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your military status in order to receive military rates.
• • Before signing loan documents, make sure you fully understand all conditions (annual percentage rate, monthly payment amount, fees, penalties, etc.) Don't hesitate to take the paperwork home to think it over or consult with a financial advisor.
• • Avoid pawn shop loans that use your car's title as collateral. Besides paying a very high rate, missing a payment could cost you ownership of your car.
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• Many governmental and private organizations provide financial information aimed at the special needs of the military, including:
• • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Office of Servicemember Affairs (www.consumerfinance.gov/servicemembers) features a variety of financial planning tools.
• • Military OneSource (www.militaryonesource.mil) helps service members and families juggle such concerns as money management, spouse employment, education, parenting, childcare, relocation and deployment.
• • SaveAndInvest.org, a financial education program created by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to improve military members' saving and investing knowledge (www.saveandinvest.org/MilitaryCenter).
• • The GI Bill provides a broad range of education benefits for veterans (www.gibill.va.gov).
• • The government provides an intensive, three-day Transition Assistance Program for separating or retiring service members and spouses to ease reentry into the civilian workplace (www.taonline.com/TAPOffice).
• It's vital that our military understand the benefits available to them - as well as the financial pitfalls to which they may be vulnerable.
• • Jason Alderman directs Visa's financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.