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Good Financial Habits Create Peace of Mind

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During February 22-27, the nonprofit called America Saves promotes Military Saves Week to encourage military families to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth.  It’s a perfect time to review your savings habits, make changes, and set goals to create greater peace of mind and improve your long-term financial stability.

Consider these facts: Only 50% of Americans say they have a savings plan with goals; and surveys show that money is the top source of psychological stress for adults. Money issues not only create stress, they strain relationships, lead to conflict, and are a leading cause of divorce. However, this doesn’t have to be the case if you create a realistic budget and a financial plan–and stick to them.

Many people don’t know where to start. My advice is to begin with goals in mind. America Saves suggests:

  • Saving for emergencies
  • Paying off debt – especially high interest rate debt
  • Opening a retirement account and regularly contributing to it
  • Saving for big purchases such as a car, house or your children’s education

Fortunately, there are several federal programs that help military families save for the future.  By taking advantage of technology, you can boost your savings habits:

However, it’s one thing to create a budget and plan, and quite another to follow through on your best intentions.  Begin to cut spending in areas that drain savings opportunities:

  • Keep a daily record of all expenses. Then, analyze where you spent money needlessly, such as that latte on the way to work or eating out daily for lunch.
  • Pay off high-cost debt immediately. Loans and credit cards with high interest rates, for example, can eat up savings fast.
  • Stick to a budget for special occasions such as birthdays, vacation trips and holidays. Going into debt for these events is not worth it.
  • Change shopping habits to reduce impulsive purchases that may set you back on budget goals.

Yet, oftentimes it’s difficult to squeeze more money out of your paycheck for monthly needs– let alone set aside money for bigger goals.  A good strategy is to start small and look for simple ways to trim spending.  Just changing your mindset can make a big difference:
Save loose change – .50 cents a day adds up to $180 per year
Bring your lunch to work more often – save approximately $5 per day that can be transferred to savings
Eat out two fewer times a month – save $30 per month or $360 per year
Pay off credit card bills completely each month and on time to avoid spiraling interest and late fees – $25 per month or $300 per year

These tips are just the beginning. If you want more resources and ideas, go to www.militarysaves.org and begin your journey to financial security.

Military Saves Week Guest Article for MilitaryShoppers.com

by Don Giles

President, Armed Forces Bank

Wearing Unearned Military Medals Is Wrong No Matter What the Court Says

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When I saw the headline, I thought you’ve got to be kidding me. This can’t be correct. This seems blatantly wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. But the headline isn’t an error. Here’s the Associated Press’ headline:

Court: Wearing Unearned Military Medals Is Free Speech

And apparently (and most appalling to me) this court decision about wearing unearned military medals is in line with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from 2012.

Wearing Unearned Military Medals Is Wrong No Matter What the Court Says

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision allows anyone to wear a Purple Heart.

In January, a specially convened 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the First Amendment allows people to wear unearned military medals, according this Associated Press article.

This decision overturned the 2007 conviction of former Marine Elven Joe Swisher. Swisher was convicted of violating the Stolen Valor Act.

Don’t remember the Stolen Valor Act?

The Stolen Valor Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2005. This law made it a federal misdemeanor to falsely represent oneself as having received any military decoration. You know, a decision that makes sense and honors our veterans.

Then in 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the act unconstitutional under First Amendment free speech protections in the case United States v. Alvarez. Alvarez falsely claimed he was a retired Marine who had received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Alvarez never served in the military so obviously he didn’t earn any military medals.

“Though few might find (Alvarez’s) statements anything but contemptible, his right to make those statements is protected by the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of speech and expression,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority. He wrote that the First Amendment

“protects the speech we detest as well as the speech we embrace.”

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, Congress revised the Stolen Valor Act making it a crime to “financially profit by lying about military service.” President Barack Obama signed the revised Stolen Valor Act into law in 2013.

A Christian Science Monitor article explains the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision like this:

“…Swisher’s case overturns a prominent provision of the 2013 Act, legally allowing anyone to wear a Purple Heart.”

Anyone? Yup, anyone. You, me, that guy down the street, that woman in the parking lot. Anyone.

That idea is insulting.

But there’s more.

“The value of a military medal lies not in the materials of which it is comprised, but in its message,” 9th Circuit Judge Sandra Ikuta wrote in the majority opinion. “Wearing a medal without authorization, therefore, generally communicates the false message that the wearer is entitled to such recognition and gratitude…. Wearing a medal has no other purpose other than to communicate a message.”

Those last 3 words irritate me – “Communicate a message.”

Yes, a military medal does “communicate a message.” It communicates a personal sacrifice for our country. It communicates loyalty to the Armed Forces. A military medal communicates an action that went above and beyond the average actions of other soldiers, Marines, sailors or airmen.

Wearing military medals should be limited to those who earned them. Those soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors are the ones who deserve to wear military medals.

Not Swisher.

This Idaho man was honorably discharged in 1957. Court documents showed that Swisher served in the military and that he didn’t receive any military medals.

