The Military Wallet Podcast

For military families, years of PCS moves, deployments, and uncertainty can make it difficult to put down roots or pursue long-term dreams. But when military service comes to an end, the transition to civilian life can open doors to opportunities that once seemed out of reach, including starting a business and making a lasting investment in a community.

On this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast, Ryan Guina is joined by Kellie Artis, military spouse and owner of Bound & Vine, an independent bookstore and wine bar in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Kellie shares how her husband's retirement after 22 years in the Army gave their family the opportunity to settle down, how the idea for Bound & Vine came together, and the challenges of turning that vision into a reality.

They also discuss the employment challenges facing military spouses and why Kellie has made hiring them a priority at Bound & Vine. Along the way, she shares lessons learned about entrepreneurship, business financing, and navigating local regulations. Throughout the conversation, Kellie explains why building a successful business is only part of her mission and how she's working to create a welcoming space where military families and the surrounding community can connect.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for conversations about military pay, benefits, personal finance, veterans issues, and the policies that affect military families.

How has military life shaped your long-term goals or career plans? Share your experience in the comments!

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Connect With Kellie Artis:

Website: https://www.boundandvine.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boundandvine/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boundandvine/

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00:00 Introduction: Kellie Artis & Bound & Vine

01:21 Kellie's Journey as a Military Spouse

04:22 Leadership, Community & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

07:59 How Military Life Shapes Long-Term Dreams

13:33 Turning a Bookstore Idea Into Reality

18:41 Building More Than Just a Bookstore

22:33 Military Spouse Employment & Hiring

28:37 120 Job Applications in One Week

29:51 Lessons Learned From Starting a Business

35:55 What's Next for Bound & Vine?

38:21 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Kellie

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#MilitarySpouse #MilitaryLife #SmallBusiness

Should you increase your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions or invest in an IRA instead? Can a military spouse who doesn't work contribute to retirement savings? And what happens if you withdraw money from your TSP before traditional retirement age? These are important questions for service members and military families looking to make the most of their retirement savings.

On this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast Mail Call, host Ryan Guina answers three listener questions about TSP and IRA investing, spousal IRAs, and early retirement withdrawals. He compares the advantages of investing through the TSP versus an IRA, explains when taxable brokerage accounts might make sense, and discusses how married couples can contribute to separate IRAs even when only one spouse earns an income.

Ryan also breaks down the TSP age-55 exception, including the rules surrounding civilian and uniformed services accounts and the difference between avoiding early-withdrawal penalties and qualifying for tax-free Roth distributions. He explains why withdrawing a large retirement balance at once could result in a significant tax bill and why understanding your options is essential when planning for retirement.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for conversations about military pay, benefits, personal finance, veterans issues, and the policies that affect military families.

Are you contributing to the TSP, an IRA, or both? Share your retirement savings strategy or questions in the comments below!

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

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00:00 Introduction

00:42 TSP vs. IRA: Where Should You Invest?

02:09 Military Retirement and Accessing Your Savings

03:26 TSP Investment Options and Advantages

05:24 Investing With Taxable Brokerage Accounts

08:12 Spousal IRAs: Retirement Savings for Military Couples

10:04 How Spousal IRAs Work

11:15 Spousal IRA Contribution Limits

11:43 Do Spousal IRA Contributions Affect Your Own Limits?

12:49 Understanding the TSP Age-55 Exception

14:49 Penalty-Free vs. Tax-Free Roth TSP Withdrawals

16:02 Should You Withdraw Your Entire TSP Balance?

18:13 Closing Thoughts

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#ThriftSavingsPlan #MilitaryRetirement #RetirementPlanning

This Mail Call episode of The Military Wallet Podcast focuses on how VA health care works and what veterans should know about dependent benefits. VA health care can be confusing, especially when disability ratings, priority groups, copays, and family eligibility rules all overlap.

Ryan Guina is joined by Chad Armstrong, founder of Ace Veteran Consulting and a retired senior non-commissioned officer, to explain the difference between the Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration, how VA health care priority groups work, when veterans may face copays for non-service-connected care, and how VA care can fit alongside civilian health coverage.

Ryan and Chad also discuss what happens when a dependent child turns 18, how eligible children can be added back while attending a qualifying school program, and what parents should document if a child may remain dependent because they are permanently incapable of self-support. They also touch on additional benefits that may be available to dependents of veterans rated 100% permanent and total, including CHAMPVA and Dependents’ Educational Assistance.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for more conversations about military pay, benefits, personal finance, veterans issues, and the challenges that affect military families.

