Kate Horrell

Kate Horrell is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, and Military Qualified Financial Planner® who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits. With more than 15 years working with thousands of military families, she helps currently serving, retired and veteran families.

She has been married to a now-retired sailor for 32 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the U.S. She’s navigated landlording, Overseas Housing Allowances, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Survivor Benefit Plan decision, and transition to civilian life.

Latest Articles

Manage Household Utility Costs at Your New Base by Avoiding These Pitfalls

Being stationed at a location with a hot summer or a cold winter may make it harder to pay large energy bills. Budget billing...

Children that attend the Defense Supply Center Richmond Child Development Center place pinwheels in the ground after a Pinwheel Parade at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia

How to Plan for an Extended Government Shutdown

Well, it’s finally happened. After years of reporting on what to expect if the government shuts down and military pay is...

There are steps you can take to survive a government shutdown and potential military pay delay.

What to Do in a Government Shutdown: Don't Panic! Be Proactive

Panic seems like the natural response to the prospect of missing a paycheck due to a government shutdown. But a better idea...

Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and a bugler from the U.S. Air Force Band’s Ceremonial Brass conduct military funeral honors for U.S. Air Force Capt. Wade Holmes in Section 57, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

Lump-Sum Benefits for Survivors of Active-Duty Military Members

Even military families often don’t know what benefits are available to the surviving family of an active-duty service member.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judah Rice, a honor guardsman assigned to the 628th Air Base Wing, gives a facing movement command during military honors simulation for an active-duty funeral, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.

Monthly Benefits for Survivors of Fallen Active-Duty Service Members

When combined, the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) can offer a steady stream of...

Montage of a pile of cash, a stethoscope and a calculator.

Tricare Premiums vs. Enrollment Fees: Here's Why the Difference Matters

Being aware of your Tricare catastrophic cap can help you plan your medical budget and make smart decisions about carrying...

A stethoscope lies on top of fanned-out US $100 bills.

Understanding Your Tricare Catastrophic Cap

Being aware of your Tricare catastrophic cap can help you plan your medical budget and make smart decisions about carrying...

Two recent graduates of Hohenfels Middle High School at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany, pose for a photo during the school's graduation ceremony June 6, 2025, at the school's football field. (Bryan Gatchell/U.S. Army photo)

How to Change Tricare Coverage After a Qualifying Life Event – and Which QLEs Count

Many service members experience one or more qualifying life events, or QLEs, each year, unlocking opportunities to change...

Advisers stand behind a table and talk to U.S. Air Force members.

When to Be Wary of Free Financial Advice, Plus Alternatives Available to Military Households

Financial companies offering free financial advice usually make their income by selling financial products such as insurance...

Why Service Members Need to Be Wary of Financial Advice on TikTok

While the app is full of energetic creators who present fun content, the financial guidance circulating on the platform is...

Numbers and symbols appear on Ben Franklin's currency face.

How Stock Turbulence Has Affected Thrift Savings Accounts, and How You Can Strategize

The value of Thrift Savings Plan funds has been volatile over the past year, reaching new highs and producing some big dips...

A mans arms are pictured taping shut a cardboard moving box.

Personally Procured PCS Moves Are Changing. Here’s What You Need to Know.

If you’re considering a personally procured move (PPM) this year, how can you keep any potential out-of-pocket costs as low...

Preschoolers around a low table play with big Legos.

Think You'd Like to Work as a Family Child-Care Provider for the Military?

If you're good with kids, becoming a family child-care provider can be a great way to support your fellow military families...

An orange and black lawn mower pictured from above crossing green grass.

Can I Pack This? The Items You Should and Shouldn't Ship with Your Household Goods This PCS Season

Knowing what can and can’t be shipped, and what probably shouldn't be shipped, can make your move easier.

A lot of printed bills, presumably representing debts, along with credit cards appear on a table top with a man's torso in the frame, arms shuffling papers.

Here’s a Tool to Easily Calculate Your Debt Repayment Strategy

PowerPay lets you enter your debt information and how much money you have to put toward debt repayment each month, then helps...

