MILMO Show
The MILMO Show is all about military money and entrepreneurship. It's everything you need to know about making, saving, and investing money wisely. Lacey Langford, AFC, interviews inspiring guests about personal finance, entrepreneurship, investing, life in the military, and more.
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Military Financial Perks and Travel Benefits
03/25/2024
Military Financial Perks and Travel Benefits
One of the major perks of serving in the military is the opportunity to travel and experience different parts of the world. However, deployments and assignments often determine the destinations rather than personal travel bucket lists. But that doesn't mean you can't explore the places you've always dreamed of visiting, and even better, you can do so while saving money thanks to the many financial and travel benefits that come with military service. In this episode, Chelsey Thomas, a military spouse and founder of Camouflage Perks, shares valuable insights on maximizing travel benefits and perks for military families. With a wealth of firsthand experience, Chelsey has used points and other military travel programs to visit seven countries and countless states across the U.S. Chelsey walks us through the lesser-known financial perks and travel benefits available to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. From discounted lodging and airfare to free cruise opportunities, she'll reveal strategies for making the most of your hard-earned military benefits while exploring the world. The show notes can be found here:
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The Skinny on MilMoneyCon24
03/18/2024
The Skinny on MilMoneyCon24
MilMoneyCon is my true passion project - a calling to bring financial professionals together to solve problems, support each other, and uplift our community. I feel that when we unite, we create a stronger financial force, leading to a more resilient military and veteran force. In this episode, I'm excited to give you a sneak peek into MilMoneyCon this year. I'll cover Denver, our host city, the hotel, special events, and what you can expect to get out of the conference. The show notes can be found here:
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Networking: Why You Need It and How to Do It
03/11/2024
Networking: Why You Need It and How to Do It
Networking can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Whether it's finding a trusted babysitter or landing your dream job, connecting with the right people can be a game-changer. As I gear up for MilMoneyCon, I've been reflecting on the power of networking and what it means to different folks. At its core, networking is about making connections that help fulfill needs and goals. It's a crucial part of careers, businesses, and life in general. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on networking - why you need it, how to do it effectively, and my own personal strategies for making those invaluable connections. Whether you're a networking pro or just getting started, this one's for you. The notes from this episode can be found here:
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What’s Your Money Mood?
03/04/2024
What’s Your Money Mood?
Let's talk about financial moods, figuring out where you’re at, what you’re looking for, and aligning your mood with what you’re seeking. The show notes can be found here:
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Are You Controlling What You Can With Money
02/26/2024
Are You Controlling What You Can With Money
In this episode, I’m going to go about how taking control of your situation is often the key to finding peace and can lead to success or at least feel like you’re in control and captaining the ship that is your life. I’m also going to go over how to focus on controlling what is controllable in your finances. The show notes can be found here:
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What’s Your Trash Worth
02/19/2024
What’s Your Trash Worth
In this episode, I’m going to go over getting control of wastefulness in your household and simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of money you spend on groceries to keep your food spending from climbing more than it already has. We’re also going to have a heart-to-heart about leftovers. The show notes can be found here:
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Improving the Quality of Life for Service Members
02/12/2024
Improving the Quality of Life for Service Members
More than ever before, quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families is a priority for military leaders. One of the top factors that can make or break the quality of life for members of our community is their financial situation. In this episode, the former Sergeant Major of the Army, Tony Grinston, is here to talk about the latest resources available through Army Emergency Relief to help improve service members' and their families' quality of life. The show notes can be found here:
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The Business of Ghostwriting
02/05/2024
The Business of Ghostwriting
Earning money as a writer is something many aspire to. When people think of becoming a writer, they often think about Steven King or J.K. Rowling, but there’s another type of writing that can be a business for you and make you money. It’s the business of ghostwriting. In this episode, Navy veteran and professional ghostwriter Steven Leapley shares how he broke into ghostwriting, how he gets clients, and how you can get started in the business. The show notes can be found here:
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{Encore} How To Create Work You Love
01/29/2024
{Encore} How To Create Work You Love
In honor of Dan Miller, I’m bringing back an episode on a topic I think is even more powerful at this moment: creating work you love. Here is the encore airing of How to Create Work You Love with the amazing Dan Miller I hope it inspires you to get after creating a work and a life you love. Show notes can be found here:
