changes do I need to make, if any? Links we mentioned today: YNAB (military discount) The updated YNAB method (no more 4 rules) Episode 58 w/ Jesse Mecham, founder of YNAB Kate Horrell's military pay day calendar Personal Finance Club's two variables- income and expenses Monarch Money (military discount) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

"What's the mission for this money?" "Wealth is what you DON'T see." "Go find something you're really excited about." "Contributions, Conversion, Characterization." "It's OK to follow your curiosity!" This episode is full of gems of wisdom from ALF. Some major questions include: Do political changes adjust my investing strategy?  How do I fight against the pull to get a car that's more expensive? What's a backdoor Roth IRA? Who needs to do it? Is there an income limit for Roth TSP contributions? Do I need to make quarterly estimated tax payments? Any advice for career changes after the military? How do I find a fulfilling career after the military? Links we mentioned today: MQFP (Military Qualified Financial Planner) MilMoneyCon (next event is May 15-17, 2025 in San Antonio) Our previous episode w/ ALF on Survivor Benefit Program (#89) Erik Baskin's newsletter Personal Finance Club post about performance during Presidents Daniel Kopp's Military to Financial Planner podcast Military Financial Advisors Assocation (MFAA) Winged Wealth blog post on Risk Brian O'Neill on LinkedIn WingedWealth.com For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Military servicemembers and their spouse can get annual fees waived on personal cards from top banks such as American Express and Chase! Today's episode covers: What's the big deal about these cards? Why are they good? How does this waiver thing work? What order should I open my cards in? How far can I take this? Is it going to be complicated? How can I learn more about credit card strategies? Remember, NO credit cards if you're already in credit card debt, living paycheck-to-paycheck, or struggling to make ends meet. This is a more advanced personal finance benefit. Links: Free Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course Military Lending Act (MLA) explained How to check the MLA database Credit card strategy podcast episode Amex family language changes episode Past epsiodes on: Amex Platinum Chase Sapphire Reserve Hilton Aspire Bonvoy Brilliant Military Money Manual card recommendations and benefits posts For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

