Financial Readiness Program

Want to take charge of your finances? The Army's Financial Readiness Program (FRP) and Consumer Advocacy Services can help with comprehensive educational and counseling programs. Learn about debt, consumer advocacy and protection, money management, credit, financial planning, insurance, and consumer issues. Through classroom training and individual counseling, participants can learn how to save and invest money, establish savings goals, eliminate debt, and save for emergencies.

We offer:

• Financial Readiness Program (FRP). FRP provides comprehensive educational and counseling programs in personal financial readiness. The program covers indebtedness, consumer advocacy and protection, money management, credit, financial planning, insurance, and consumer issues. Other services offered include mandatory financial literacy, financial planning for transitioning Soldiers, financial counseling for deployed Soldiers and their Families, and the Department of Defense Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance Program.
   
• Army Emergency Relief (AER). AER is the US Army's own nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating financial distress in the force. AER provides grants and zero-interest loans to active-duty and retired Soldiers and their Families. AER has supported over 4 million Soldiers since 1942. AER offices are conveniently located at installations around the world. Visit ArmyEmergencyRelief.org to learn more.
   
• Online Support and Education. Go to Financial Frontline for self-service financial literacy education and help.

Here are some other financial resources for Soldiers and their Families:

• Blended Retirement System. The Blended Retirement System (BRS) combines elements of the legacy retirement system with benefits similar to those offered in many civilian 401(k) plans. Get smart on retirement benefits with the Army Retirement Services Office and Joint Knowledge Online Training.
   
• Financial Readiness Affiliates

(Government Links)

• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP is a federal government-sponsored retirement savings and investment plan available to both federal civilian employees and members of the uniformed services. The TSP offers the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans. The retirement income a TSP account provides will depend on working-year contributions and the earnings on those contributions. Learn more at the official Thrift Savings Plan website.

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB makes markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans — whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer financial products. The CFPB gives consumers the information they need to understand the terms of their agreements with financial companies. Learn more about the CFPB, visit the CFPB on-demand forum and tools website, or order free CFPB publications.

(Non-Government Links, No Endorsement Implied)

• Better Business Bureau (BBB) Military Line. The BBB Military Line provides free resources to our military communities in the areas of financial literacy and consumer protection through the efforts of 112 BBBs across the US. Visit the BBB Military Line to learn more.

Overview

Army Emergency Relief (AER) is a private, non-profit organization established to assist Soldiers and their Family members in emergency financial situations due to no fault of their own. Financial assistance is given in the form of an interest-free loan, grant, or combination of the two. Loans are repaid by an allotment.

Education Programs

AER’s Education Program is a secondary mission to help Army Families with the costs of education. The three separate scholarship programs are:

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program
• Applicant must be the Spouse or widow(er) of an active duty or retired Soldier and reside in the United States. 
• Stateside applicants must be full time students. 
• First undergraduate degrees only.
• Active duty military personnel are not eligible.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program Major General James Ursano Scholarship Fund for Dependent Children.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program 
• Applicants must be a Spouse of an active duty Soldier assigned in Europe, Korea, Japan, or Okinawa. 
• Applicants must physically reside with the Soldier at the assigned location. 
• First undergraduate degrees only.
• Off post students are not eligible.
• Spouses may be part time or full time students.

Major General James Ursano Scholarship Fund for Dependant Children 
• Dependent children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children of Army Soldiers on active duty, retired or deceased while in active duty or retired status.

The children of Grey Area Reservists/National Guard are eligible as well.

Scholarship awards will be awarded up to half the cost of tuition. Scholarship awards are based on financial need, as evidenced by income, assets, Family size, and special circumstances.

Applications and instructions are available for all the scholarships on the AER website at www.armyemergencyrelief.org

View all AER forms. 

To ensure you have a productive appointment, the following items are needed when you check in. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will need to reschedule your appointment.

1 Hour Appointments

Budget

• Copies of all bills 
• Current LES
• Spouse's earning statement (if employed)

Financial Hardship Early Return of Dependents (ERD) Memo

• Copies of all bills
• Current EOM LES
• Copy of DA 4187

Consumer Complaints 

• All paperwork involving complaints (contracts, phone numbers for contract, etc.)

Projected LES

• Current LES

Car Fax

• VIN number of the vehicle

College Savings 

• Current LES

Insurance (home, car, life)

• Current insurance documents

Non-Financial ERD Memo

• Copy of DA 4187 (SM can be seen by the on-call person as a walk-in if available) 

To ensure you have a productive appointment, the following items are needed when you check in. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will need to reschedule your appointment.

1-1/2 Hours Appointments

Credit (report, score, repair)

• Current report
• Current LES
• Copies of bills 

Child Care Subsidy 

• Copies of all bills
• Memo from Unit Commander requesting consideration for subsidy
• Current LES

Investment Planning

• Current LES

Current Investment Paperwork

• Thrift Savings Plan
• Current LES
• Current TSP and investment paperwork

Home Buying

• Current LES
• Current report and/or credit score

Car Buying 

• Copies of bills 
• Credit report 
• Current LES

Security Memo

• Credit report 
• Statement of Reasons from security office
• Documentation of all resolved debt issues from statement of reasons
• Current LES

Debt Liquidation 

• Copies of all bills 
• Credit report 
• Copy of letters from debtors and phone numbers
• Current LES

** Get your free credit report from: www.annualcreditreport.com

Financial Readiness Program has aligned the newly implemented Army Financial Literacy Program IAW EXORD 140-21 to meet the annual mandatory training requirement on https://olms.armyfamilywebportal.com/ with units tracking their Soldiers’ individual certificate of completion.

Soldiers are encouraged to go on line and browse/review the handouts and videos to help get their finances in order before experiencing the 10 of the most important milestone trainings: pre-deployment, post-deployment, PCSing, marriage, divorce (if applicable), vesting in the TSP, promotion, having the first child, continuation pay, enrollment in the Exceptional Family Member Program, and a disabling sickness or condition (if applicable).

To ease the unit of the tracking tasking, Financial Readiness is available upon request (2 week’s advance notice) to conduct group sessions for these 10 milestone touchpoints.  FRP also offers classes at the ACS Bldg 690 every Wednesday from 1000-1130.  1st Week: Initial Financial Milestone, 2nd Week: Planning for your Financial Future, 3rd Week: Credit Management Milestone and 4th Week: Savings and Investing Milestone focusing on TSP/BRS.  5th Week is TBD.  These Financial Milestone classes do not require registration.

Auto Buying

Budgeting

College and Student Information

Consumer Protection

Debt/Credit/Credit Cards

Home Buying

Insurance

Investing

Pay and Benefits

Retirement

• Forms for Classes/Brief Requests
• Foreclosure Resources for Consumers
• Internal Revenue Website

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