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Military Retirement Calculators, Services, and Resources
01/22/2024
Military Retirement Calculators, Services, and Resources
Getting ready for a military retirement can feel like a part-time job. There’s a lot to learn and get done years in advance of your final out. Waiting until the last minute to prepare can lead to mistakes, stress, and potentially getting less money than you’re owed in disability. In this episode, Mark Overberg shares news on the new military medical retirement calculator and resources to help prepare you for retirement. He also busts some divorce and retirement pay myths and breaks down the differences between Combat-Related Special Compensation and Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay. The show notes can be found here:
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The Impact Our Money Thoughts and Feelings Can Have
01/15/2024
The Impact Our Money Thoughts and Feelings Can Have
Like it or not, money makes you feel a certain way. Do you know what your thoughts and feelings about money are and how they weave into the areas of your life, like relationships and work? In this episode, Dr. Meghaan Lurtz shares how we can bring awareness to our thoughts and feelings about money to reach our financial goals. Dr. Lurtz, is a writer and Senior Research Associate with Kitces.com, a financial planning blog. She’s a Professor of Practice at Kansas State University, where she teaches courses for the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate Program, and a lecturer at Columbia University, where she teaches Financial Psychology, and an undergraduate adjunct professor through the University of Maryland system in their CFP program. She is also a past president of the Financial Therapy Association, not to mention a military spouse going through an OCONUS PCS when she recorded this episode with me. The show notes can be found here:
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My New Name and More
01/08/2024
My New Name and More
I’m breaking down what I envisioned for my new brand name and what’s coming. Plus, I’m sharing some of my insights and observations about entrepreneurship. The show notes can be found here:
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{Encore} The Habits to Practice to be a Happy Retiree
01/01/2024
{Encore} The Habits to Practice to be a Happy Retiree
What you do right now can have a positive impact for your future self. The planning and actions you take now can mean a better retirement for you and your family. But what should you be doing and when? In this episode, I talk with my friend and fellow podcaster, Wes Moss, about habits you can practice right now to become a happy retiree.
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A Reminder of What’s to Come
12/25/2023
A Reminder of What’s to Come
In this episode, I'm going to talk about who creates a lasting impact on your kids and the future. Show notes can be found here:
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What Happened and How It’s Changing My Business
12/18/2023
What Happened and How It’s Changing My Business
In this episode, I’m going to tell you what happened to me, the lessons I learned from my experience, and how it’s changing my business. The show notes can be found here:
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Why You Must Appoint an Executor to Your Estate
12/11/2023
Why You Must Appoint an Executor to Your Estate
Getting a will is something talked about quite frequently in the military. They won’t let you deploy without one. But have you given thought and consideration to who you select as your executor and the dynamics of your family members after your death? In this episode, Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) David E. Edey makes the case for why everyone needs to appoint an executor and what it can cost if you don’t. Show notes can be found here:
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No Cost Financial Planning for Active, Guard, Reserve and Veterans
12/04/2023
No Cost Financial Planning for Active, Guard, Reserve and Veterans
Free financial counseling is offered to the military community but no-cost financial planning is new, thanks to a program called Advisors Give Back. In this episode, financial adviser and veteran, Garrett Dearden shares a free new resource that can help you with your finances. We talk about: What Advisors Give Back is and how it works How it’s different from financial counseling Who can use it The top financial struggles advisors see in the military community Garrett volunteers as a pro bono financial adviser with Advisers Give Back. Garrett is currently a financial adviser with his family's financial planning and tax preparation firm, Laurette Dearden CPA, CFP®. Additionally, Garrett is currently a graduate student in Columbia University's Master's in Professional Studies in Wealth Management program. Garrett is also a candidate for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Show notes can be found here:
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Deciding to Use the DCFSA, Dependent Care Credit, and Divorced Parents
11/27/2023
Deciding to Use the DCFSA, Dependent Care Credit, and Divorced Parents