The 2025 Air Force pilot bonus is out!  This episode is specifically for USAF pilots (or anyone else oddly interested in the numbers). There are also bonuses for CSOs/Navs, RPA pilots, and ABMs, although we focus specifically on the pilot bonus. There are a few types of bonus money available this year for those who UPT ADSC expires in FY25, FY26, or FY27. You can get a preferential assignment, a financial bonus, or both! We'll discuss the legacy bonus (ADSC expiringing in FY25), the demo program bonus (ADSC expiring in FY26 or FY27), and the contract expired bonus (ADSC expired before FY25, never took a bonus, or ADSC from taking a bonus earlier is done.) Refer the official PSDM on MyVector (CAC required) for full details and source document guidance. Links: Jamie's article on the pilot bonus Podcast episode from 2022 Pilot Bonus (#34) Military Bonus and Windfall episode (#32) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Money doesn't have to cause stress. It doesn't have to be complex. It doesn't have to require a lot of time to build wealth. Learn how to simply your: Budget Bills Investment Tracking Links: Money for Couples podcast w/ Ramit Sethi LADS Philosophy, episode #158 Money Scripts episode #82 w/ Daniel Kopp YNAB app  Monarch money For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Low-cost, Automatic, Diversified, Simple (LADS). Consistent, automatic savings poured into my simple and diversified index funds at low costs have been the cornerstone of my successful investment portfolio. Low-cost: Select low-cost index funds with low-cost expense ratios. All of the funds in the TSP meet these criteria and many Vanguard funds do as well. Automatic: Set up automatic contributions from your military paycheck to your TSP. Then, set up automatic withdrawals from your checking account to your IRA. Invest monthly or after every paycheck. If you receive a lump sum payment, like a bonus, invest it as soon as possible. Diversified: Don't buy one company's stock. Buy stocks from many companies through index funds. Simple: Never invest in anything you don't understand. If you can't explain it to a five-year-old, it's too complicated. Buy income-producing assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate. Links:  Military Money Manual book (promo code "podcast" for discount) Our favorite financial independence books blog post Random Walk Down Wall Street Little Book of Common Sense Investing Simple Path to Wealth Psychology of Money SPIVA Scorecard from S&P Global Chart to show how much to invest to max your TSP this year Projection Lab (military discount) Jack Bogle's post on stock market vs funds vs investor returns Military Financial Advisors Assocation (MFAA) Nectarine (military discount) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Protect your credit, protect your identity, and keep your money safe online. You can easily freeze your credit with each of the 3 credit bureaus to ensure no one can open accounts in your name. You don't need to pay for credit monitoring service in most cases or pay to know your credit score. It's very simple and easy to quickly unfreeze your credit before applying for a new credit card or mortgage. Also use unique passwords, stored securely and two-factor authentication (preferably on an Authenticator app over receiving a text code) for all your accounts. Active duty alerts on your credit report is NOT as helpful as actually freezing your credit. Links:  Annual Credit Report (free report, no cost, no catch) Freeze your credit w/ Experian Freeze your credit w/ TransUnion Freeze your credit w/ Equifax For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Die Amex Platinum Card in Österreich gibt aktuell wieder 30.000 Punkte Willkommensbonus bis 11.3.2025. Ein Grund sich diese Kreditkarte für Österreich mal genauer anzuschauen.  Zur Amex Platinum Card Österreich: https://www.travel-insider.de/AmexPlatinumAT   ▬ Über diesen Kanal ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Mit Dominik, dem "Travel-Insider", bekannt aus GALILEO (PRO 7), hast du genau den richtigen Kanal für mehr Komfort und Luxus beim Reisen gefunden. Erfahre hier auch, warum es auch für Dich Sinn macht, endlich Business Class zu fliegen und dabei nur den Economy-Preis zu bezahlen. Dann bist du hier genau richtig! Ich, Dominik Reichert, biete dir wöchentlich neuen Input und neue Tipps, um deine Reisen auf das nächste Level zu bringen.  ▬ Weitere Infos zum Travel-Insider ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ► Viele weitere Informationen & verschiedene Deals findest du auf meiner Website: https://www.travel-insider.de ► Hier kannst du den kostenlosen Upgrade-Report downloaden https://www.travel-insider.de/upgrade-report ► Podcast: https://www.travel-insider.de/podcast ► Feedback und Fragen an podcast@travel-insider.de ▬ Meine Basis-Ausrüstung ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ► Lufthansa Flugbuchung: https://www.travel-insider.de/lufthansa ► Miles & More Kreditkarte: https://www.travel-insider.de/mmgold ► Mikrofone: https://amzn.to/4961UpI oder https://amzn.to/4bbwGiV ► Kamera: https://amzn.to/3HVhCbX oder https://amzn.to/3SenD85 (Bei den Links handelt es sich um bezahlte Affiliate-Links. Dir entstehen dadurch keine Zusatzkosten.) ▬ Noch mehr Videos ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  ► Alle Videos von "Travel-Insider": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjv8FRKjOQfCXmxNEwrQLg ▬ Social Media ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ► Instagram: https://www.travel-insider.de/insta ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Roth is the way to go for almost all military families. Because of the unusually low taxable income military families have (since allowances like BAH and BAS aren't taxable income),  we're going to take a hard stance on this one and show the benefits for Roth: You can always access your Roth contributions tax free and penalty free (can help with gap fund, emergencies, first house purchase, etc) All of the money you'll have in your Roth IRA or Roth TSP will be non-taxed upon withdrawal at retirement age (no big tax bombs or complicated strategies required) No taxable RMDs as you age No taxable RMDs for whomever receives the Roth account after your pass, in most cases (big win for your beneficiaries) No concern about future tax rate, tax laws, or tax bracket changes Remember, almost all of the million+ you'll have in retirement accounts as you age will be GROWTH- and that's not taxed.  