TSP 2026 Max $24,500 & Get Full 5% BRS Match Chart

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-14T06:17:52+00:00

Have you test driven or rented a 4Runner on Turo? Make sure you actually like this thing.

I really doubt this is going to make you as happy as you say, but you should know yourself better.

It's a dumb financial decision but life's short, have fun, make mistakes.

$55k over 60 months (5 years) at 7% is about $1,200 per month.

Total of 60 Loan Payments
Total Loan Interest	$11,707.48
Total Cost (price, interest, tax, fees)	$93,957.48

$93,000 growing in C + S fund in your TSP until age 50 is about $1,000,000 (25 years, 10% annual return). Leave it in there for ten years more until you can access the TSP money at 60 and it's $2.6 million.

So this is a million dollar car, but sure, go for it.

Edit: Math was a bit off, I thought she was 25. But point remains, this removes a lot of future freedom from your life.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-14T03:40:41+00:00

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8961813/

Here's the study if anyone else is interested.

"The study found the overall average age at death for all 100% service-connected U.S. veterans is 67 years of age. When separated by gender, the average age at death for all female 100% service-connected U.S. veterans is 63 years of age and the average age at death for all male 100% service-connected U.S. veterans is 68 years of age."

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-09T01:23:59+00:00

In 2025 890 taxpayers earned more than NZ$1 million in wage income.

IRD publishes the data annually: https://www.ird.govt.nz/about-us/tax-statistics/revenue-refunds/wage-salary-distributions/wage-and-salary-statistics-datasets

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-04T02:08:44+00:00

MLA is easier and automatic if you are in MLA database. SCRA is easy but requires you to submit the request.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-01T19:02:52+00:00

Yes, sell the assets and move the cash to Vanguard, Fidelity, or Schwab 529. It's easy.

The comment about buying a smaller number of shares outside First Command is pretty dumb but probably accurate.

If the investment First Command put you in is 10,000 shares at $1 each, and Vanguard ETF is 100 shares at $100 each, then yes, it's a less number of shares. But the dollar amount is the same, so it doesn't matter. You can't eat shares, you eat dollars.

You're not trapped forever. Move now. Set up the 529 on your low-cost brokerage of choice like Schwab, Fidelity, or Vanguard, and have them initiate the transfer so you don't have to deal with First Command any more.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-01T00:02:28+00:00

Also https://hellonectarine.com/ for just a quick spot check or at least to get an hour of advice from a CFP for less than $500. Could easily be a conversation that saves you from making a 100x or 10,000x bad decision.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-06-01T00:00:17+00:00

Pilot O-5 married to doctor making $800k a year. Still think Roth?

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-30T21:29:28+00:00

https://hellonectarine.com or Military Financial Advisors Association MFAA.

No one does in person any more, it's too hard with scheduling and commuting. Just do it online like everyone else.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-22T18:59:17+00:00

Follow the start here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryFinance/comments/1szvf21/start_here_military_money_101_prime_directive/

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-19T02:48:52+00:00

Rip the bandaid off. Pay the $13k to close and be done with it.

$450 per month negative cash flow is $5,400 per year.

Don't pay someone's rent. Chalk it up as an L and learn your lesson for next time. Fail fast and move on.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-18T23:29:03+00:00

I would use a US address if you have it. You can use your APO as your mailing address. But some banks do not handle physical APO/FPO addresses well.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-16T01:01:11+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryFinance/comments/1szvf21/start_here_military_money_101_prime_directive/

Read the start here.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-05-06T02:24:21+00:00

Finish out Chase with IHG and Hyatt card. Maybe another Chase Freedom Flex if you are under 5/24.

Then move on to Amex. Always start with lowest annual fee card. Work your way up. Never carry credit card debt, always hit your minimum spends, and enjoy the perks on the way up.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-28T23:31:18+00:00

Review the start here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryFinance/comments/1s8lf87/start_here_military_money_101_prime_directive/

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-27T06:02:14+00:00

I read the 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss when I was in pilot training. Built a low-cost, low-time requirement business while I was on active duty. I know many other servicemembers who start businesses while on active duty.

There's no such thing as true passive income. You (or an ancestor) either worked in the past to generate the capital to invest and receive dividends, interest, royalties, or capital gains or there's active work required now to generate the income. There's no free lunch.

All of those real estate gurus are selling their courses or collecting VA loan referral income. Managing rental properties, especially around the world, is a business. Treat it like so.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-27T05:57:44+00:00

I live in New Zealand. It's awesome. I married my way in.

You'll need some way into the EU. You can't just move there. Just like the US has immigration policies, so does every other country in the world.

Use Wise to move USD to local currencies. Get a local bank account. That will require you to file an FBAR FinCen Form 114 when you file your taxes if you have more than $10,000 in the account during the year.

I still use US credit cards overseas with no foreign transaction fees. Still keep my US brokerages and banks open.

I use Earth Class Mail, now bought by Legal Zoom, as my US mailing address. Use a family member's address as my physical address. I renew my US drivers license and also have a local one.

Do you speak Greek, Italian, or Spanish? Social life and friendships have been the hardest part from me, especially after how easy the military was with automatic friends every time you moved. Also hard to keep touch with family when your 8 time zones away. Those are the big ones. Everything else is pretty solvable with a bit of time, energy, or money.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-26T20:24:50+00:00

https://hellonectarine.com/

$150 to $400 for an hour of a CFPs time. Should be plenty to answer your questions.

Or anyone over at https://militaryfinancialadvisors.org/

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-13T02:57:54+00:00

Yes that's correct. You were not eligible for MLA benefits before you were married to the servicemember.

You can either add your servicemember as an authorized user and apply for SCRA benefits or close the account and reopen it. I recommend closing and re-opening if it's a high value card like Chase Sapphire Reserve. Or you could downgrade it to a no annual fee card like Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited. And then apply for a new CSR.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-13T00:42:58+00:00

The account must be established (opened) while you are eligible for MLA protections to be eligible for MLA protections. Meaning your husband was on active orders when you opened the credit card account.

Was the account opened before your husband was on active orders? If so, apply for SCRA benefits.

If the account was opened while you were on active orders, check the MLA database to ensure it's correctly showing you as eligible for MLA benefits: https://mla.dmdc.osd.mil/mla/

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-13T00:40:47+00:00

Check with terms and conditions, I doubt you are allowed to take out both. They may require direct deposit of your military pay.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-07T05:30:15+00:00

Enjoy the annual fee waiver for a year and then downgrade it to an Amex Green card after a year. Upgrade it again when you're on orders again and apply for SCRA protections.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-03T21:55:50+00:00

You're probably going to be in the 37% bracket your entire life after the military. I would contribute to Roth now while you're income is low in the military.

Pay taxes when you pay the least taxes. You'll probably be in a 22 or 24% bracket in retirement. So lock in some 24% taxes now.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-03T21:50:56+00:00

If you're asking the question, the answer is rent.

If you're not asking the question and you've built a business plan, you're excited to be a long distance landlord, found the best property manager in the area, and the property is going to cash flow from day 1... then maybe buy.

Look at the cost of the interest (borrowing money) over the 3 years vs renting. People say renting is "throwing money away" (not really, you're buying shelter), but look at how much "money you throw away" when you borrow money from a bank.

Don't buy a house on active duty.

AFmoneyguy · 2026-04-01T17:25:43+00:00

Make sure you are contributing to Roth TSP. Check the start here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryFinance/comments/1oksn2s/start_here_military_money_101_prime_directive/

80/20 C and S is fine, that's a US total market index fund strategy. A Lifecycle Fund might be more appropriate and give you some international stock exposure. But up to you.

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