How Long Should You Keep Military Records? Forever. Your

Did you know that military veterans who join the Civil Service or other Federal agencies are eligible to buy back their military time and apply it to their federal time? Doing so helps them earn leave at a faster rate, vest their TSP contributions more quickly, and even retire earlier. Want to learn more? Then stick around for our interview with Eddie Wills, as he explains how to buy back your military time with a Military Service Credit Deposit.

Did you know the Post-9/11 GI Bill can be transferred to your spouse or children? This podcast discusses how to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to pay for your spouse or children's education.  We tell you how to transfer your GI Bill benefits, and why you should do this as soon as possible. And don't worry - you can change your mind at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. We also discuss other ways to pay for your child's education if the Post-9/11 GI Bill isn't enough to cover all college education costs.

Have you ever thought about starting a business? If you are like many military veterans, the answer is yes! Military veterans make good entrepreneurs for a variety of reasons. But they may have a disadvantage - they often don't know where to start. Let me introduce you to Todd Conner, a military veteran and the founder of Bunker Labs, an incubator for military members and veterans. Bunker Labs is non-profit startup incubator helping veterans launch startups by providing resources, connecting them with other entrepreneurs, and other forms of assistance. There are currently 7 Bunker Labs locations throughout the US (and expanding)! Todd offers veterans advice on starting your own business and tells us how you can get help with your business idea through Bunker Labs or other resources.

Health care is a topic most military members don't have to think much about while they are serving. Their health care needs are taken care of them and their families so they can concentrate on their duties. But things change quickly once you remove your uniform for the last time. In this podcast, we cover the various health care options for military veterans and their family members, including special programs for military members who receive an involuntary separation, active duty retirees, members of the Guard or Reserves, veterans who deployed in support of a contingency operation, health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, employer sponsored health care, health care options through the Affordable Care Act, and more.

In this podcast, I discuss the military to civilian transition, and some of the areas I struggled with during my transition. I dive right into my story, where I discuss some of the struggles I went through during the transition into the civilian sector, and how I would handle things differently if I were to make the transition again. Hopefully you can learn from some of my mistakes and avoid them! Read the show notes here - http://themilitarywallet.com/military-to-civilian-transition-tips/

Can you get out of the military early? More importantly, should you get out of the military early? This question is addressed on many levels. Topics covered include how to get out of the military early, the impact an early separation could have on your future, and why staying in the military for ht duration of your contract is almost always he right decision for your first enlistment term. The experiences, skills, benefits, and friendships you will earn along the way make the military a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people.

Is the military still a good career option? The military is currently in the middle of the largest drawdown since the end of the Cold War. And unfortunately, some servicemembers are being laid off. One listener wants to know if now is a good time to join the military, or should he do something else for a career? In this episode, we're going to discuss the amazing opportunities and benefits available to military servicemembers. These benefits will last a lifetime, and will be valuable whether you serve 4 years in the military, or make it a full career. Stick around and learn why the military is still a good career option, even with the current changes.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most valuable veterans benefits available, and it's also very easy to use! In this podcast, we walk you through the process of qualifying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and what the benefit covers, including how to determine the maximum tuition rates, and your BAH or housing allowance. We also discuss how to actually use the Post-9/11 GI Bill (hint: all you need to do is qualify for the benefit, be accepted to your school, and your school should do virtually everything else!). Our guest is Anthony Tran, a USAF veteran who successfully used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to complete 3 Master's Degree programs. Talk about getting maximum value from a benefit!

The 2015 Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission Recommendations were just released at the end of January, 2015. The MCRMC is a 9-person Panel that was charged with examining military and veterans benefits with the goal of making recommendations to Congress. They came back with a 300 page report and 15 core recommendations, including overhauling the Military Retirement system, dismantling TRICARE and replacing it with a commercial health insurance program, limiting Tuition Assistance benefits to only cover Professional Development courses, and much more. But it's not all doom and gloom. Half of the 15 proposed changes are quality of life improvements. Take a listen to hear our rundown of all the proposed military benefits changes, and check out the show notes at http://themilitarywallet.com/podcast13