Annuities Explained Without the Sales Pitch
MILMO Show
Annuities are among the financial products that can spark a lot of strong opinions. Some people love them, while some people warn everyone to stay far away from them. A lot of people are stuck somewhere in the middle, trying to figure out what an annuity actually is, what it does, and whether it makes sense for their situation. The hard part is that annuities come with a lot of jargon, fees, surrender charges, and sales language that can make them hard to understand. And when you’re making decisions with retirement money, your TSP, a pension, or other savings, confusion can get expensive...
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You’re Not Broke, You Need Financial Discipline
MILMO Show
Sometimes, the reason money feels tight is not that you're bad with money. Sometimes your money just needs more structure. In this solo episode, I’m talking about financial discipline and why it is not about shame, perfection, or taking all the joy out of your life. It is about giving your money direction, keeping small promises to your future self, and creating enough structure so your paycheck does not disappear before you know it. I also share simple ways to build more discipline with your money, For more information, visit the full show notes at For more MILMO, follow at: on...
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SBP vs. Term Insurance for Military Retirement
MILMO Show
Military retirement comes with some big financial decisions, but few create stronger opinions than the Survivor Benefit Plan. Some people believe SBP is essential protection for military spouses. Others say you’re better off declining it and buying term life insurance instead. In this episode, retired Army officer and Certified Financial Planner™ Kyle Packard breaks down the Survivor Benefit Plan, how it compares to term life insurance, and why this decision is about more than just cost. We’re talking about the true value of a military pension, the protection gaps families often...
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A Day Too Important to Rush Past: A Memorial Day Reflection
MILMO Show
Memorial Day is one of those days I never want to rush past, but I also never feel like I have the right words for it. In this special solo episode of the MILMO Show, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, the men and women who died in service to our country, and the families who carry that loss every day. This isn’t about having a perfect message. It’s about remembering well, honoring the cost of freedom, and carrying the day with gratitude, humility, and respect.
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The Hidden Financial Risks of Guard and Reserve Life
MILMO Show
People often assume Guard and Reserve finances work the same way as active duty, but they don’t. The income can be inconsistent, benefits can be confusing, and transitions on and off orders can create financial stress that catches families off guard. In this episode, Accredited Financial Counselor® and military spouse Terri Bailey shares real-world insight into the financial realities Guard and Reserve families face and what service members can do to better prepare for the unexpected. We’re talking about the hidden financial risks of Guard and Reserve life, the most common money...
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How Life Transitions Quietly Derail Your Finances
MILMO Show
Life in the military is full of change. PCS moves, deployments, and leaving the service can all come with a long list of decisions and a lot of pressure to make them quickly. In those moments, even smart, disciplined people can make financial choices that quietly set them back. In this episode, I talk with Stacy Miller about why money mistakes tend to happen during life transitions and how to navigate those moments with more clarity and confidence. We get into what’s really going on behind those decisions, the most common traps to watch for, and simple ways to slow down and make better...
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What the Financial Industry Gets Wrong About Serving Veterans
MILMO Show
A lot of financial advice is built for people with steady careers, predictable income, and easy access to financial services. That’s not the reality for many service members and veterans. And it creates gaps that can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities. In this episode, Dr. Chet Bennetts, Department Chair and Associate Provost at The American College of Financial Services and Marine veteran, shares where the system falls short and how it impacts the military community. We get into why access to quality advice is still a challenge, how stress and life transitions shape financial...
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{Encore} Finding Your Financial Yin and Yang
MILMO Show
Money can start to feel like an either-or decision. Either you’re doing the “right” thing and saving, or you’re enjoying your life and spending. And for a lot of people, that tension never really goes away, especially when everything feels more expensive right now. That’s why I wanted to bring this episode back. Here is the encore airing of Finding Your Financial Yin and Yang, a solo episode that’s all about finding balance with your money, without guilt, extremes, and without feeling like you’re always getting it wrong. It’s a basic idea, but one that can completely change how...
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Why Money Feels So Emotional in Military Life
MILMO Show
Money decisions can feel a lot heavier in military life. Between deployments, PCS moves, and the uncertainty that often comes with service, it’s easy for stress, fear, and past experiences to shape how you spend, save, or avoid money altogether. In this episode, Tyler West and I discuss why money feels so emotional and how financial therapy can help. We get into how past experiences influence money habits, how stress can show up in financial decisions, and ways military families can start having healthier conversations about money. Tyler is an Army veteran, financial planner, and financial...
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Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service Explained
MILMO Show
There’s a VA benefit available to eligible SGLI and VGLI survivors that almost no one seems to know about. It’s the Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service. It gives free financial planning during one of the hardest times a military family can face, yet too many people miss it entirely. In this episode, Certified Financial Planner Brian O’Neill and I, are talking about what this benefit is, who it’s for, where the process is breaking down, and why better awareness could help protect survivors from costly mistakes and predatory financial products. Brian is a retired Air Force Colonel,...
info_outlineA lot of financial advice is built for people with steady careers, predictable income, and easy access to financial services. That’s not the reality for many service members and veterans. And it creates gaps that can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities.
In this episode, Dr. Chet Bennetts, Department Chair and Associate Provost at The American College of Financial Services and Marine veteran, shares where the system falls short and how it impacts the military community.
We get into why access to quality advice is still a challenge, how stress and life transitions shape financial decisions, and what both professionals and service members need to understand to navigate it better.
The show notes can be found here:
https://milmo.co/podcast/financial-industry-gets-wrong-about-veterans