Military FI Forum

Question Regarding Full Receipt of Qualified Benefits

Does anyone know someone who actually gets all the benefits they're eligible for? I ask this question to all Veteran services that help military/military families receive benefits, and most cannot say with confidence that they or someone they are working with is receiving everything they are qualified for. Most veterans get so frustrated with the process that they settle for what they have and leave the rest on the table. IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS.

deleted 750 XP

2 months ago 3 Share

Newly Separated Veteran

Hi all, I got out of the Navy in October, 2025 after 6 years of active duty with 5 years overseas.

Bob Scarlett 140 XP

2 months ago 7 Share

ChooseFI Honolulu meetup 1:30 PM Saturday 25 July at White Plains Beach

One more reminder for those who might not be members of the ChooseFI Honolulu group: Our next meetup is 1:30PM Saturday 25 July at White Plains Beach. All of the pavilions were booked months ago (graduation parties), so look for @clarenceling’s ChooseFI flag under a shade tree near the Fenceline (Diamond Head side) or on the mauka/Ewa side of the Surf Shack. I’m bringing a couple of longboards, and feel free to bring some pupus/fruit to share if you want. And if you’re on Oahu but not a member o...

Nords 610 XP

2 months ago 0 Share

"Retired Reserve" question

Hello, I'm really excited we have our own forum space! Thank you Jonathan! I have a question on how years spent as a "retired reservist" effects the base pay that is used to calculate your reserve pension. I saw that the military's website says "A unique feature of Reserve retirement is that the pay base is determined as though the reserve member were serving on active duty immediately prior to retirement, thus the years of service continue to accumulate even after the member has entered the ret...

Jcernoskyjr 114 XP

4 months ago 7 Share

Disabled Veteran Benefits FIRE

Has there been a discussion on being able to FIRE as a disabled vet?

Marty 378 XP

5 months ago 6 Share

2nd try: ChooseFI Honolulu meetup 1:30 Sat 11 April, still Taps & Apps

We're catching up on our postponed event from March. We're meeting at Taps&Apps in Mililani Mauka (right off the H-2 exit). Here's the event from the ChooseFI Honolulu Facebook group: [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/events/916228984550038) And of course this meetup is open to all ChooseFI members who happen to be on Oahu this weekend, in addition to those families in ChooseFI Honolulu. And yes we know that another Kona Low system is setting up in a few days. Based on the current forecast we...

Nords 610 XP

6 months ago 1 Share

ChooseFI Honolulu meetup: 1:30 PM Saturday 21 March, Taps & Apps.

For those of you on Oahu (and any ChooseFI members who happen to be visiting Oahu this weekend), we're having another meetup at 1:30 Saturday 21 March at Taps & Apps in Mililani Mauka. \[ChooseFI Honolulu Meetup\](https://app.choosefi.com/events/ae78ef51-38f4-4566-9c14-c05826c73b7afc1d9f8-35bd-4075-92ae-489fc07425db) I'll be there, congratulating Clarence L once more on becoming an official military retiree! We're keeping an eye on the weather. This weekend's Kona Low Part 2 will hopefully be le...

Nords 610 XP

6 months ago 1 Share

Benefits Reminder- MilTax

Friendly military benefits reminder- Military OneSource provides service members free tax filing services (via MilTax, aka H&R Block). While it might not catch the nuance a FI CPA might, it should suffice for 90%+ of filers. See below for the Department of Defense/War notification- "As a service member registered in DEERS, you have access to MilTax — a suite of free tax services from Military OneSource. MilTax is built to handle real tax situations service members and their families face, includ...

Josh M. 562 XP

8 months ago 1 Share

TSP Roth Conversions

This month, the TSP will begin allowing Roth Conversions. Previously, you would have to 1. Separate from service 2. Roll your traditional TSP balance into a Traditional IRA at brokerage firm (like Schwab or Vanguard), then 3. Begin the conversions. Now, you can do it all in the TSP ecosystem. See below details from the latest TSP email- "Optional Roth in-plan conversions available January 28 to all participants Starting January 28, 2026, [you’ll have the option to convert money in your tradition...

Josh M. 562 XP

8 months ago 6 Share

FI with Retirement and Disability

My question is specific to my situation but I’m sure other military retirees have similar questions. My husband retired in October 2024 and we are FI between his pension and VA disability. We agreed very early in our marriage that once he retired, my career would take the front seat and that has come to fruition. He is now the stay at home parent and I am in a DOD job that I love. So, my question is, what retirement vehicle should I put my salary in? My current salary is 76K and will increase to...

CarolinaGirl 85 XP

9 months ago 6 Share

Looking for tax support!

Hello, Choose FI nerds, I'm married with two kids, 11 years in the military and looking at 20. As family life gets more mature and "lovingly" complicated, so too do taxes. As much as I have loved nerding out on tax planning and prep, I find my brain-space is too full to do it justice. I want to ensure I'm maxing out the benefit of being a real estate investor while also being proactive with the following year's tax planning and strategizing. I do not feel like I am optimized in this area. Althou...

