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

Should You Let the Military Set Aside Allotments from Your Pay?

Can a military allotment help you manage your money? Probably. Is it the right tool for you? That depends.

GI Bill Housing Allowance: How to Cover the Up-Front Cost Gap

Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients may be taken by surprise if they’re not prepared to pay for housing up front each semester...

Amid U.S. $100 bills, letter tiles spell "education."

Can You Receive Post-9/11 GI Bill Payments and Other Financial Aid at the Same Time?

Rules that dictate how the Post-9/11 GI Bill works together with other forms of financial aid often prevent those other forms...

Military Households May Deduct Moving Expenses From Their Taxes: Here’s How

Military families may not have any unreimbursed PCS moving expenses, but if you do, you can deduct those expenses on your tax...

Temporary signs in the window of a tax office.

When Do Military Service Members, Spouses Need to File Taxes in 2 States?

Protections Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act can simplify your tax requirements and quite possibly save you money...

Understanding All the Deductions on Your 2026 Military Leave and Earnings Statements

Understanding what deductions are coming out of your pay is key to knowing where all your money is going. More importantly...

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...

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.

Two airmen carry a heavy dog crate between them.

The Military's New Pet Transportation Policy: What It Means to You

Military service members will be reimbursed for some of the costs of moving one dog or cat when moving on permanent change of...

4 Ways to Get Your Money Back When Military Orders Cancel Travel Plans

If military orders, or world events have canceled your travel plans, here's how you might be able to get a refund

US $100 bills, bent into four sections resembling paper airplanes or birds, fly in a V through the blue sky.

Should You Borrow from Your TSP Account?

Financial experts don’t recommend taking out loans against retirement accounts such as the military’s Thrift Savings Plan...

Six men and women, most in uniform, stand in a row in front of an American flag draped as a backdrop.

4 Things 'Gray Area' Reservists Need to Do When They Turn 60

Finally receiving that hard-earned military retirement pay at age 60 is a big deal, and you definitely want to get that...

MILITARY STAR Card Questions & Answers

The MILITARY STAR Card is an in-store credit card for qualified, authorized military exchange patrons.

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...

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.

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Most Popular Military News

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron lands at a base in the Middle East, Jan. 18, 2026. The F-15's presence enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability. (Courtesy Photo)

The US Military Will Risk Everything for Its Own. Here’s Why

The rescue of downed U.S. airmen in Iran shows why “leave no one behind” still defines the military, and why it matters for...

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These 10 actors were raised in military families. Their upbringing didn’t just shape their lives—it still influences how they...

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You Took Separation Pay Years Ago. Now the VA Wants It Back From Your Disability Check.

Under federal law, a veteran cannot receive both separation pay and VA disability compensation for the same period of service...

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Could the US Bring Back the Draft? Who Would Be Called First — and Who Qualifies

Could the U.S. bring back the draft? Here’s how Selective Service works today, who would be called first and why only about...

3 Big PCS Changes Are Coming at Once. Here’s What Service Members Need to Know Before Peak Season.

In 2026, three major changes are affecting military household goods moves: a new permanent agency to run the system, the end...

Latest Military Videos

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Powerful winds from Super Typhoon Sinlaku continue to impact US islands in the Pacific.

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House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington.

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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

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

Army News

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An aviation safety bill seeking to address lessons learned from last year’s midair collision of a jet with an Army helicopter...

Ex-Army Contractor, Accused of Leaking Classified Information, To Be Released to Home Detention

An Army veteran accused of revealing classified information about an elite commando unit — members' names, tactics and a unit...

Navy News

Honorable Tony Gonzales, R-TX 23rd Congressional District, listens to Lt. Col. Paul Fulkerson, 560th Flying Training Squadron commander, speak about his squadron’s training mission during a congressional delegation visit Jan. 17, 2023, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sean Worrell)

Navy Veteran GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales to Retire After Affair with Staffer

Facing a rare expulsion threat, the Texas Republican abruptly steps aside, setting off a scramble for a key House seat and...

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By the time Trump rolled out his national security strategy in late 2025, the U.S. strategy in Asia had been narrowed to...

Air Force News

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen board member James Thompson honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in Philadelphia, Penn., on March 28. (The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen)

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“It’s something that we need to make sure the rest of the world knows about,” a Tuskegee Airmen supporter told Military.com...

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A fabricated image claiming to show an American airman rescued from Iranian soil spread across social media before users...

Space Force News

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National Spacepower Center: Advancing US and Allied Spacepower

The Space Force Association launched the National Spacepower Center in Dec. 2025 to connect government, academia and industry...

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This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

Marine Corps News

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing walk toward a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter on Suwon Air Base, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, April 6, 2026, after Korean Marine Exchange Program 26.1. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jeremiah Barksdale)

2040 and Beyond: Newest Marine Corps Aviation Plan Blends Warfighters, AI

The 2026 AVPLAN was described by officials to Military.com as “a significant evolution” from the 2025 framework.

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National History Program Helps Students Memorialize WWII Veterans

Finding ways for students to connect with history and WWII veterans, National History Day is working with the VA's National...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) prepares to Moore at their homeport Honolulu, Hawaii Oct. 3, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jennifer Nilson)

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The rescue mission was one not "routine" to the Coast Guard and cutter crew that succeeded.