Most military members know how active duty retirement works. But do you know how retirement works through the National Guard and Reserves? The Reserve retirement system is based on earning Retirement Points for your service. In this  Guard & Reserve Retirement Point Guide, we discuss what Points are, how to earn them, the minimum and maximum Points you can earn in a year, how to translate your active duty service time to Points for the Guard or Reserves, how many points the different types of service are worth, how to earn more Retirement Points, and finally, how to put this all together to estimate your Point total to calculate your Reserve retirement pay. Whew ~ that sounds like a lot! And it is! But I've broken it down in a way that makes it easy to understand. After this podcast, you'll be able to talk about Retirement Points like a seasoned NCO!

TMW 026: Guard & Reserve Retirement Points

The Military Wallet podcast is a weekly podcast that was created to bring the latest news and information in military and veterans benefits. This is the place to come for up to date information on current benefits programs for active duty members, retirees, members of the Guard and Reserves, veterans, and their family members. We cover topics such as military pay & benefits, military retirement pensions, VA disability claims, VA Loans, GI Bill, Thrift Savings Plan, and much more.

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My wife and I recently took our daughters on a Disney vacation. What does this have to do with military benefits? Well, we saved a ton of money on our tickets with the Disney Armed Forces Salute discounted Park Hopper passes, and we also stayed at the Shades of Green Resort at Walt Disney World, one of four Armed Forces Recreation Centers around the world. Shades of Green is actually a military resort, run by the Army. IN today's podcast, we cover how to take advantage of these discounts, what it's like to stay at Shades of Green, and how to maximize your Disney vacation. You can also read more on our website - http://themilitarywallet.com/shades-of-green/

TMW 032: Disney Military Discounts and Shades of Green Resort

Life Insurance is one of the most important parts of your financial toolbox. It provides money to your family members when they need it the most. In today's podcast, we discuss life insurance as it pertains to military members, veterans, and their families. We discuss why you and your family members need life insurance, the types of life insurance, where to buy it, how to find the best, deal, what to look out for to make sure you're covered, and much more. This is one episode you don't want to miss - it could have a huge impact on your or your family.

TMW 031: Military Life Insurance

Did you know it may be possible to upgrade your military discharge characterization? Today, our expert, a retired US Air Force Judge Advocate, walks us through the military Discharge Review Board Process and how to apply to have your discharge upgraded. Special attention is given to recent DoD guidance directing leniency for discharge upgrades for veterans who have symptoms from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Learn who is eligible for a discharge upgrade, how to apply, tip for improving your odds of having your upgrade request approved, and more.  Find our show notes for a Military Discharge Upgrade Podcast.

TMW 030: Military Discharge Upgrade

Military members are frequently on the move. That's part of the gig, and part of the fun! In this podcast, we discuss how you can automate your finances so you don't have to worry about your money during a PCS, TDY, or deployment. Tips include automating your income, investments, expenses, paying bills, and tracking everything with free software. We also cover how to avoid mistakes with automation and how to protect yourself while you are away from home. These tips will help you save time, money, and energy. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of automating your finances!

TMW 029: How to Automate Your Finances

TRICARE is the military medical program, and is available to active duty, retirees, Guard / Reserve, and their family members. In today's podcast, we're doing a roundtable interview to discuss TRICARE - the good, the bad, and the ugly. In this episode we primarily focus on TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Reserve Select. We cover a lot of ground, including some areas where TRICARE shines, some of the issues we've experienced, and some of the areas where we would like to see improvements. Overall, TRICARE is substantially more affordable and offers greater coverage than many other health care programs that can be purchased in the civilian market place. TRICARE is a great benefit, but it does have some downfalls. Join us, as we explore this topic.

TMW 026: Guard & Reserve Retirement Points

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