Kate Horrell

Kate Horrell is an accredited financial counselor® and personal financial educator who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits. With more than 10 years working with thousands of military families, she understands the concerns of currently serving, retired and veteran families.

Kate has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland, volunteers with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and is a member of the Military Officers Association of America, or MOAA, currently serving spouses advisory board. She has been married to a sailor for 27 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the U.S.

Latest Articles

A piggy bank wearing a Santa hat smiles amid shiny coins and against a backdrop of twinkling lights.

Free and Low-Cost Ideas to Brighten Up the Holidays

Whether you celebrate a religious or cultural holiday or not, there's always something to spend money on in December. Gifts...

A string of holiday lights wind around a piggy bank

Do Holiday Bargains Really Save You Money?

It’s not a bad idea to take advantage of promotions. But be aware of how advertised “freebies” are factored into the price of...

The Navy Federal Credit Union mascot takes a photo with runners.

What You Need to Know About Navy Federal's Takeover of Community Bank

While the takeover by Navy Federal of the Defense Department's Community Bank should have no direct impact on services...

Army Retirement Services Officers (RSOs) with the Army National Guard take a certification course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on a variety of topics, including the Survivor Benefit Plan.

A Key Survivor Benefit Plan Deadline Was Moved Up. Here’s What You Need to Know

The deadline to enroll in the military's Survivor Benefit Plan during this year's open season has just shortened --...

an arrangement of desktop items featuring the words capital gains tax

How to Reduce Capital Gains Tax on a House You Sell After Less Than 2 Years

You may be eligible for a partial exclusion of capital gains tax if your employer transfers you to a new location that is at...

What A Government Shutdown Looks Like for the Military

A federal government shutdown can have a direct impact on U.S. service members and military families.

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...

Three $100 bills arrayed with a blurry beach scene in the background

3 Low-Key Strategies to Get a Grip on Your Money

In addition to using a spending plan, here are a few low-stress ways to be more intentional about your spending.

The words "save now" appear on a car ignition button

Start the Habit of 'Specific Savings' by Putting Aside Money for Car Maintenance

A specific savings account for car maintenance is a big step toward financial security.

A dollar sign appears in the foam of a latte

Build Financial Guardrails to Keep Problematic Spending in Check

Financial guardrails are a lot like the envelope method of budgeting -- dividing up literal cash into various envelopes...

The word IRA appears under a magnifying, atop a fanned-out stack of cash.

3 Ways Military Service Members Can Take Advantage of an IRA

Individual retirement accounts involve special considerations if you are a military member. Here are three things to know. As...

An arrangement of office supplies on a bill stamped "past due"

The Military Says You Owe Money? Here's What to Do.

What do you do when the Defense Finance and Accounting Service decides that you owe it money -- but you aren't even in the...

An IRS Form W-4P, miscellaneous office supplies and a computer keyboard are arranged on a surface

Because of IRS Change, SBP Beneficiaries Need to Check Their Tax Withholding

A major IRS update became effective for 2023, and as a result, annuitants are reporting that their Survivor Benefit Plan...

a photo of hands making progressively taller stacks of coins with some graphics overlaid

Use the Military's Pay Structure to Grow Your TSP Retirement Savings

The military's compensation structure has several built-in ways to make it easy to increase your Thrift Savings Plan...

Fingers type on a wall-mounted security number pad

How to Cancel a Home Security Contract When You PCS: New Law

A new law makes it easier for military members and their dependents to cancel home security contracts when they move or...

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Most Popular Military News

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Romello Christian, an infantry platoon leader assigned to B Company 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, kneels behind cover with his platoon during a simulated assault as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Exportable (JPMRC-X) exercise at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines.

The Army Needs Hundreds of Officers to Leave Combat Arms

Lieutenants currently branched in armor, infantry, combat engineer and field artillery can apply between Jan. 7 and Feb. 17...

Soldiers were recently served toast and lima beans for dinner at Fort Carson

For Soldiers at Fort Carson, Food Is Scarce

As Americans gather for Thanksgiving feasts, soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, are contending with a far less festive...

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Marine Corps Brings in Civilians to Tackle Barracks Management, Repairs in Decades-Old Housing

The Marine Corps is expanding its plan to put civilians in its barracks manager program, a move intended to improve decades...

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Air Force's New Deployment Model Sparks Criticism, Staffing Concerns at Bases

Some Air Force officials are concerned by the service's innovative deployment model, a new government watchdog report...

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Family of Airman Killed in Japan Osprey Crash Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Scrutiny of the military's Osprey aircraft is ramping up as family members of an Air Force special operations airman who was...

American flags fly at a gravesite at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Phoenix.

Dust to Dust: VA Now Offers 'Green' Burials at Cemeteries in Arizona, Colorado and Florida

The new benefit lets veterans and family members consider environmentally friendly preparations, urns or caskets when...

Latest Military Videos

Russia Conducts Military Drills in Eastern Mediterranean

The Russian Defense Ministry released on Tuesday images of what it said showed the Russian Navy and Aerospace Forces...

South Korean President Declares Emergency Martial Law, AP Explains

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Master Class: Positioning for Power Jobs in Management and Leadership for Veterans

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Investigations and Features

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...

A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

They Stood Sentry over America's Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer.

For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

(Lance Cpl. Rebecca Elmy/U.S. Marine Corps photo)

Army Soldier Lies About Grandma’s Pie Sales to Steal $41,000 in COVID Loans, Feds Say

The soldier stationed at Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia said he earned the income in 2020 by selling his grandmother's pies...

An airman places an American flag in front of a headstone in the base cemetery during the “Flags In” ceremony on F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.

Family Grieving 98-Year-Old Veteran Sues After Learning Other Remains Buried in His Plot

The wife of a U.S. Army veteran who served in World War II believes he is buried in a cemetery plot they purchased decades...

Navy News

U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, prepare to simulate firing rounds with the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System on Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii.

Hawaii Marines First to Get ‘Ship-Killing’ Missile Launcher

Marines on Oahu have been testing the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, better known as NMESIS, and...

The USS Oregon (SSN 793) transits the Thames River after returning from routine operations in route to Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.

Congress Faces Competing Plans to Cover Submarine Construction Labor Cost

When Congress returns to Washington this week, members will again face the multibillion-dollar question of how to ramp up...

Air Force News

Air Force's New Deployment Model Sparks Criticism, Staffing Concerns at Bases

Some Air Force officials are concerned by the service's innovative deployment model, a new government watchdog report...

Family of Airman Killed in Japan Osprey Crash Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Scrutiny of the military's Osprey aircraft is ramping up as family members of an Air Force special operations airman who was...

Space Force News

Does the Military Need Social Media Influencers?

New military influencers are popping up daily talking about military life -- the good, the bad and the ugly.

Members of the National Space Defense Center stand at attention during the Space Delta 15 activation ceremony at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado.

Colorado Springs Named Permanent Home for 250 Delta 15 Space Force Guardians, Ahead of Possible Space Command Fight

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Marine Corps News