In a few cases (mil-to-mil senior officers, high income families, complicated tax situations, extreme FI/RE types, etc.) traditional may be better for you. As you get more advanced and learn more about personal finance, you can make the decision. If unsure, go Roth! *Not financial advice. Do your own research and make your own, informed decisions. For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Dissect your money stories, the traditions you've adapted from culture and your family of orgin to understand WHY you make the money decisions you make each month? For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Spencer and Jamie explain how to maximize TSP contributions under the Blended Retirement System (BRS), including calculating monthly contribution percentages and avoiding common mistakes that could result in missing matching funds. They break down the 2025 contribution limits and discuss strategies for both BRS and legacy retirement system participants. Here's the TSP BRS maximizing chart. Questions discussed: What are the TSP contribution limits for 2025? How do Roth TSP and Roth IRA limits differ? How should you calculate monthly TSP contributions under BRS? What happens if you front-load TSP contributions under BRS? How do you handle mid-year pay increases? What should you do if you over-contribute? How do you adjust contributions if starting later in the year? Resources mentioned: MilitaryMoneyManual.com/tsp TSP.gov MyPay r/MilitaryFinance subreddit Military Money Manual Instagram (@militarymoneymanual) TSP contribution calculator/chart on MilitaryMoneyManual.com NDAA 2025 proposed pay increases Blended Retirement System (BRS) overview For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks.   Also today, we spend so much on healthcare in the U.S. with less to show for it. Clark has money saving medical advice, and a recent experience to share. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 SPEND LESS On Healthcare: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Clark's Christmas Kids 2024 Fidelity vs. Vanguard vs. Schwab: Which Brokerage Is Best? The Platinum Card® from American Express Review 2024: Is It Worth It? Should I Freeze My Credit With the Other Credit Bureaus? Which Credit Reports Do AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Pull? 5 of Clark Howard's Most Extreme Frugal Hacks New lessons from the fight for charity care  /  Dollar For Google Fi Review: My Experience as a Five-Year Customer (Pros and Cons) What Should I Read To Learn More About Investing? Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biggest financial lessons from The Alamanc of Naval Ravikant 3 biggest decisions: where you live, who you're with, and what you do Does money make you happy? How to get rich Outsourcing 3 way to retire Cultivating wisdom Things money can't buy Links:  The Almanac of Naval Ravikant on Amazon Don't buy a house on active duty (episode #134) Money mindset podcast episode #148 For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Tax advantages, confusing tax brackets, marginal vs effective tax rates, and more! Spener and Jamie discuss how military service members benefit from unique tax advantages, including untaxed allowances and combat zone tax exclusions. They also break down real examples of effective tax rates for different ranks and locations, explain tax brackets, and discuss investment implications, particularly for Roth vs traditional retirement accounts. Main Topics & Questions Covered: How did Jamie pay an effective tax rate of only 10% in 2023? What military pay components are not taxed? BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) BAS (Basic Allowance for Sustenance) OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance) Overseas COLA Combat Zone Tax Exclusion Pay (CZTE) Hostile fire/imminent danger pay How do combat zone tax exclusions work? Areas designated by presidential executive order No limit for enlisted members Officers capped at highest enlisted monthly pay Real examples of effective tax rates for: E5 at Holloman AFB (single) E7 at Fort Sill (married with children) O3 at Wheeler Army Airfield (married with child) O5 in Hawaii (with children) How do tax brackets actually work? Progressive system explanation Standard deduction impacts Marriage tax advantages Common misconceptions about brackets Investment implications: Roth vs Traditional retirement accounts Why Roth often makes sense for military members Tax considerations when transitioning to civilian life Key takeaways: Military members often have very low effective tax rates Understanding true taxable income vs. total compensation Importance of tracking tax information on LES Resources for military tax assistance (Military Tax Experts Alliance) The hosts emphasized two main recommendations: Consider Roth retirement contributions while serving Be cautious about buying houses while on active duty Links: Military Tax Experts Alliance Military One Source's free tax prep software (miltax) Money Chimp's tax calculator IRS designated combat zones (CZTE zones) Money Chimp's Compound Annual Growth Rate calculator (CAGR) IRS Tax Brackets Podcast episode about state taxes #27 Episode #130 with Pual Allen from Military Tax Experts Alliance Episode #119 with Kate Horrell on taxes for military spouses For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Spencer and Jamie address a listener question about where to save money for a house down payment, which leads to a broader discussion about short-term savings strategies based on different time horizons. Main Topics & Questions Covered: Where to save money for a house down payment How to handle proceeds from a home sale while waiting to buy another property When to keep money in cash vs. when to invest it Different savings vehicle options for different time horizons Key Points Discussed: Short-term savings (0-3 months): Keep in checking account Use for immediate bills and expenses Consider automated savings for regular expenses Medium-term savings (3 months - 1 year): High-yield savings accounts (HYSA) Money market accounts Consider proximity to primary bank for transfers Longer-term savings (1-5 years): HYSAs CDs (including no-penalty CDs) Treasury ETFs (SGOV, SCUS mentioned as examples) Avoid stock market investments due to risk Beyond 5 years: Can consider stock market investments Focus on long-term growth strategies Align with financial independence goals For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

