January 25, 2024
For Active Duty
Understanding Your Benefits:
The Key to Your Military Retirement plan
Bridge the gap between active service and retirement with a clear, strategic plan that maximizes every aspect of your earned benefits.
Military and VA Benefits Optimization
Navigate the complexities of VA benefits to maximize what you’ve rightfully earned through your service.
Survivor Benefit Plan Guidance
We give you expert advice on SBP options to protect your family’s financial future effectively. Learn More
Financial Transition Assistance
Smoothly transition from active duty to retirement with comprehensive support and planning.
WE Take you From Deployments to Dollars
Mapping Your Financial Future Post-Service
Step-by-step guidance on making crucial financial decisions regarding SGLI, SBP, and TSP as you approach retirement.
“As I’ve been going through the retirement process, my friends who are a few years behind me are asking so many questions. They are feeling overwhelmed with how to plan financially for their retirement beyond knowing what their retirement check will be. I’ve shared my experience working with Scott and US VetWealth for the last 15 years with many and they have also found the information helpful and really easy to navigate. When they see how this supports their goals--it can be a gamechanger. Like me, initially, they don’t know what they were doing with their investments. I trust him; our candid conversations about money, investing, and planning for retirement beyond military life have been invaluable.”
Strategize Your Transition with our Expertise
Gain an ally in retirement planning who speaks your language and honors your service with tailored financial strategies.
Understanding Military Retirement Pay:
- Calculation Criteria: Breakdown of how base pay, length of service, and rank at retirement translate into retirement pay.
- High-3 System: Explanation of the High-3 system calculating the highest average basic pay over any 36 months of service.
- COLA Adjustments: Information on how Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) can affect retirement pay over time.
- Blended Retirement System: Overview of the Blended Retirement System for those who joined after January 1, 2018, including its components of pension and TSP.
Retirement Savings and Investment Options:
- TSP Contributions: Detailing how service members can contribute to the TSP and the impact of matching contributions.
- Investment Choices within TSP: Insight into the various funds available within TSP and guidance on allocating investments.
- IRA Benefits: Understanding the benefits of traditional and Roth IRAs in conjunction with TSP accounts.
- Long-Term Growth: Strategies for long-term growth and compounding within these retirement accounts.
- Post-Service Contribution Strategies: Options for continuing to grow retirement savings after leaving the military.
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Considerations:
- Benefit Overview: Clarifying what the SBP provides and the necessity of the program for family protection.
- Cost vs. Benefit Analysis: Helping service members weigh the premiums against the potential benefits.
- Enrollment Deadlines and Procedures: Timelines and processes for opting into or declining SBP.
- Spousal Implications: Exploring how SBP decisions impact spouses and dependents.
- Alternative Solutions: Discussing life insurance and other financial tools as possible alternatives or supplements to SBP.
Life Insurance Options Post-Service:
- VGLI Transition Window: The timeframe for converting SGLI to VGLI after leaving service and its importance.
- Comparison of Rates: How VGLI rates compare to civilian policies and what factors influence these costs.
- Policy Portability: Understanding the portability of life insurance policies and options for coverage continuation.
- Coverage Amount Decisions: Strategies for determining the appropriate amount of life insurance post-service.
- Health Status Considerations: How health status at the time of service exit affects life insurance choices.
Tax Implications of Retirement Pay:
- State Tax Considerations: How retirement pay is taxed at the state level, with emphasis on tax-friendly states for retirees.
- Federal Tax Withholding: Understanding how federal taxes are withheld from military retirement pay.
- Tax Deductions and Credits: Identifying deductions and credits for which military retirees may be eligible.
- Rollover Implications: Tax consequences of rolling over TSP into IRAs or other investment accounts.
- Social Security Taxation: How Social Security benefits may be taxed in conjunction with military retirement pay.
Employment and Career Transition:
- Translating Military Skills: Converting military experience into civilian resume terms in partnership with Blue Water Advisors.
- Networking Strategies: Leveraging military connections for civilian job opportunities.
- Utilizing Transition Programs: Maximizing DoD-sponsored career transition resources.
- Education and Certification: Opportunities for further education and certification post-service.
- Entrepreneurship Support: Resources available for veterans interested in starting their own businesses.
Continuous Financial Education:
- Stay Updated on Policy Changes: Keeping abreast of changes in military retirement benefits and related legislation.
- Engage in Lifelong Learning: Utilizing veteran and military service organizations that offer financial education and planning resources.
- Understand Economic Trends: How global and national economic trends can impact personal retirement savings and investments.
- Leverage Financial Professionals: The role of wealth insurance strategists specializing in military retirement and how they can provide ongoing support.
- Monitor Investment Performance: Regularly reviewing and adjusting investment portfolios to align with changing financial goals and market conditions.
Your Timeline. Your Terms.
Crafting a retirement timeline that respects your service and individual needs.
Every service member's path to retirement is as individual as their career. While there are recommended timelines, we understand that real life doesn't always follow a set schedule.
Our approach is to meet you wherever you are — whether you're well ahead of the curve or just starting to think about life after service.
Together, we'll prioritize your goals, aligning our expertise with your personal timeline to create a retirement plan that's as unique as your service record.
Retirement Timeline Planning:
- Critical Decision Points: Identifying key ages and service milestones for retirement planning.
- Medical Retirement Considerations: Special considerations for those facing medical retirement and navigating the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).
- Retirement Orders: Understanding the timeline for receiving retirement orders and finalizing official paperwork.
- Pre-Retirement Briefings: Importance of attending mandatory pre-retirement briefings and what to expect.
- Physical and VA Examinations: Timeline and process for the final physical and VA examinations before retirement.
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All-In-One Calculator
The official military retirement websites often complicate what should be a straightforward process. Our all-in-one calculator simplifies this journey, swiftly translating complex DFAS and DOD data into clear, actionable advice.
In just 15 minutes, gain the insights necessary to make a confident SBP decision, saving you time and stress. With our proprietary tool, planning for your future is easier than ever.
