The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Mission-Driven Financial Coaching for the Unique Challenges of Military Households

Financial Coaching For Military Households
Mike Senecal

Writer: Mike Senecal

Mike Senecal

Mike Senecal, Staff Writer

Mike Senecal draws on more than 20 years of editorial experience to update CardRates.com readers on industry trends, business news, and best practices in budgeting and credit use. Mike has worked for decades in academic and trade publishing, including roles as managing editor and technical editor at the University of Florida and as contributor to finance industry publications, including Surety Bond Quarterly and Independent Agent, among others. Mike holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina, and he enjoys bringing his years of academic and industry expertise online to help consumers of diverse financial backgrounds.

See Full Bio »
Close
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro, Senior Editor

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Gwinnett Daily News, Gainesville Sun, and The New York Times, where she covered demographics, consumer issues, and the business and financial sectors. Lillian has a degree in journalism and communications from Georgia State University and brings her fact-checking expertise to ensure Digital Brands content is accurate and engaging.

See Full Bio »
Close
Adam West

Reviewer: Adam West

Adam West

Adam West, Managing Editor

Adam has interviewed over 1,000 finance experts since joining the CardRates team in 2016. He spearheads industry news coverage related to helping consumers achieve greater financial literacy and improved credit. He has more than 12 years of storytelling, editing, and design experience in print and online journalism and is most knowledgeable in the areas of credit scores, financial products and services, and the banking industry.

See Full Bio »
Close

Our experts and industry insiders blog the latest news, studies and current events from inside the credit card industry. Our articles follow strict editorial guidelines.

In a Nutshell: Most military households shuttle from one deployment to the other with little opportunity to take stock and settle down. Naturally, that often wreaks havoc with their finances. First Command is a nationwide coaching service that focuses on the unique financial challenges of military households. Connect with one of First Command’s nearly 600 advisors — three out of four of whom are veterans or military spouses — to set you on the right track to pursue a sustainable financial future and secure retirement.

People don’t join the service to ride off into the sunset. Sure, many sign on to “be all they can be,” as the U.S. Army puts it. But it doesn’t take a genius to appreciate how achieving fulfillment in a military role requires looking beyond the personal.

A lot of things can fall by the wayside due to the burdens of service — including finances, said John Osarczuk, Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations of First Command. First Command offers complimentary financial plans for active duty military members (and their immediate families) to help them overcome their challenges and build sustainable family financial plans.

First Command logo

Osarczuk said First Command’s surveys of civilian and military financial consumers over more than a decade consistently show that career military personnel are behind their civilian counterparts in terms of credit scores and overall financial awareness and literacy. That’s unfortunate, given the level of sacrifice many make — including the ultimate sacrifice.

“Most don’t join the military to become wealthy — they join to serve, to give back, to do something bigger than themselves,” Osarczuk said. “That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy financial security.”

First Command has operated under its current name since 2001, but its legacy stretches back to World War II. After Lt. Col. Carroll Payne commanded a four-aircraft B-29 flight on Guam and lost 24 of his 44 crew members, he acted as summary court officer to notify the families of their losses.

It changed him forever to discover, over and over again, that many among those families had not only lost a loved one but the promise of their future financial resources.

“He realized that putting people in a position where finances were a struggle was not the way to honor their service,” Osarczuk said. “So he created a company to do something about it.”

Pressures From Frequent Moves Magnify Financial Challenges

First Command operates out of Fort Worth, Texas, but its nearly 600 advisors are based in military installations nationwide. More than 75% of First Command’s advisors are either veterans or military spouses. That means they have the real-world experience to empathize with their clients’ financial challenges.

Servicepersons and their families don’t experience life the way the rest of us do. For example, most face a permanent change of station (PCS) and move to another deployment at least every 18 to 36 months.

John Osarczuk
John Osarczuk is Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations at First Command.

PCS moves are highly stressful because they disrupt household routines, including everyday financial routines. And while the military pays for the logistics of moving, it doesn’t cover the soft costs associated with PCS — an increase in the cost of living, for example, or the cost of buying new things to set up a new home in a new location.