2025 contribution limits are out!  In this episode, Spencer and Jamie discuss the newly announced IRS contribution limits for retirement accounts in 2025. They break down the changes for 401(k), TSP, and IRA accounts, explaining the limits for both standard and catch-up contributions, while also highlighting an important opportunity for military families with non-working spouses. What are the new 2025 contribution limits for 401(k) and TSP accounts? Increased by $500 to $23,500 for those under 50 What are the 2025 IRA contribution limits? Remains at $7,000 for traditional and Roth IRAs (under 50) Can non-working spouses contribute to an IRA? Yes, if married filing jointly Can contribute up to $7,000 to spouse's IRA Must have at least $14,000 in combined earned income as a couple What are catch-up contributions? Clarification that these are only for those over 50 Not meant for younger service members trying to "catch up" on contributions We encourage you to maximize these tax-advantaged retirement spaces when possible and gradually increase contributions over time! For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Do you still get a pension under the BRS? YES! We can't believe this myth and misinformation is still spreading around the military. Spencer and Jamie break down the three components of the military's Blended Retirement System (BRS) and address common misconceptions. They explain how the pension calculation works, discuss TSP matching benefits, and detail continuation pay options across different services. The hosts emphasize that servicemembers still receive a pension under BRS and highlight both the advantages and potential pitfalls of the system. Questions discussed: How is the pension calculated under BRS? What are the three main components of BRS? How does TSP matching work? What are the continuation pay rates across different services? Why did the DOD switch to BRS? Should you take the lump sum option? How can leaders help troops not miss continuation pay opportunities? Is the BRS lump sum retirement option a good idea? Resources mentioned: militarypay.defense.gov/blendedretirement Continuation Pay episode w/ Brandon Lovingier, The Enlisted Money Guy (Ep #128) Military Money: Pay and Pension app (free) on Apple's app store Nectarine's flat-rate financial advisors available for booking with 10% military discount using this link   For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