Have questions about VA health care or dependent benefits? Let us know in the comments.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com.

Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at ⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast⁠

Connect with Chad Armstrong:

Website: ⁠https://aceveteranconsulting.com/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/aceveteranconsulting/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aceveteranconsulting/⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadjarmstrong/

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00:29 – Introduction and Chad Armstrong

01:15 – Can VA health care cover non-service-connected conditions?

02:17 – VBA vs. VHA: What’s the difference?

02:55 – VA health care priority groups explained

05:30 – Service-connected care, copays and civilian health coverage

06:16 – When to use VA care vs. civilian providers

07:50 – Dependent benefits and family eligibility

08:50 – What happens when a dependent child turns 18?

09:42 – Adding a child back while they’re in school

10:16 – Adding and removing other dependents

10:47 – “Helpless child” eligibility and documentation

12:28 – Additional benefits for 100% P&T veterans’ dependents

13:44 – Where to find Chad Armstrong

14:00 – Closing

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#VAHealthcare #VeteransBenefits #MilitaryFamilies

In this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast, Ryan Guina talks with Sarah Roder, Director of Partnerships at Armed Forces Mutual and a certified financial education instructor, about how military families can prepare for a PCS and make the transition to a new duty station a little smoother.

Sarah shares practical ways to build a financial cushion before a move, reassess your budget after arriving, support children through the transition, find employment and education resources for military spouses, and get connected with your new community. She also explains why communication — within your family, your command, and your local community — can make such a difference during a PCS.

Whether you’re preparing for your first PCS or have moved several times before, this conversation offers practical ideas for making the next transition less stressful and helping your new duty station feel more like home.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for conversations about military pay, benefits, personal finance, veterans issues, and the challenges that affect military families.

What’s one thing you wish you had known before your first PCS move? Let us know in the comments.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Connect with Sarah Roder:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-bumgardner-roder/

Website: https://www.aafmaa.com/resource-center

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0:00 – Intro

0:55 – Sarah Roder’s Military Family Background

3:55 – Preparing Financially for a PCS

7:58 – Rebuilding Your Community After a Move

11:11 – Getting Support From Your New Command

14:42 – Finding Installation and Family Resources

18:19 – Reaching Out to Your Existing Network

19:14 – Helping Children Adjust to a PCS

22:21 – Giving Kids More Control During a Move

24:40 – Employment and Education Resources for Military Spouses

27:14 – How Service Members Adjust to a New Unit

29:33 – Why Communication Matters During a PCS

32:47 – Using Volunteering to Build Connections

33:34 – Reassessing Your Budget After the Move

36:39 – Treating a PCS as a Fresh Start

38:30 – Sarah’s Final Advice for Military Families

39:34 – Resources From Armed Forces Mutual

40:46 – Outro

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#MilitaryPCS #MilitarySpouse #MilitaryLife

In this episode of The Military Wallet Mail Call, Ryan Guina answers three listener questions about moving money out of the Thrift Savings Plan and into other retirement accounts.

He covers when you may be able to roll money out of the TSP while still in federal or military service, what to consider before making the move, and why direct rollovers can help simplify the transfer process. Ryan also explains how Traditional and Roth TSP balances are handled when moving to an IRA or another qualified retirement account.

Finally, he breaks down whether a TSP rollover counts toward your annual IRA contribution limit and what happens to Roth TSP contributions and earnings after they are moved into a Roth IRA.

If you're preparing to leave federal or military service—or simply trying to understand your options before making a move—this episode walks through some of the key TSP rollover rules to know.

For more information, check out ⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com⁠

Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at ⁠⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast

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0:00 Intro

1:04 Can You Move TSP Money Before Retirement?

2:30 Should You Roll Over Your TSP?

4:25 Direct vs. Indirect TSP Rollovers

6:41 Traditional vs. Roth TSP Rollovers

9:00 Do TSP Rollovers Count Toward IRA Contribution Limits?

10:23 What Happens to Roth TSP Contributions and Earnings?

11:29 Roth IRA Five-Year Rules

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#ThriftSavingsPlan #TSPRollover #MilitaryMoney

Building a family can be challenging under any circumstances, but military life can add another layer of complexity. PCS moves, deployments, continuity-of-care issues, and gaps in TRICARE coverage can all affect the options available to military families — and how much those options cost.

