Holiday Spending Tips for Military Families
MILMO Show
The holidays can be a special time full of connection with coworkers, friends, and family, but they can also be a season when money feels out of control. Between travel, gifts, parties, food, and “just one more present” moments, it’s easy for two months of spending to undo months of progress. For many military families, the pressure hits even harder with long travel distances, family expectations, and the feeling that memories have to come at a price tag. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to prepare for the holiday season in a way that keeps your financial goals front and center,...
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Why Veterans Should Rule the World
MILMO Show
Veterans are built different. We’ve learned to push when others quit, to focus on the big picture instead of getting caught up in small stuff, and to adapt when things change. We’ve mastered discipline, resilience, and teamwork —the same qualities that drive financial success. In this episode, I’m breaking down why veterans have what it takes to rule the world—financially speaking. Because when you combine our strengths with the resources and benefits available to us, the path to financial freedom becomes shorter, smarter, and stronger. Veterans already know how to make...
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What Military Families Can Learn from the Millionaire Next Door
MILMO Show
In this episode, we revisit the timeless lessons from The Millionaire Next Door, how ordinary habits create extraordinary wealth, and explore the difference between managing money day to day and truly planning for the long term. Kirk also shares practical guidance on paying off debt, saving for the future, and building flexibility into your financial life, especially for military families facing uncertainty. Kirk Kinder, Director of Financial Planning at Bastion Fiduciary, a fee-only financial planning firm built on the military ethos. Kirk’s path to finance started in the U.S. Coast Guard,...
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Government Shutdown Impact on Military Pay and Benefits
MILMO Show
Right now, there’s a lot of anxiety, confusion, and information floating around. The U.S. government has been shut down since October 1st, and we’re now in the last week of the month. It’s one of the longest shutdowns in modern U.S. history. If you’ve been feeling uneasy or just plain tired of the uncertainty, you’re not alone. It’s totally normal to feel that way. But there’s also good news and today, I want to help you focus on that. In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really going on with the government shutdown, what it is, why it’s happening, and how it’s...
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Encore: My Grandma's Story
MILMO Show
Life is so precious, and I’m squeezing my family a lot tighter this week. Last week, I lost my grandmother. I’m recording this on the morning of her funeral, as I get ready to celebrate her life and say goodbye. I feel incredibly blessed that she lived to be over 98 years old and that I was able to spend so much time with her. And even more thankful that I was able to sit down and record this conversation with my Grandmother. Having her voice, her stories, and her laughter captured in this episode is something I’ll cherish. When I meet listeners in person, this episode is something...
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Investing With Discipline for Military Families
MILMO Show
We’re diving into investing with Cale Smith, founder and CEO of Bastion Fiduciary, a veteran-led fee-only RIA, and portfolio manager for the Bastion Energy Fund, an actively managed ETF. As a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Cale brings a unique perspective shaped by both military service and decades in finance. In this episode, he explains what a portfolio manager really does, the differences between ETFs, mutual funds, and index funds, and why most investors are better off keeping things simple. We also talk about leadership in investing, the biggest mistakes military families...
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Building High-Performing Teams After Military Life
MILMO Show
Do you know what it takes to lead when the uniform comes off? My guest is Mark Tilsher, a 21-year veteran of the Air Force who has dedicated his career to developing resilient leaders across military, corporate, and community settings. In this episode, Mark shares how veterans can adapt their leadership to the civilian workplace, avoid common pitfalls, and use their skills to thrive in their careers. We also discuss his personal financial journey from $97,000 in debt to debt-free and the lessons he learned along the way about risk, resilience, and family. For more MILMO, follow at: ...
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How Flipping Value Can Transform Your Money Mindset
MILMO Show
Have you ever stood in line for something free and realized it actually wasn’t worth it? That moment sparked today’s guest, Army veteran and financial planner Rob Moore, to develop a simple but actionable framework he calls flipping the value. Rob is the founder of Everman Prosperity, where he helps military families and those in transition make confident financial decisions. In our chat, we discuss how flipping the value works in everyday life, from outsourcing chores to buying cars to choosing experiences over stuff, and why this perspective can help you avoid guilt, cut down on...
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Side Hustle Bookkeeping That Fits Your PCS Life
MILMO Show
This episode is for every military spouse and veteran who’s ever wondered how to earn income on your own terms around military life. My guest, Melissa Broughton, is the creator of The 1-Hour Bookkeeper and founder of Busy Bee Advisors. She’s on a mission to help military spouses launch bookkeeping businesses that fit their lives —flexible hours, work from anywhere, and with the potential for a six-figure income. Melissa shares her personal story of walking away from corporate burnout, why bookkeeping is a hidden gem of a business, and how anyone, even with zero experience, can learn the...
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Trademarks, Family and It's My Birthday!
MILMO Show
Welcome to this special episode of the MILMO Show! Today’s my birthday, and I’m celebrating by doing something I love—talking business, family, and protecting what you’ve worked hard to build. And I get to do it with my cousin, Mark Flanigan. Mark is an intellectual property lawyer with experience spanning startups to Fortune 500 companies. His work has spanned patents for medical devices, trademarks for global brands, and volunteer advocacy on behalf of veterans. He’s also an Army brat who now calls Switzerland home. In this episode, we dig into the world of trademarks—what they...
info_outlineToo many people wait until they’re just a few years from retirement to start asking the big questions, like Can I afford to stop working? And what if my spouse isn’t retiring yet? The truth is, preparing for retirement isn’t just about portfolios and percentages. It’s about aligning your finances with your life.
In this episode, Jeff Panik shares the common mistakes people make before retirement and offers advice on how to avoid them. He talks about why inventorying your financial life matters, what conversations couples should be having, and why testing your retirement lifestyle before you actually retire can be a game-changer.
Jeff is the Founder of Balance Wealth Partners and a financial advisor with over 25 years of experience. A U.S. Army veteran and first-generation college graduate, Jeff combines disciplined insight with deep empathy to help pre-retirees navigate the complex landscape of Social Security, Medicare, income planning, and succession strategy. His firm was founded on a simple mission: to help people live well today while preparing wisely for tomorrow.
Jeff’s approach is rooted in life experience, from paying off student loans through military service to building a career that demystifies money for others. He believes financial advice should be practical, transparent, and deeply human. He is the author of Your Future Is Now, a personal finance guide for young adults, and is set to release his upcoming book for pre-retirees. His work reflects a deep commitment to fostering financial literacy for all generations. When he’s not advising others, Jeff enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, and following sports— especially from his home base in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
06:05 – The #1 mistake people make 5–10 years before retirement
08:30 – Is the “perfect portfolio” really the goal?
10:35 – Why taking a “financial inventory” is a retirement game-changer
12:10 – What to do if you're not naturally organized with money or documents
13:30 – The surprising truth about hobbies and moving in retirement
14:45 – Couples and retirement: how to navigate different timelines
16:25 – Important financial conversations to have before marriage
18:00 – Perception vs. reality: social media and financial stress
19:57 – Why mentorship and storytelling matter in personal finance
23:15 – What retirees often overestimate—and what they underestimate
24:49 – The very first move to make if you haven’t started retirement planning
27:30 – Retirement and health: why you can’t afford to wait
29:22 – Jeff’s favorite tools, including how he uses AI for planning
31:36 – The book that shaped Jeff’s financial philosophy
33:15 – Game Time: “Is It Real?” – Jeff faces off with banana museums and reverse zoos
https://milmo.co/podcast/retirement-mistakes-to-avoid
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