"I'll always be broke." "I can't build wealth with this salary." "I'm just a spender- I can't help it." In this episode, Jamie and Spencer discuss how adopting a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset can transform your approach to personal finance. Drawing from Carol Dweck's book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," they explore how changing your perspective from "I'm not good with money" to "I'm not good with money yet" can open up opportunities for financial growth and learning. Main Topics Covered: • Definition and differences between fixed mindset and growth mindset • How mindset affects financial behavior and decision-making • The power of labels in personal development • Common financial mindset traps in the military community • Ways to develop a growth mindset with money • The impact of mindset on relationships and money management Links We Discussed Today: Look for personal finance books on the Libby App (using free DOD MWR library) Carol Dweck's "Mindset" book See quick book summary on fs.blog or her TED talk "I Will Teach You to be Rich" by Ramit Sethi "The Simple Path to Wealth" by JL Collins "The Psychology of Money" by Morgan Housel "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki  Military One Source Personal Finance Club For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

This may surprise you! Want to experience an easier and simplified strategy for military credit cards? That's fine! We'd ask "why" you don't want more, but in today's episode we share which cards we'd recommend for listeners who reach out wanting smaller numbers.  Links: Ultimate Military Credit Cards course (free) Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) Amex Gold Card Amex Platinum Amex Hilton Aspire Amex Platinum for Charles Schwab Chase Ink Business cards Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex FINRED's benefits page (official of Financial Readiness) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

A new benefit for military families! How good is it? In fall of 2024, SecDef announced a new Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) for military families. In March 2025, you'll be able to sign up for it for the first time. It may give you a minor tax savings but also may complicate your situation a little. We break down the details of this pre-tax benefit, explaining how it works, who's eligible, and whether it's worth signing up for. Main topics and questions covered: What is the new Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA)? Who is eligible for the HCFSA? What can the HCFSA be used for? How much can be contributed to the HCFSA? How does the contribution process work? What are the tax benefits of the HCFSA? Are there any risks or downsides to the HCFSA? How does the "use it or lose it" rule apply? What are some potential use cases for the HCFSA? Is the HCFSA worth signing up for? How does the HCFSA compare to other military benefits? Where can listeners find more information about the HCFSA? Links Mentioned: FSAfeds HCFSA official page Eligible Expenses List FSAfeds app HCFSA calculator- how much tax savings would it be for you? Military One Source's info on HCFSA FINRED's benefits page (official of Financial Readiness) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Did you know Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) will be a factor in your future that you may not be tracking?  If you have any traditional TSP or IRA money, you'll be required to take a portion of that money starting at 73 (as of 2024, scheduled to go up to 75), and that distribution will be taxable income. This can affect how to withdraw from accounts in retirement and how you decide to contribute to your accounts now. RMDs are also required for your beneficiaries on traditional IRAs you pass on (taxable income for them). While RMDs are required for some Roth IRAs for your beneficiaries as well, they're not taxed. (Inheritance tax is 2024 is $13,610,000. As long as you pass on less than that, no federal taxes. If it's all in a Roth IRA for example, no tax at all. If it's an inherited Traditional retirement account, your beneficiary owes taxes on the money as they withdraw funds per RMD schedule.) Today main takeaways: RMDs are important for you to understand They affect your beneficiaries who receive your accounts after you pass Understanding RMDs may affect how you choose Roth or Traditional investments now If you inherit an IRA, it's complicated but important to get right. Hiring some fee-only help (links below) may be a great idea. Links from today's episode: Military Financial Advisors Association (MFAA) Nectarine (includes 10% off military discount w/ this link) Military Tax Experts Alliance IRA RMD Calculator at Schwab (just one of many examples) IRA RMD Calculator at Vanguard (just one of many examples) Inherited IRA RMD Calculator For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

How do you finance the life between possible early retirment and 59.5 years old when you can access you retirement accounts? A gap fund is one common approach. Today we discuss: What is a gap fund? Is it necessary? Where does it fall in priority order when saving for early retirement? How do you invest a gap fund? For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! Just e-mail us at tsp@militarymoneymanual.com for the free promo code. If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Dependent care flexible spending account- is it even worth your time? (note: this is different than the HEALTHCARE FSA which was announced in Sept 2024- we have an episode coming out on that in a few weeks) Open season is coming up in mid-November to mid-December!  For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. We are publishing this episode now so you can think about it and prepare for open enrollment season coming up in mid November! A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) allows up to $5,000 of pre-tax earnings per household, per year for eligible dependent care expenses. If you have dependents, you're married, your spouse is working or going to school, and you have dependent care expenses, the DCFSA may be for you. Highlights of today include: Basics of the DCFSA and what it can be used for How to decide if it's right for you Amount of contributions allowed and how to use it each calendar year How to enroll during the open season or after a qualifying life event Comparison to the existing tax credits and other childcare program/subsidies What types of dependent care expenses would apply   Links: EnlistedMoney.com http://enlistedmoney.com/ Brandon's DCFSA article https://enlistedmoney.com/dependent-care-flexible-spending-account-dcfsa/ FSA Feds https://fsafeds.com/explore/dcfsa FSA Feds Calculator https://fsafeds.com/support/savingscalculators/dcfsa Financial Readiness (FINRED) Resources https://finred.usalearning.gov/DCFSA Find a Personal Financial Counselor for Free Near You https://finred.usalearning.gov/pfcMap EnlistedMoneyGuy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/enlistedmoneyguy/ Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

