For military service members and veterans
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Request a conversationWe write about the financial questions that come up during and after military service. You'll find pieces on TSP withdrawals and rollovers, Survivor Benefit Plan elections, how pensions affect taxes and Social Security, and decisions to make before you separate. Pick an article that matches what's on your mind right now.
Is SBP worth it? Why retirees treat the election as closed too soon
A retiring reservist with a younger spouse can see if full coverage pays: is SBP worth it?
Continue reading →Pricing VGLI vs Term Life Insurance the Way Savant Wealth Management Does for Separating Veterans
Many veterans assume they can sign up for VGLI any time after leaving, but the window is 1 year and 120 days from separation.
Continue reading →TSP G Fund vs L Fund for a New Military Retiree With a Pension
Many people assume retiring means moving the TSP into the G Fund, but the TSP requires no fund change at separation, and if your first withdrawal is 15 years away, the G Fund has no bill to pay yet.
Continue reading →Roth TSP vs traditional TSP: which one fits your last years in uniform?
Quick test: if your marginal rate this year is lower than the rate of whoever will spend the money later, put the dollar in Roth.
Continue reading →How to decide whether to keep the TSP or roll to an IRA
Picture the week your new employer's benefits packet asks whether to roll old plans into its 401(k).
Continue reading →Is a Military Pension Taxable? Federal Rules and State Checks (a Walkthrough from Savant Wealth Management)
For a new retiree with a pension: is a military pension taxable?
Continue reading →The Savant Wealth Management Guide to Whether a Military Pension Reduces Social Security
Quick test: every year you drew basic pay should show on your Social Security record at the amount in W-2 box 3.
Continue reading →Reserve retirement pay at 60: fund a $135,000 bridge in 5 steps
A Guard or Reserve member with 20 good years: see what to fund before the first check.
Continue reading →The BRS lump sum option isn't a bonus: the mistake of treating it that way
Taking the BRS lump sum option as 1 payment can add $4,950 in tax.
Continue reading →TSP and 401(k) in the Same Year: One Deferral Limit, Two Plans
For 2026 the combined employee limit is $24,500, or $32,500 at 50 and older, or $35,750 at 60 to 63.
Continue reading →CRDP vs CRSC for a retiree with a VA rating of 50% or more
In the CRDP vs CRSC choice, CRDP restores your waived retired pay as taxable income while CRSC pays only the combat-related amount tax-free, so the two must be compared after tax.
Continue reading →How do you fix retired pay withholding with a second job?
You can keep more cash in hand all year and settle up in April, or you can add withholding now and stop thinking about it.
Continue reading →How to build a financial checklist before separation in 12 months
The decision usually shows up as something small, like whether to put 'day 90' and 'day 240' in your phone calendar this week.
Continue reading →TRICARE For Life and Medicare Part B: The Savant Wealth Management Checklist
To keep TRICARE after 65, you generally need TRICARE For Life and Medicare Part B together, and Part B is the first due date on the list.
Continue reading →IRMAA for Military Retirees: How Pension Plus TSP Sets Your Premium
IRMAA for military retirees depends on income from 2 years before.
Continue reading →How much TSP is enough: measure the gap after tax first
Most retirees underestimate needs by forgetting this critical factor.
Continue reading →Rolling everything into one IRA: the financial mistakes after leaving the military that cost the most
Usually yes, the costliest financial mistakes after leaving the military are timing errors, because veterans move or claim money before the rules that protect it switch on.
Continue reading →How Savant Wealth Management Approaches a Backdoor Roth IRA After Service
The question usually lands in January, when the W-2 from a second-career job pushes joint income past $252,000.
Continue reading →Dual military couple finances: 2 pensions, 2 TSPs, 1 timeline
Each retiring spouse signs their own DD Form 2656 before their own retirement date.
Continue reading →Should you transfer your GI Bill or fund a 529 instead?
A transfer is possible only while you still serve, with at least 6 and, under current Department of Defense policy, no more than 16 years of service.
Continue reading →How to decide when to retire from the military: weighing pension years against civilian pay
Many service members treat 20 years as the finish line, but under High-3, 20 years pays 50% of your base pay, 24 years pays 60% and 30 years pays 75%, so each extra year still moves the number.
Continue reading →BRS continuation pay: spend it, invest it or send it to the TSP? A Walkthrough from Savant Wealth Management
Don't miss the filing deadline for TSP deferrals or the 3-year service commitment.
Continue reading →TSP Catch-Up Contributions at 50 and the Bigger Window at 60 to 63
Do nothing and you keep contributing at the base $24,500 pace while the extra room expires each December.
Continue reading →Military buy back for FERS: a $3,600 deposit that can add $4,000 a year
Paying the wrong military deposit, or paying late, costs real money.
Continue reading →Questions to ask about benefits in a job offer before you trust the salary number
The offer letter arrives with a salary number in bold and the benefits summary as a separate attachment.
Continue reading →How Savant Wealth Management Decides if a Financial Advisor Is Worth It
Many veterans assume an advisor is paid to pick better funds, but a TSP already costs very little, so the value has to come from decisions like withdrawal order, IRMAA tiers and claiming dates.
Continue reading →How to read a retiree account statement before your first check: a guide for new military retirees
Picture a master sergeant in his last week of terminal leave, staring at a first deposit $1,550 smaller than the number in his head.
Continue reading →