I-LoveScienceAndDogs 73 XP

9 months ago 7 Share

Army Continuation Pay PSA

If you are currently at 10, 11, or 12 years from your Pay Entry Base Date (PEBD), 2026 may be your last year to request Continuation Pay (CP) based on CY25 Army Policy. **Background-** Under the Blended Retirement System (BRS), eligible Soldiers may elect Continuation Pay currently equal to 2.5× monthly base pay in exchange for a 4-year concurrent Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO). Here are the eligibility windows by year (based on PEBD): - 2025: 8–12 years - 2026: 7–12 years - 2027 (project...

Josh M. 562 XP

9 months ago 0 Share

How to add TSP to the FI tool

Hello! How are you all adding TSP funds into the Financial Independence tool which allows you to run scenarios? I currently have a military pension plus TSP plus private sector 401k. There doesn’t seem to be an option to add a second 401k, which I would have thought would be the right way to input the TSP. I love TSP’s low fees so am not rolling the funds out until I retire. @jonathanMendonsa I am loving this app so far. Just listened to the latest podcast last night and found it. ⭐️ Is TSP on...

sheryldeer 197 XP

9 months ago 8 Share

TSP Investing Advice for Son Starting Basic Training

Hi, My son is leaving next week for basic training! He's 20 years old. Maxing out his roth ira for 2025, and he's going to enroll in tsp. What do you recommend he invests in? I was thinking he invests 20% of his pay? He will be army, going in as e3. He is not a spender, so room and board are paid for, he doesn't need all that extra cash! So just to recap, he'll have about $7k cash in a high yield savings account, maxed out roth for 2025, and then starting tsp. He won't have a car but may want to...

azar5065 96 XP

10 months ago 12 Share

TSP vs 401k: Are They Comparable for FIRE?

Hello all, I'm not sure if I'm doing this right as this is my first post, but I've been wanting to ask this question for a while and this finally seemed like the right place to ask. When listening to ChooseFi podcasts and reading other FIRE material, usually 401ks are the main vehicle talked about for being able to access money for an early retirement and do conversion strategies such as the roth conversion ladder, SEPP 72t, etc. I haven't been able to find anywhere that says if the TSP is equiv...

Geodeb 71 XP

1 year ago 4 Share

BRS Continuation Pay: Lump Sum vs Partial Payments?

I recently became eligible for the Blended Retirement System Continuation Pay earlier than what I expected at 11 years. Thoughts on receiving the lump sum (0-4 base pay) versus partial payments through the 4 years of commitment? My plan is to put all the money I receive into my brokerage account, thus I’m thinking to receive the lump sum so I have more time for it to grow. As a reference, i already max out my TSP and ROTH IRA. Thanks for your feedback!

sjenkins 108 XP

1 year ago 1 Share

What to invest in on retirement?

I am retiring from the Army next month (yay!). I have saved a lot in the past several years since following ChooseFI, but most of my savings are in brokerage and ROTH IRA accounts. I have been increasing my bank savings/CDs to have more cash on hand, and will find out my VA rating soon which will determine my monthly income (pension + VA). I do not own a home, and hope to find a place to settle down while traveling in the next year (it’s just me). I worry about having so much money in VTSAX and...

mmp2927 171 XP

1 year ago 14 Share

Using TSP after service

Hello all, I am so excited to see this new forum. I have a question about my TSP and looking for some advice on how to use it. I served 5 years in the Navy and was only able to save $19k during my time in. That $19k has now grown to $30k without me being able to contribute anymore now that I no longer receive a Federal paycheck. My question is how should I now use my TSP? Should I eventually do a roll over from my current job? How can I utitlize my TSP as a strategic retirement vehicle without b...

Anonymous

1 year ago 7 Share

Welcome to the military forums!

Thanks to [@Jonathan](/@Jonathan%20Mendonsa) for building out the forums! As Choose FI has done over the years, this is intended for military families of any country to ask questions and share knowledge. For those of you I haven't met yet, I served for 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force and retired in 2002 at the age of 41. My spouse is a retired Navy Reservist. We reached financial independence in 1999 on a high savings rate. We’ve lived in Hawaii for over 36 years, and...

Nords 610 XP

1 year ago 11 Share

Make Sure You Are Not Missing Out on Free Money (BRS CP)

Hi everyone, I am excited to have military specific threads available! I wanted to share some info that I dug into this week because I realized one of my Sailors was about to loose out on some money. Luckily, I caught it a few weeks before the deadline and the member will now get $12k that he could have missed out on. A few years back we were offered the opportunity to switch to the Blended Retirement System (BRS). Many people who decided to make the switch, myself included, are now within the 8...

Kevin Nelson 110 XP

1 year ago 0 Share