In this mailbag episode, Spencer and Jamie answer various listener questions about investing, credit cards, and military-specific financial topics. They provide insights on compound growth, TSP options, Roth vs. Traditional accounts, credit card strategies, and investment return estimates. Questions discussed: - Is there a benefit to combining multiple investment accounts? - Should I move out of TSP for lower fee investments? - How do I choose investments for a spouse's 401(k)? - Is contributing 6% to TSP good for an E4? - Are there ways around Amex family restrictions for credit card bonuses? - Are traditional reservists eligible for annual fee waived cards? - What are go-to cards for regular spending while stationed overseas? - How do I get out of Amex pop-up jail? - What happens to fee waivers after separating from active duty? - How should I estimate returns for my investment portfolio? Resources mentioned: - MLA (Military Lending Act) database - Chase Sapphire Reserve - Amex Platinum, Gold, and Green cards - Hilton Honors Aspire card - Vanguard funds (VTI, VXUS) - TSP funds (C, S, I) - Personal Capital (now Empower) - Kubera.com - Investor.gov compound interest calculator For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Today, a warning about hotel frequent stay programs. Hotel points have been significantly devalued. Clark breaks down who should be brand loyal and who should not bother. Also, Clark has an update on something he's talked about on the show - laundry detergent sheets. So do they work? Hotel Rewards Downgraded: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Update: Laundry Detergent Sheets: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: WSJ: The Loyalty Reward Downgrade Has Come for Hotel Guests Best Travel Credit Cards: Top Rewards Picks for 2024 Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance: Should You Buy It? The Platinum Card® from American Express Review 2024: Is It Worth It? Why Laundry Detergent Sheets Are a Waste of Money Is It Ever OK To Co-Sign a Loan With a Family Member? New Report: The Safest Cars for Teens / Safe vehicles for teens IIHS, Consumer Reports name safe, affordable vehicles for teens Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

$85,000 in debt and a brand new truck to a wealthy and generous life?! In this episode, Air Force officer Garrison shares his financial journey from $85,000 in debt to working towards financial independence. He discusses following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps, buying a home in the military, running a crash pad rental business, and helping his Airmen with financial education. Spencer and Jamie explore Garrison's experiences with budgeting, investing, and balancing financial goals with personal passions like Disney vacations. Topics: Opting into the Blended Retirement System (BRS)? How did Garrison start his financial journey as a young officer? What sacrifices did Garrison make to pay off debt? Is buying a house in the military a good idea? How does Garrison's crash pad rental business work? How does Garrison help his Airmen with financial education? How does Garrison balance financial goals with personal spending? Resources mentioned: Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (military discount) The Military Money Manual book TSP Course Spencer and Jamie created (promo code below) Monarch Money app Rich Dad Poor Dad book Our podcast episode about the Baby Steps   For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

