Kate Horrell

Kate Horrell is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, and Military Qualified Financial Planner® who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits. With more than 15 years working with thousands of military families, she helps currently serving, retired and veteran families.

She has been married to a now-retired sailor for 32 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the U.S. She’s navigated landlording, Overseas Housing Allowances, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Survivor Benefit Plan decision, and transition to civilian life.

Latest Articles

How to Spend the Money Left in Your DoD Health FSA by Dec. 31

You have plenty of ways to spend DoD Health Care Flexible Spending Account money on eligible expenses. Here are some...

An arm places a can of oatmeal on a shelf.

Start Preparing for the Next Government Shutdown Now, Before It’s Too Late

Having a plan can make a pay or benefits disruption an inconvenience instead of an emergency.

Tricare Demo in Two Cities Lets Users See a Specialist Without a Referral

Through the demonstration, beneficiaries will receive care through the CareSource provider network instead of the Humana...

Manage Household Utility Costs at Your New Base by Avoiding These Pitfalls

Being stationed at a location with a hot summer or a cold winter may make it harder to pay large energy bills. Budget billing...

Children that attend the Defense Supply Center Richmond Child Development Center place pinwheels in the ground after a Pinwheel Parade at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia

How to Plan for an Extended Government Shutdown

Well, it’s finally happened. After years of reporting on what to expect if the government shuts down and military pay is...

There are steps you can take to survive a government shutdown and potential military pay delay.

What to Do in a Government Shutdown: Don't Panic! Be Proactive

Panic seems like the natural response to the prospect of missing a paycheck due to a government shutdown. But a better idea...

Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and a bugler from the U.S. Air Force Band’s Ceremonial Brass conduct military funeral honors for U.S. Air Force Capt. Wade Holmes in Section 57, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

Lump-Sum Benefits for Survivors of Active-Duty Military Members

Even military families often don’t know what benefits are available to the surviving family of an active-duty service member.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judah Rice, a honor guardsman assigned to the 628th Air Base Wing, gives a facing movement command during military honors simulation for an active-duty funeral, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.

Monthly Benefits for Survivors of Fallen Active-Duty Service Members

When combined, the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) can offer a steady stream of...

Montage of a pile of cash, a stethoscope and a calculator.

Tricare Premiums vs. Enrollment Fees: Here's Why the Difference Matters

Being aware of your Tricare catastrophic cap can help you plan your medical budget and make smart decisions about carrying...

A stethoscope lies on top of fanned-out US $100 bills.

Understanding Your Tricare Catastrophic Cap

Being aware of your Tricare catastrophic cap can help you plan your medical budget and make smart decisions about carrying...

Two recent graduates of Hohenfels Middle High School at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany, pose for a photo during the school's graduation ceremony June 6, 2025, at the school's football field. (Bryan Gatchell/U.S. Army photo)

How to Change Tricare Coverage After a Qualifying Life Event – and Which QLEs Count

Many service members experience one or more qualifying life events, or QLEs, each year, unlocking opportunities to change...

Advisers stand behind a table and talk to U.S. Air Force members.

When to Be Wary of Free Financial Advice, Plus Alternatives Available to Military Households

Financial companies offering free financial advice usually make their income by selling financial products such as insurance...

Why Service Members Need to Be Wary of Financial Advice on TikTok

While the app is full of energetic creators who present fun content, the financial guidance circulating on the platform is...

Numbers and symbols appear on Ben Franklin's currency face.

How Stock Turbulence Has Affected Thrift Savings Accounts, and How You Can Strategize

The value of Thrift Savings Plan funds has been volatile over the past year, reaching new highs and producing some big dips...

A mans arms are pictured taping shut a cardboard moving box.

Personally Procured PCS Moves Are Changing. Here’s What You Need to Know.

If you’re considering a personally procured move (PPM) this year, how can you keep any potential out-of-pocket costs as low...

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

Rain Drenches Tent Camps in Central Gaza

Rain drenches tent camps in central Gaza as winter storm continues in the war-battered enclave.

Senators Question National Guard Officials on Lawfulness of Deployment Orders

Senators question National Guard officials on lawfulness of deployment orders.

President Trump Delivers Year-End Remarks

President Trump delivers his year-end remarks at the White House Congressional Ball.

NTSB 'Vehemently Opposes' Draft on Airspace Safety

NTSB 'vehemently opposes' draft on airspace safety following DC mid-air crash.

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

A new Government Accountability Office report provides recommendations for the Pentagon to boost testing, evaluations to improve warfighting capabilities. (Freepik)

Pentagon Must Boost Testing for Weapons, Warfighting Capabilities: Report

"These modernization plans identified a need for DoD to issue new or revised policies and guidance to support modernized test...

Army Sergeant to Face Court-Martial in Georgia Base Shooting That Wounded 5

An Army sergeant will stand trial in a military court in the shootings of five people at a Georgia base in August.

Navy News

Navy veteran Chuck Reeves repairs donated bikes for veterans in need. (Photo from ABC15 Arizona)

Former Navy Servicemember Repairs Bicycles for Veterans in Need

Navy veteran Chuck Reeves overcame homelessness to provide repaired bikes for other veterans in need.

Pentagon Must Boost Testing for Weapons, Warfighting Capabilities: Report

"These modernization plans identified a need for DoD to issue new or revised policies and guidance to support modernized test...

Air Force News

Reginald "Crash" Harrison was a heavily decorated WWII veteran. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

World War II Pilot Who Lived Through Four Plane Crashes Dies at 103

Reginald "Crash" Harrison lived through four plane crashes in WWII and lived to talk about it. He died in Canada recently at...

Pentagon Must Boost Testing for Weapons, Warfighting Capabilities: Report

"These modernization plans identified a need for DoD to issue new or revised policies and guidance to support modernized test...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Captured French soldiers, escorted by Vietnamese troops, walk to a prisoner-of-war camp in Dien Bien Phu. (Wikimedia Commons)

North Vietnam's Best General Beat France at Dien Bien Phu, Then Failed With the Same Tactics Against Marines at Khe Sanh

Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap earned his reputation as one of history's great military commanders on May 7, 1954, when 16,000 French...

John Gilbert as World War I soldier Jim Apperson marches with a column of helmeted troops in The Big Parade (1925), looking anxiously to the side.

Before ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ This Forgotten Silent War Epic Nailed The Veteran Homecoming Story

A decade before Hollywood had a name for PTSD, a Marine veteran helped make The Big Parade (1925), a World War I epic that...

Coast Guard News

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., arrives at the chamber.

Senators Want Answers From Coast Guard on How it Probes Displays of Swastikas or Other Hate Symbols

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., warned that “relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to...

Coast Guardsmen assigned to the Law Enforcement Detachment conduct small boat operations with sailors assigned to the littoral combat ship USS Charleston during a southern border support mission in the Pacific Ocean, May 30, 2025. (Navy Seaman Joey Sitter, DoW).

Coast Guard Reverses Course on Policy to Call Swastikas and Nooses 'Potentially Divisive'

The U.S. Coast Guard has released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses just...

Kate Horrell

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