Finance & Benefits
Military pay, TSP, BAH, BAS, investing on military pay, and the unique tax advantages and benefits available to service members. Plain language. Written by an Infantryman pursuing a Business Finance degree at the University of Utah.
TSPMIXED
Thrift Savings Plan strategy, contribution rates, fund selection, Roth vs Traditional decisions, and the combat zone trick that turns TSP into the most powerful retirement vehicle in the U.S. tax code. Two complete guides live — more deep-dives coming.
The TSP Guide for Soldiers
How to actually set up your Thrift Savings Plan. Hit the 5% match, pick the right fund, and keep money accessible. Roth vs Traditional, C Fund vs L Fund, and the Roth IRA strategy most TSP articles skip.
Read the Guide →The TSP G Fund Trap
Why most soldiers lose $200K+ over a career sitting in the G Fund — and how to fix it before it costs you.
Roth TSP vs Traditional TSP: A Soldier's Honest Guide
The honest answer for soldiers — with the math, a free interactive calculator using 2026 tax brackets and real TSP fund returns, and the combat zone trick that turns Roth TSP into the most powerful retirement vehicle in the U.S. tax code.
Read the Guide →TSP After ETS: Roll to IRA or Leave It?
The real comparison — fees, flexibility, fund selection, and tax treatment.
BAH & BASARTICLES
Basic Allowance for Housing and Subsistence. Tax-free housing money is the most underused wealth-building tool soldiers have.
BAH Strategy: Live Below It, Invest the Rest
How to use BAH to build wealth instead of cover rent. Strategies for E-4 through O-3.
House Hacking with VA Loan + BAH
The duplex strategy that makes BAH cover your mortgage and pay you to live there.
BAS: The Forgotten Allowance
How BAS works, how to budget around it, and the tax implications most soldiers miss.
InvestingARTICLES
Beyond TSP — Roth IRA, taxable brokerage, index funds, and the math of what soldiers can actually invest on E-4 to O-3 pay. No crypto hype. No day-trading.
Investing as a Junior Enlisted
What to do with $500-2,000/month on E-3 to E-5 pay. TSP, IRA, brokerage — and in what order.
Roth IRA Strategy for Soldiers
Combat zone deployment makes the Roth IRA insanely powerful. Most soldiers don't know this.
Index Funds 101 for Soldiers
Why three funds will outperform 95% of managed accounts — and which three.
PayARTICLES
Pay grade breakdowns side by side. From E-1 to O-6. Including allowances, special pays, and the lifetime earnings difference between paths.
Enlisted Pay 2026: Complete Breakdown
Base pay + BAH + BAS + special pays for E-1 through E-9. What you'll actually take home.
Officer Pay 2026: Complete Breakdown
Base pay + BAH + BAS + special pays for O-1 through O-6. Including the early career math.
Should You Go Officer? The Money Math
Lifetime earnings, retirement value, and the real financial case for commissioning.
BenefitsARTICLES
TRICARE, VA loans, SBP, combat zone tax exclusion, SDP, GI Bill, and the benefits soldiers leave on the table.
VA Loan Basics: When to Use It, When Not To
The math of VA loan vs conventional, and when soldiers should actually pull the trigger.
Combat Zone Tax Exclusion: Maximizing It
The tax-free deployment income most soldiers don't fully use — and the IRA strategy that 10x's its value.
SDP: The 10% Guaranteed Return
Savings Deposit Program breakdown. How to use the deployment-only 10% return account.
GI Bill: Transfer, Use, or Bank?
The real comparison between using the GI Bill yourself vs transferring to dependents.
TransitionARTICLES
Active to Guard, Guard to Reserve, ETS to civilian. The financial moves that survive the uniform.
Active to Guard: The Money Playbook
Pay structure changes, healthcare gap, and the 6-month financial bridge most soldiers underestimate.
ETS Financial Checklist
TSP, TRICARE, GI Bill, terminal leave, and the 90-day financial checklist before you separate.
Building a Civilian Career on Military Pay
Education, certifications, and the post-service business that pays for itself.
The 4-Week AFT Program
Free PDF. 5 lift days, 3 run days, supersets. Built to take your AFT score up. Drop your email and I'll send it.