The May 2024 Military Family Financial Readiness study from Armed Forces Bank highlighted unique financial challenges military families faces due to the nature of their service. Today, Spencer and Jamie are joined by Tom McLean and Jodi Vickery, hosts of the Militarily Speaking podcast, join us to discuss the financial challenges military families face, identifying good banking product, avoiding predatory "advisors," and common sources of financial information for our military families. Spoiler alert- the findings aren't really positive. We have so much work to do to continue securing the financial readiness of our troops! Links mentioned in today's show: Military Family Readiness Report  Military One Source Armed Forces Financial Guide (or free PDF copy) Annual Credit Report (free- the official government option) Armed Forces Bank's blog Armed Forces Bank Armed Forces Bank financial education resources Militarily Speaking podcast (or on Spotify) For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Enlisted Airmen with half a million dollars invested?! Meet Darren Thedieck, US Air Force E-7 who was recently featured by CNBC. and Stripes. We talk very practical tips with Darren about how he learned to save, where he saves, speicific ETFs we like, and handling his family's journey from debt to financial independence. How to handle debt Where to park my savings? How much am I actually paid? (Be sure to review your annual Personal Statement of Military Compensation) Handling financial conversations with a spouse Is 100% stocks ok? Retirement accounts vs taxable brokerage accounts Balancing saving goals vs enjoying life and traveling Links mentioned in today's show: Darren's Facebook page Darren's Facebook group, financial dream to reality Our Rich Journey YouTube Our Rich Journey Books mentioned: Stock Investing for Dummies Personal Finance For Dummies The Essays of Warren Buffet: Lessons for Corporate America Unshakeable by Tony Robbins Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

What's the point of building wealth if you're not healthy enough to enjoy it? Today, Spencer and Jamie explore the connection between physical health and financial health. Although this is a slight diversion from our money-focused podcast, we want to encourage you to keep both portions of wellness in balance as you grow towards a wealthy life that you can enjoy. Links mentioned in today's show: The Peter Attia Drive podcast Casper mattresses Vuori shorts Key takeaways: You have to be intentional about maintaining your health- it doesn't happen without intentional planning (just like growing your money!) Don't live inside the spreadsheet in an attempt to maximize savings and have a perfect budget if you won't even be healthy enough to play with your kids or go on vacation The bedrock of good health is sleep Little habits that you repeat over time build on themselves to make you healthier AND wealthier You can prioritize spending on your wellness and health (good mattresses, gym membership, quality food, good running shoes, etc.) Start working to increase your healthspan- the amount of your lifespan that you're actually healthy Being healthier will enable you to have more energy to excel at work and at home If you've been out of balance, let today be the day to ask for help For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

Does a simple Bogleheads style of investing work for military families? YES!  The Bogleheads are followers of the philosophy of Vanguard founder John C. "Jack" Bogle.  Live below your means Develop a workable plan Never bear too much or too little risk Invest early and often Diversify Invest with simplicity Use index funds when possible Keep Costs Low Minimize taxes Stay the course By the way, you can also recreate a bogleheads' style portfolio in your TSP! We talk about it in the Confident TSP Investing course. Lifecycle funds basically build a simple, 3-fund portofilio for you. Check out the course info below. Links mentioned in today's show: The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle on Libby App or Amazon Bogleheads.org Bogleheads forums r/bogleheads on reddit Jeremy Schneider's two rules from Personal Finance Club- spend less than you earn & invest the difference  International vs US stock performance chart Nectarine's hourly financial advise Military Financial Advisors Association For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.

The L2070 lifecycle fund is available now in your TSP as of July 2024. If you were born after 2005, this will be your default fund you'll be automatically enrolled to contribute to. This is for those of you who'll reach retirement age around the year 2070 (2068-2072 ish). We discuss what lifecycle funds are, what mix of C/S/I/F/G funds is in the L2070 fund, what actions are required from you to maximize your retirement savings, and how to avoid high-fee investments. Main take-aways from this great episode: No action is required for the average TSP participant. No need to go change anything based on this new fund option. Lifecycle funds are a very solid option as your begin your journey. And you have plenty of time to research and develop a different strategy if you want before the lifecycle fund starts shifting slowly towards more bonds. If you want to learn more about the TSP, visit militarymoneymanual.com/tsp for our great course! We also give the course away to any E-4 or below. Just e-mail us- tsp@militarymoneymanual.com for the code. The TSP and the L2070 option is still very low cost (0.054%) and a great way to build wealth. If you need help, for a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Coaching sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5-star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.