“It can be little things, such as lacking a few hundred dollars to build shelves in your new garage,” Osarczuk said. “So there’s a magnification. If folks don’t prepare for PCS, it can have a big negative impact.”

Another area of concern is underemployment among military spouses. Servicepersons remain employed across PCS moves, of course. But spouses often face constant career churn that prevents them from achieving full employment or realizing their earning potential.

In fact, in a report produced in partnership with First Command, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative found that although 76% of active-duty spouse respondents reported having a bachelor’s degree, 32% reported being unemployed. Another 88% said their spouse’s military service impacted their ability to find jobs at their experience or education level.

“You think of simple things, such as vesting in your 401(k),” Osarczuk said. “A common vesting period for most companies is five years. Military families move every 18 to 36 months. They’re gone before the vesting opportunity arrives.”

Build a Custom Financial Plan for Free

The implications can be dire, especially when it comes to accessing employer-sponsored retirement benefits, according to the Hiring Our Heroes report. The study found that 58% of military spouses reported that their employer-matching contributions rarely or never vest due to frequent military moves and not being with an employer long enough to qualify. What’s more, employers often consider a record of frequent moves on a résumé a red flag.

Osarczuk said those and other financial disincentives for military households are so significant that they impact the Department of Defense’s recruitment and retention goals. And they’re a major focus of First Command, where coaches prioritize taking those challenges and more into account while maintaining household momentum toward a secure financial future.

“That’s where the discipline gained through financial coaching really comes in,” Osarczuk said. “Can’t do a 401(k)? Maybe you can do an IRA. There are lots of different opportunities.”

First Command financial services
First Command offers personal banking services, loans, and credit cards.

Locating nearly 600 advisors across hundreds of military installations demonstrates First Command’s commitment to what Osarczuk called “eyeball-to-eyeball and knee-to-knee coaching.” That doesn’t always work for everybody, especially when their “ops tempo” is high.

“So we’re really good at virtual coaching as well,” Osarczuk said.

To honor Lt. Col. Payne’s vision, all engagement with active-duty military members at First Command, whether in person or virtual, starts with a free financial plan. More than 34,000 clients took advantage of that offer in 2024.

Building a custom financial plan through consultation with a First Command coach can shine a light on where you are today and outline steps to get to where you want to be. First Command also offers insurance and banking services.

“But the financial planning portion of it — access to our advisors, sitting down to diagnose the issues, and creating a written plan they can follow throughout their career and beyond — is always complimentary for active-duty military,” Osarczuk said.

Gain a Lifetime Partner Who Has Your Interests at Heart

It’s not as if it’s one and done at First Command — your coach isn’t going to put a piece of paper in your hand and send you on your way. On the contrary, the complimentary financial plan you receive from your First Command financial coach can serve as the beginning of an ongoing relationship geared toward your continual success.

“Once you become a client, you’re a client for the rest of your life,” Osarczuk said. “And you will meet with your advisor periodically to update your plan.”

That’s ultimately when the discipline inherent in military comportment comes to the fore among First Command clients. To be sure, First Command coaches have the empathy and understanding to meet clients where they are with tools and resources to pursue their long-term goals.

But they also represent an example of how you can overcome your financial challenges while in the military.

“Sometimes it looks pretty daunting,” Osarczuk said. “Our advisors bring all of that into their coaching.”

That means receiving reminders about long-term career and financial goals that may be receding from memory. It also means taking into consideration changing family dynamics and priorities as time moves on, and responding constructively to changes in the economy and society when warranted. In other words, your coach won’t hesitate to tell you what you need to hear.

Clients find many reasons to choose First Command financial products to put their plans into action. For example, while most credit cards more or less incentivize users to pay interest on a balance they carry from month to month, First Command designed a card to give you more points when you pay it off.

“I think the industry thought our bank president was crazy when he asked them to help us create it,” Osarczuk said. “Our financial advisors have walked in your boots.”