Enrollment for the new Dependent Care Flex Spending Account is now open until December 11th, 2023. According to the Office of Financial Readiness, the DCFSA is a pre-tax account used to pay for eligible dependent care services such as child or adult day care. If you have kids, you know childcare costs can break a family’s budget and determine a military spouse's ability to work or go to school. Using the DCFSA to save for your childcare expenses can help, but how do you know it’s right for you and how much money to save? In this episode, Brandon Lovingier breaks down some of the math and planning you should do to decide if enrolling in the DCFSA is right for you. We talk about: Factors to include in your decision-making What you should know about the Dependent Care Credit The role your income plays What divorced service members should think about Brandon, aka The Enlisted Money Guy™, has served over 18 years in the Army – including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He established his blog, Enlisted Money, to help enlisted service members avoid the same mistakes he made and achieve financial freedom. He earned his Chartered Financial Consultant® designation in 2022 and is one of the first Military Qualified Financial Planner® designation holders. He’s been a speaker at MilMoneyCon and loves mentoring other service members on their own financial freedom journey. The show notes can be found here:
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Teaching Financial Literacy to Your Kids Without Your Baggage
11/20/2023
Teaching Financial Literacy to Your Kids Without Your Baggage
What are you planning on passing down to the next generation? People often focus on things like money, furniture, or jewelry, but what about financial knowledge? Teaching your kids financial literacy now can help them have financial success long after you’re gone. In this episode, Jasmine Paul shares why it’s important to teach your children financial literacy early, how to do it, plus how you can improve your own financial literacy along the way. Jasmine is an award-winning children's book author and founder focused on making wealth fun! Jasmine served in the United States Air Force for ten years as a nuclear missile officer and finance officer across the US, South Korea, and Afghanistan. She is also the founder of The Wealth Playground, a financial education startup teaching kids ages 5-18 about money. The show notes can be found here:
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Financial Support and Resources for Veterans
11/13/2023
Financial Support and Resources for Veterans
There are many resources to help active-duty service members and their families with money, but in the past, veterans haven’t had the same resources to help them with personal finance. But great news, that is changing. In this episode, Accredited Financial Counselor Heath Carelock shares the financial resources available to veterans through a newly launched VetCents. This private and public partnership stood up to help veterans get the education and personalized financial help they need. The show notes can be found here:
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Landing Government Contracts for Your Business
11/06/2023
Landing Government Contracts for Your Business
Happy Veteran’s Appreciation Month! It’s that time of year to celebrate our veteran community. It’s also the tail end of Veteran Small Business Week, which, as a veteran small business owner, I’m a fan of. In honor of both, today’s guest is a fellow Air Force veteran and small business owner, as she’s here to help all of us break into the world of government contracts. In this episode, Kirstie Fleur shares how to land government contracts for your business and ways to get non-traditional funding to start and run a business. Kirstie, Founder and CEO of Freedom Fleur, a luxury sustainable clothing brand, has harnessed her identity as a woman, Air Force veteran, and survivor of abuse to create a unique journey of empowerment. She developed The Soul Health Approach™, guiding women toward clarity, purpose, and economic freedom. Freedom Fleur has grown significantly, using non-traditional funding by securing federal contracts and expanding its team. Notably, the Vibrant Pink Eloise blazer received recognition from Fashionista.com and Yahoo Life. The company introduced the emerging FF Social Club community, offering workshops, in-person Freedom Session events, wellness activations, and business training to empower female founders. The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/Landing-Government-Contracts-for-Your-Business
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What and How to Use Tax Gain Harvesting
10/30/2023
What and How to Use Tax Gain Harvesting
It's the season of tax talk. You’re starting to see more and more news and social media posts to begin preparing for tax season. Me included. I recently saw a post on tax gain harvesting and wanted to learn more about what that is and who should be harvesting. In this episode, Sean Mullaney breaks down tax gain harvesting and how people can use it in their tax planning. We also discuss the importance of going beyond the mentality of tax filing and into tax planning. Sean is an advice-only financial planner and the President of Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. He is the author of the Plutus Award-winning blog FITaxGuy.com on tax and financial independence. He also has a personal finance YouTube channel and published Solo 401(k): The Solopreneur's Retirement Account, a book about his favorite retirement account. The show notes can be found here:
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Funding a Debt-Free Christmas and Holidays
10/23/2023
Funding a Debt-Free Christmas and Holidays
Many of us want to make the holidays special but worry about the financial strain that often comes with it. That’s because the holiday season sees a big increase in spending on gifts, travel, decorations, and entertainment. There’s pressure to buy gifts and make memories for family and friends, which leads to overspending. To make all that happen, it's common for people to rely on credit cards to cover their Christmas and holiday expenses, but after the holidays, many people find themselves with debt. In an ideal world, you’ve been saving all year for the holidays, but if not, in this episode, I’m going to break down ways you can prepare in October to have a debt-free Christmas.
