Creating financial strategies for current and retired military personnel is a very specialized field. As a 34-year veteran (Colonel, Ret.) with the Arkansas National Guard, I am uniquely positioned to be able to help with existing benefits, and capably navigate the nuances in order to plan for your financial future. If you have a personal financial advisor, you must be certain that they understand how your military benefits operate, and how to maximize other solutions to integrate with those existing benefits.

You may consider asking your advisor the following questions (these are the things that I can help you better understand if your advisor is unfamiliar with the information):

• Do they know the different types of military pay and tax-free allowances?
  
• Do they understand you're unlikely to be “laid off”and might not need a big emergency fund?
  
• Can they explain how to use both the Thrift Savings Plan and your IRA?
  
• Do they understand how to invest tax-free pay from combat duty?
  
• Do they know how to use the Savings Deposit Program when you're in a combat zone?
  
• Can they explain how the new Roth TSP will work?
  
• Do they understand military life insurance and disability benefits?
  
• Can they discuss the risks of buying a home while you're on active duty, and how to get a VA loan?

• Do they understand that a military pension has an inflation-fighting cost of living allowance?
  
• Do they know how your retirement pay is taxed?
  
• Do they know that your civilian 401(k) or IRA might be able to be rolled into the TSP?
  
• Do they understand how to build your retirement asset allocation around your military pension? You might not need more “guaranteed income” or a big bond portfolio.
  
• Can they advise you (and your spouse) how to use the Survivor Benefits Plan?
  
• Can they advise you about Tricare and other health insurance?
  
• Can they discuss military and civilian life insurance?
  
• Can they advise you about the federal long-term care insurance program?

MassMutual, its agents, and representatives do not provide tax and/or legal advice.