On this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast, Ryan Guina is joined by Julie Eshelman, William Fontanez, and Jenn White of Building Military Families Network to discuss fertility treatment, IVF, adoption, foster care, and surrogacy in the military community. They explain what TRICARE may cover, how military fertility clinics work, what benefits may be available for adoption, and some of the unique challenges military families face when pursuing surrogacy.

Julie, William, and Jenn also share their own family-building experiences and discuss the importance of self-advocacy, financial preparation, reliable resources, and community support. They explain how Building Military Families Network is helping families find those resources while advocating for better support — and why every family-building journey can look different.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for more conversations about the benefits, finances, and issues that matter to service members, veterans, and military families.

What family-building resources do you wish more military families knew about?

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Connect With Building Military Families Network:Website: https://www.buildingmilitaryfamiliesnetwork.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buildingmilitaryfamiliesnetwork/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingmilitaryfamiliesnet/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-military-families-network/

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0:00 – Intro

0:39 – Building a Family in the Military

4:26 – What TRICARE Covers for Fertility Care

7:42 – Military Fertility Clinics and IVF Costs

12:14 – How Military Life Complicates Fertility Treatment

18:43 – Navigating Adoption as a Military Family

25:10 – Military Adoption Benefits and Financial Resources

28:42 – Foster Care and Foster-to-Adopt

31:01 – What Military Families Should Know About Surrogacy

42:03 – Family-Building Resources and Support

50:40 – When Family Building Doesn’t End With a Child

52:32 – Outro

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#MilitaryFamilies #FamilyBuilding #MilitaryLife

Leaving military or federal service doesn’t mean you have to close your Thrift Savings Plan. You can keep your money invested, roll it into another retirement account, purchase an annuity, or cash it out—but each option has different costs, tax implications, and long-term consequences.

On this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast, Ryan Guina answers a listener’s question about what happens to a Roth TSP after military separation. He explains the five major options available and why doing nothing immediately may be the smartest decision during a transition.

Ryan compares the TSP with IRAs and employer retirement plans, explains the tradeoffs of life annuities, warns about taxes and early-withdrawal penalties, and discusses why leaving a small balance in the TSP can preserve access to its low-cost investment options and unique G Fund.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for practical guidance on military pay, benefits, retirement, and personal finance.

What do you plan to do with your TSP after leaving military or government service? Let us know in the comments.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at ⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast

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0:00 – Intro

0:50 – A Listener’s Roth TSP Question

3:07 – Five Options After Leaving Military Service

3:56 – Option 1: Leave Your Money in the TSP

5:17 – Option 2: Roll Your TSP Into an IRA

7:48 – Option 3: Move It to a New Employer Plan

9:40 – Option 4: Purchase a Life Annuity

12:15 – Option 5: Cash Out Your TSP

13:07 – Which TSP Option Is Best?

13:48 – Why You May Want to Keep Your TSP Open

16:27 – Outro

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#ThriftSavingsPlan #MilitaryRetirement #MilitaryFinance

The Department of Defense is looking to reduce spending on discretionary permanent change of station moves, raising a major question for military families: Could fewer PCS moves actually make military life better?

On this episode of The Military Wallet Podcast, Ryan Guina is joined by Megan Harless, founder of PCS Like a Pro, and MJ Boice of the National Military Family Association to discuss what fewer moves could mean for military careers, spouse employment, family finances, children’s education, overseas assignments, geo-baching, and overall stability.

Megan brings years of PCS reform advocacy and the experience of 12 military moves in 20 years, while MJ brings both her work with military families and more than two decades as a Marine Corps spouse. Together, they examine the potential benefits of greater stability as well as the tradeoffs involving career progression, high-cost duty stations, unaccompanied assignments, out-of-pocket moving costs, and the moving industry.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for conversations about military pay, benefits, personal finance, veterans issues, and the policies that affect military families.

Would fewer PCS moves make life better for your family, or would you rather keep the flexibility to move more often? Let us know in the comments.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Connect With Megan Harless:

Website: https://www.pcslikeapro.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCSlikeAPro/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-m-harless/

Connect with MJ Boice:

Website: https://www.militaryfamily.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/militaryfamily/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-j-boice-6732b3105/

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0:00 – Intro

1:23 – Meet MJ Boice and the National Military Family Association

3:46 – Megan Harless and the Push for PCS Reform

6:38 – Could Fewer PCS Moves Help Military Families?