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Preparing for the Home Buying Process in 2024
10/16/2023
Preparing for the Home Buying Process in 2024
If you’re thinking about buying a home in 2024, there might be rough water. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or an experienced homeowner, there are a lot of things to consider before making this important decision and the conditions you make them in. In this episode, David Ball discusses what you need to know to get ready for home buying in 2024. From the current state of real estate and what it will look like next year to preparing your credit and the mistakes to avoid, David shares things you need to know to make the home-buying process and the biggest investment of your life as smooth as possible next year. The show notes can be found here:
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Finding Financial Success On and Off-Duty
10/09/2023
Finding Financial Success On and Off-Duty
Finding financial success on active duty can be difficult. There are a lot of challenges like high cost of living, spouse un and underemployment, and deployments and mobilizations. The good news is there are people and organizations helping, like the Air Force Aid Society. In this episode, I talk to the former CEO of the Air Force Aid Society, Kaleth Wright, about the financial pain points service members and their families are dealing with and the resources to help. The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/finding-financial-success-on-and-off-duty
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How to Maximize Wealth and Avoid Lifestyle Creep
10/02/2023
How to Maximize Wealth and Avoid Lifestyle Creep
We see money messages everywhere we go. There are advertisements on streaming services, billboards, in social media, and even podcasts that encourage us to consume and buy more. Buying more increases our lifestyle, not our wealth. How can we see past all of that each day to find our own financial clarity? Army Veteran and Certified Financial Planner, Christopher Manske shares the common money illusions were are taught that limit our ability to build wealth and encourage lifestyle creep and how to change our mindset and actions to maximize our wealth instead. In this episode: The common "money illusions" that limit our ability to build wealth What lifestyle inflation is and how it impacts wealth Systemic issues of advisor quotas and their ramifications How the Consumer Price Index (CPI) manipulation leads to underestimated inflation Why "pay yourself first" is a trick that enables lifestyle creep Why a growth mentality is difficult long-term How putting money into savings first can pay off The show notes can be found here:
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Trusts and Your Financial Planning
09/25/2023
Trusts and Your Financial Planning
Trusts can play a crucial role in helping plan your financial future by providing benefits like avoiding probate or tax efficiency and financial planning strategies like providing for special needs children. But they cost money and can be complicated. In this episode, Certified Financial Planner Isidore Ogoussan shares what trusts are, how they work, the expense, and who they are for. The show notes can be found here:
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Everything You Should Know About the Dependent Care Flex Spending Account
09/18/2023
Everything You Should Know About the Dependent Care Flex Spending Account
Saving money on your childcare expenses is getting ready to get easier for service members and their spouses. The new Dependent Care Flex Spending Account is starting soon and can help you save pre-tax dollars to pay for your childcare expenses each year, but how does it all work, and when does it start? In this episode, Jennifer Walker, a Navy veteran and the Executive Director for Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personal & Readiness), gives us a rundown on everything we need to know about how the program works, who it’s for, how much you can save, and a whole lot more. The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/Should-Know-About-the-Dependent-Care-Flex-Spending-Account
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How to Manage Multiple Businesses Effectively
09/11/2023
How to Manage Multiple Businesses Effectively
Army veteran and serial entrepreneur Adam Bird shares strategies for effectively managing and growing multiple businesses. Adam discusses his journey from the military to becoming the founder of three successful companies in three different industries. Adam's memory of where he was on 9/11 and the immediate effects His motivation for becoming an entrepreneur after leaving the military Tips for having effective business partnerships and dealing with conflict The importance of having a written agreement with business partners Hiring team members and interns to delegate tasks and grow your business Staying mentally balanced with self-care like exercise, being outdoors, and hypnotherapy Common mistakes entrepreneurs make like not having a business plan and trying to do everything solo Adam's advice for starting a second business while running your first one Pivoting between businesses to avoid burnout but still be productive Focusing on your purpose and helping others versus just making money The show notes can be found here:
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{Encore} The Steps to Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE)
09/04/2023
{Encore} The Steps to Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE)
The state of the economy has everyone feeling the squeeze. It’s not a great feeling and may have you thinking of ways to work your finances. One of those ways could be becoming part of the FIRE movement or Financial Independence Retire Early. Or just part of the Financial Independence movement. I thought now might be a good time to bring back a special episode I did with Doug “Nords” Nordman on F.I.R.E to get you inspired. In this episode, we cover: History and evolution of the F.I.R.E. movement Fat FIRE How FIRE works The addition of a military retirement Three Steps to achieve FIRE FIRE without deprivation Options for managing student loan debt Advice for military spouses with employment and education Advice for couples working towards financial independence The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/steps-to-financial-independence-retire-early
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