Episodes

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: ...

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 ...

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 b...

"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...

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 benef...

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 ...

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 pa...

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 ...

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 thi...

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 contributin...

$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 passi...

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...

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 conv...

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 intent...

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 Confi...

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 gr...

Dave Ramsey's 7 baby steps have helped millions of families. Do they work for military families? Today, we discuss each of the 7 baby steps and how they can work for military families. Both Spencer and Jamie started on the Dave Ramsey plan. We highly recommend the Total Money Makeoever book (check your base library- many have it for free), Financial Peace University, and the Ramsey podcast or YouTube. Military families can get 50% off FPU too! If you need help, for a limited time, Spencer is o...

It's okay to rent on active duty! You don't need to buy a house to build wealth. You can safely ignore the push from VA loan sellers, real estate agents, and mortgage brokers. In this episode of the MMM podcast, Spencer and Jamie challenge the common belief that buying a house is essential for building wealth, especially for active duty military personnel. We explore why renting might be a smarter financial decision for those who move frequently, and debunk popular myths about homeownership. W...

Listener Brian joins us today to share how he used annual-fee waived credit cards to save about $6,000 on his honeymoon by saving big on his flights and hotel. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course for FREE at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Big take-aways: If you're expecting a big expense, open a new credit card like we recommend to easily meet your minimum spend requirements for your welcome offer T...

New enlisted servicemember's guide to personal finance! In this episode, Spencer and Jamie share all the financial advice they'd share with a new enlisted troop in their unit. It is possible to accumulate and save while on active duty as an enlisted service member! If you're an officer, go check out episode #132 covering all the personal finance advice for a new officer! Topics include: Money mindset Banking Tracking spending Debit vs Credit Emergency Fund Keeping up with the Joneses Pri...

New officer's guide to personal finance! In this episode, Spencer and Jamie share all the financial advice they'd share with a new officer in their unit. You CAN become rich on active duty as a military officer! If you're an enlisted servicemember, go check out episode #131 covering all the personal finance advice for an enlisted member. Topics include: Career starter loans Tracking your expenses Balancing enjoying your new life with keeping expenses down Buy a car (use the lemon lot to loo...

Taxes can be complicated. Military families have a number of unique concerns when thinking about their taxes- which state(s) to file in, how to withhold taxes, how a gig economy or side hustle affects the plan, how to handle rental property, etc. Today's main points include: Common tax problems for military families Important tax implications for families with a rental property or side hustle Warning signs when looking at financial advisors Filing in multiple states Filing wholly on your ow...

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. Real-estate returns, disability insurance, time-blocking techniques, and more! Erik Baskin is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Air Force veteran. He's a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner and entrepreneur. Main points: Separating from the military and lessons learned during the transition Military veter...

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. Confused about continuation pay? Join the club. Unfortunately, too many servicemembers and their leaders are confused about the continuation pay benefit in the BRS. In today's episode with Brandon Lovingier, ChFC®, MQFP® aka The Enlisted Money Guy™, we share all you need to know to understand the benefit. For acti...