10:07 – PCS Moves, Careers, and Spouse Employment

16:09 – Geo-Baching and Unaccompanied Assignments

21:50 – What Fewer Moves Could Mean for Overseas Assignments

22:55 – What Does “Discretionary PCS” Actually Mean?

25:42 – Why Military Families Need Better Communication

28:55 – Recruiting, Retention, Readiness, and Family Reality

35:32 – Could PCS Savings Shift Costs to Families?

36:19 – The Out-of-Pocket Cost of Military Moves

42:11 – What Would a Better PCS System Look Like?

44:18 – Breaking the PCS Financial Recovery Cycle

49:32 – Could Fewer Moves Hurt the Moving Industry?

55:48 – How Fewer PCS Moves Could Improve Family Stability

59:05 – Where to Find MJ and Megan

59:55 – Outro

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#MilitaryFamilies #PCS #MilitaryLife

A VA disability rating is not always permanent, and receiving a re-examination notice can understandably make veterans nervous. In this The Military Wallet Mail Call episode, host Ryan Guina speaks with Chad Armstrong, founder of Ace Veteran Consulting and a retired senior NCO, about when the VA can re-examine or reduce a disability rating and what veterans should do if they receive a re-exam notice.

Ryan and Chad discuss why veterans should not panic when a re-examination is scheduled, but also why ignoring the notice can put a rating at risk. Chad explains the importance of continuing to document service-connected conditions, how a re-exam can sometimes result in a higher rating when a condition has worsened, and how the VA’s 5-, 10-, and 20-year protections can limit when certain ratings or service connections may be reduced or severed.

They also cover the VA’s general policy on routine re-examinations after age 55, the difference between a 100% disability rating and a 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) rating, and why documentation remains important even after a claim has been approved.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for more conversations about VA benefits, military retirement, personal finance, and the issues affecting service members and veterans.

Have you ever received a VA re-examination notice? Share your experience or questions in the comments.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast

Connect with Chad Armstrong:

Website: https://aceveteranconsulting.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aceveteranconsulting/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aceveteranconsulting/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadjarmstrong/

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0:00 – Intro

0:45 – What happens when the VA orders a re-examination?

1:48 – Why a VA re-exam does not automatically mean a reduction

3:19 – What can happen if you ignore a VA re-examination

4:39 – When a re-exam could lead to a higher disability rating

5:01 – The VA’s 5-, 10-, and 20-year protection rules

7:59 – How the age-55 rule affects future re-examinations

8:35 – When veterans over age 55 may still be re-examined

9:29 – 100% VA disability vs. 100% Permanent and Total

11:06 – Why continued medical documentation still matters

12:04 – What veterans should remember about protecting their rating

12:48 – How to connect with Chad Armstrong

13:01 – Outro

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#VADisability #VeteransBenefits #VAClaims

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) can be one of the most valuable tools service members have for building retirement savings, but understanding matching contributions, contribution rules, and investment choices can be confusing when you're getting started. In this Military Wallet Mail Call episode, host Ryan Guina answers reader questions about the TSP basics service members should understand.

Ryan explains when automatic and matching contributions begin under the Blended Retirement System, how the military match works once you're fully eligible, and why contributing enough to receive the full match can be so important. He also covers where TSP contributions can come from, why you generally can't deposit personal savings or an inheritance directly into your TSP, and how rollovers from eligible retirement accounts work differently.

Finally, Ryan breaks down the five individual TSP funds, including the G, F, C, S, and I Funds, and explains how Lifecycle Funds combine those investments into a diversified portfolio that automatically adjusts over time. He also discusses why an L Fund can be a straightforward starting point for service members who aren't yet comfortable choosing their own investment allocation.

Subscribe to The Military Wallet Podcast for more conversations about military pay, benefits, retirement planning, and personal finance.

What questions do you have about the TSP? Leave them in the comments and we may answer them in a future Mail Call episode.

For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com

Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at ⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast⁠

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0:00 – Intro

0:17 – When TSP contributions and matching begin

3:05 – What the TSP vesting period means

4:05 – How to receive the full TSP match

5:15 – Can savings or an inheritance go into your TSP?

6:01 – How to use outside money to increase TSP contributions

7:35 – When rollovers can add money to your TSP

8:41 – Individual TSP funds vs. Lifecycle Funds

9:35 – Understanding the G and F Funds

10:36 – Understanding the C, S, and I Funds

12:54 – How TSP Lifecycle Funds work

14:04 – How to decide where to invest

16:52 – Outro

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#TSP #MilitaryFinance #MilitaryRetirement