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

VIDEO: How a Former Waffen-SS Officer Became an American War Hero Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

A headstone in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery marks the remains of the only known former Waffen-SS member...

WWI Soldiers' Messages in a Bottle Found on Australian Beach

Messages in a bottle written by two Australian soldiers a few days into their voyage to the battlefields of...

'What Kind of Truce Is This?' Dozens of Palestinians Killed in New Israeli Attacks on Gaza

Israel’s military said Wednesday that the ceasefire was back on in Gaza after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight...

Destruction in Gaza Visible from Southern Israel

From multiple vantage points, debris piles are visible as a result of bombing in Gaza. (AP) Oct. 24

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

Traffic flows through the main gate past a welcome sign, Tuesday, July 9, 2013, in Fort Hood, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Victims of Alleged Sexual Misconduct at Fort Hood to Take Legal Action Against Army

The new allegations at Fort Hood come the same year as another Army doctor, Maj. Michael Stockin, was sentenced to prison for...

German soldiers examine Churchill tanks abandoned by Allied soldiers as they were evacuated from Dieppe. The Army Rangers suffered their first losses in WWII at Dieppe. (Imperial War Museum)

Dieppe: The Army Rangers’ First Fight Against the Germans in WWII

Under Maj. William O. Darby, volunteers drawn heavily from the 34th Infantry Division trained in Scotland in demolitions...

Navy News

A U.S. Marine Corps plane captain assigned to the Marine Fighter Attach Squadron (VFMA) 225, signals to a pilot in a F35B Lightning II as it taxis on the flightline after landing in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson)

U.S. Deploys F-35 Fighters to Cold War-Era Puerto Rico Base as Venezuela Tensions Escalate

The U.S. military has reactivated a Cold War-era naval base in Puerto Rico and deployed thousands of troops to the Caribbean...

German submarines U-66 and U-117 being bombed by TBFs and F4Fs of VC-1 aboard USS CARD (CVE-11) in the central Atlantic. U-117 was sunk in these attacks. (Navy History)

The U.S. Destroyer Crew That Fought a German U-Boat in Hand-to-Hand Combat

In an era of hypersonic missiles, stealth fighters, and nuclear subs, it’s hard to picture sailors going toe-to-toe with the...

Air Force News

Rick Bottoroff with his wife, Stefanie, new owners of an Office Pride business. (Submitted photo)

How a 20-Year Air Force Veteran Made the Leap to Small Business Owner

With tactical and leadership skills honed from decades in the Air Force, along with his wife's business savvy, Rick Bottoroff...

Two shadowy soldiers discussing coverup.

F.E. Warren AFB Airman Found Dead Last Month Was Suspect in July Shooting, Court-Martial Reveals Cover-Up

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The unidentified airman found dead in his dormitory at F.E. Warren Air Force Base on Oct. 8 was the same man...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Tony Wilson served in the Marine Corps from 2008-2012. (Photo by Mary Abby Goss, Fort Worth Report)

Marine Corps Veteran Gets Life Back on Track Helping the Homeless

Tony Wilson was lost after he returned home from four years in the Marine Corps. He found a new purpose in life working for...

Maj. Peter Ortiz receives his first Navy Cross from Adm. Harold R. Stark in London for his extraordinary heroism during Operation Union in occupied France, 1944. (Marine Corps History Division)

The U.S. Marine Who Forced Nazi Officers to Toast FDR at Gunpoint — and Became the Most Decorated OSS Operative

Most Marines had never seen combat when Peter Ortiz joined the Corps in June 1942. However, he had already survived five...

Coast Guard News

Signage showing the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is accepted is displayed at Wild Onion Market, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

'SNAP Is Everything': Military Families, Vets Prepare for Empty Fridges

A disabled Navy veteran tells Military.com that his family will go hungry as SNAP benefits are slated to expire Nov. 1 due to...

Coast Guardsmen stand watch behind a barrier at Coast Guard Base Alameda.

Shots Fired, Driver Hurt and Held After Truck Rams Into Coast Guard Base Alameda

No Coast Guard personnel were hurt.