J.J. Montanaro
Latest Articles
Investing Doesn't Have to Be Scary
Investing strikes fear into the hearts of many. One way to ease those fears: Do it systematically.
How to Get Back on Track After a Bankruptcy
It's important to critically assess what went wrong and why, and then move forward with purpose. Here are five steps to consi...
Roth TSP Adds a Tool to Your Savings Kit
As a financial planner, I've told countless folks there's no silver bullet to fix their financial ailments. But the Roth Thri...
Budgeting Can Help You Weather Tough Times
When it comes to money, do you feel like you're always coming up short? Well, you're not alone.
5 Back-to-School Shopping Tips
Back-to-school shopping isn't the minor leagues. Americans spend almost as much on it as they do on the holidays.
5 Steps to a Smooth PCS
The full swing of PCS season is only a short way off, but there's still time to prepare a smooth -- financially speaking -- m...
Remembering June Walbert: Tips to Hang Your Hat On
This week I lost a friend to cancer. June Walbert was a mentor, a sounding board, a teammate, and above all, a trusted resour...
How to Handle Some Extra Cash (Including a Tax Refund)
We've got some ideas to help you make the best use of it before it's nothing but a memory ... or a big-screen TV.
3 Big Reasons to Start Saving Now
Set a Goal. Make a Plan. Save Automatically. Those are words that could benefit you for years to come.
Make a Statement With Your Social Security Plan
Retirement and Social Security may seem like a distant dot on the horizon, but now is the time to start planning.
3 Money Challenges for Military Families
Finances are front and center in the recently released 2014 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey.
Be Smart When Shopping for Back to School
Here are tips to help you do your back-to-school shopping in a way that won't break the bank.
Military News
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US Veteran Who Survived Blast Receives Penis Transplant
A Baltimore hospital says a wounded U.S. veteran has received the world's most extensive penis transplant.
Men and Women Seeing Different Failure Rates on Army's Gender-Neutral Fitness Test
The Army general in charge of the service's new combat fitness test said he's confident it will remain gender-neutral.
Here's Your 2020 Military Retiree, VA and Social Security Pay Bump
The 2020 military retiree, VA disability and social security pay increase is smaller than the one received in 2019.
Marine Stopped to Help Someone on Highway Before She Was Hit and Killed
Cpl. Erin Rachel Lilleyfogle of Parris Island had stopped to help someone involved in an earlier crash.
Soldiers Will Once Again Get Pre-Move Cash, Army Chief Says
Dislocation Allowance, or DLA, is a cash payment of about $1,000 to $4,000, based on rank and dependents.
Latest Military Videos
At the Annual AUSA Trade Show, a Northrop Grumman official confirmed that the company has been contracted to deliver...
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Army News
New Army Chief Wants to Let Soldiers Stay Longer at Favorite Duty Stations
Could soldiers be able to put off PCS moves for nine years?
Vets in Congress Renew Medal of Honor Plea for Army 'Legend' Alwyn Cashe
Cashe went beyond the call of duty, which is why he deserves the Medal of Honor, three members of Congress wrote.
Excessive PT Will Cost the Army Millions of Lost Work Days This Year
The knee injuries, back problems and other woes far outpace any other reasons for lost duty.
Navy News
Navy's 'Doomsday' Plane Hits a Bird, Suffers $2M in Damages
An E-6B Mercury, a nuclear command-and-control plane, hit the bird at Naval Air Station Patuxent River on Oct. 2.
Having Penis Transplant Was 'One of the Best Decisions I Ever Made,' Navy Veteran Says
He had the surgery eight years after a bomb in Afghanistan blew off the lower half of his body.
Student Naval Pilot Was Flying at 15,000 Feet When Engine Caught Fire
A pilot and instructor were 30 minutes into a planned hour-long training flight when they got indication of an engine fire.
Air Force News
Air Force Nurse Pleads Guilty in Tricare Fraud Scheme
Federal prosecutors say Maj. Romeatrius Moss pleaded guilty to soliciting and receiving a kickback on Tuesday.
Air Force Adds Sickle Cell Trait Question to Fitness Survey After PT Deaths
The addition of screening for sickle cell trait on the survey will help to flag those who might need additional clearance.
Fighter Jets Could Fly Lower in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon
Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho operates flights over portions of the three states.
Marine Corps News
Veteran Furious with CVS Manager's Handling of Military Photo; Manager Calls Police
When Regedanz went to the CVS, he said the manager said she couldn't sell him the reprint because of copyright infringement.
Marine Corps Announces It Was Wrong -- Again -- on Iwo Jima Flag-Raising Photo
Evidence shows another Marine long-believed to be in the famous photo from atop Mount Suribachi was misidentified.
Kyle Carpenter Is Still Refusing to Hide His Scars
It's been nine years since the Medal of Honor recipient hurled himself onto a live grenade to save a fellow Marine.
Coast Guard News
Coast Guard Offloads $92 Million Worth of Smuggled Cocaine in San Diego
The Coast Guard offloaded more than 6,800 pounds of cocaine -- worth an estimated $92 million -- on Wednesday.
Despite Hurricane Damage, Coast Guard Pressing On with Next-Gen Cutter Construction
Coast Guard's New Plan for Next-Gen Cutter Contracts Will Prevent Delays, Commandant Says
Coast Guard Reopens Bidding on New Class of Cutters
The company that originally won the bid suffered serious infrastructure damage in Hurricane Michael in 2018.