Yet, he was photographed wearing a several military medals and awards, including the Silver Star, Navy and Marine Corps Ribbon, Purple Heart, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a Bronze “V,” according to the Associated Press article.

When you wear unearned military medals, you are a liar.

And that’s the truth.

Now it’s your turn: What do you think of this decision? Should wearing unearned military medals be a protected right under the Freedom of Speech?

10 Ways to Avoid the Flu This Winter

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Being sick is no fun at all, whether it’s a mild cold or the flu. It wasn’t until I was pregnant that I got the flu for the first time, and hopefully the last. Now that I know how awful it is, I never want to get it again.

10 Ways to Avoid Colds and the Flu This Winter

Did you get the flu vaccine this year?

Follow these 10 tips to avoid getting a cold or the flu this winter and let’s all stay healthy this year.

Stay Away from Sick People

The flu virus is spread through droplets made when someone with the flu coughs, sneezes or talks. The flu virus can also spread when people touch something that the flu virus is on and then touch their mouth, eyes or nose.

You may want to keep your distance from sick people for a few days. People that have the flu are contagious as early as one day before they exhibit symptoms and can continue to pass the flu virus along for up to 5 to 7 days after they’ve become sick. Children, severely ill people and those with weakened immune systems can actually infect others for longer periods.

Stay Home if You Are Sick

The flu is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by the influenza virus. It causes countless hospital stays and deaths each year. The CDC recommends that if you do become sick to stay home an extra 24 hours after your fever has passed. The flu can be very dangerous for children and those with weak immune systems. Almost 20,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized from complications due to the flu, such as pneumonia.

Don’t let your stubbornness about staying home get someone else sick.

Wash Your Hands Often

Do you know how to properly wash your hands? Sounds like a silly question, but you’d be surprised how many people aren’t washing correctly. Cleaning your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. You should wash your hands before, during and after you handle food. You should also wash them when you’ve been around someone who is ill. After you use the bathroom, helped a child use the bathroom or changed a diaper, you should always wash your hands. When you blow your nose, cough or sneeze you should also wash your hands.

To properly wash your hands simply run them under water and lather with soap. Make sure to get in between your fingers, under your nails and on the back of your hands. Do this for 20 seconds.

A fun way to get children to wash their hands for 20 seconds is to have them sing the happy birthday song twice.

Then rinse your hands with water and dry them. Turn off the faucet with a paper towel. If you aren’t able to wash your hands, then you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.

Don’t Touch Your Eyes, Nose or Mouth

Do you have a nail-biting habit? Do you rub your eyes when you’re tired or put your finger to your mouth when you’re thinking? These seem like small things, but if you’ve touched something with the flu virus, you will regret it. You might not even notice that you do it, but it is an easy way for the flu virus to reach you.

Does your little one like to pick his nose? Now is a good time to have a talk about why you shouldn’t put your finger up there. Try to keep your hands away from these areas and you might avoid the flu this season.

Clean and Disinfect Commonly Touched Areas

The flu virus doesn’t last long on surfaces, less than 24 hours experts say. You can clean them with a mild soap. You don’t need to bleach everything. The medical community largely agrees that the flu virus is transferred mainly from human to human contact and not so much from surface contact.

It’s still a good idea to make sure commonly touched areas are cleaned often. Door knobs, telephones, elevator buttons, keyboards, remote controls, refrigerator doors and toilets are all commonly touched areas that should be cleaned regularly.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on immune function and chronic sleep loss can increase an individual’s vulnerability to infectious diseases according to the National Sleep Foundation. Most people don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. There are 9 age categories sited. School age children, age 6 to 13 years, should get 9 to 11 hours of sleep a day while teenagers, age 14 to 17, should get 8 to 10 hours. Adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Are you and your children getting enough sleep?

Keep Your Fluids Up

Keeping hydrated is very important. The recommendation is 8 glasses of water a day. This will keep the lining of your nose moist. The first line of defense against germs is the mucous membrane in the nose. This traps germs and keeps them from getting to your lungs. If you are dehydrated it will dry out. Doctors recommend spacing the 8 glasses of water out evenly throughout your day. Coffee and tea don’t count because the caffeine content is dehydrating.

Manage Stress

Stress directly influences your immune system. Have you noticed when you’re stressed that you’re more likely catch a cold? Stress weakens your immune system which makes it harder for your body to fight off infection. Make it a point in your life to let go of as much stress as you can so you can enjoy a healthy life.

Keep Active

Exercise increases your circulation and blood flow giving your immune system a chance to find a virus such as the flu before it spreads. Make sure to add regular exercise to your routine for better health.

Get the Flu Vaccine

This is a topic for debate. Doctors recommend anyone over the age of 6 months get a flu vaccine. Many people have personal beliefs about its safety, which is why I listed it last. Make your own decision.

 What are your tips for avoiding a winter cold or the flu this year?

Why I’m Listening to Bergdahl on Serial

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Among military community members, I can’t think of another name that causes such a passionate discussion as the name Bowe Bergdahl.

Remember Bergdahl?

Army Sgt. Robert “Bowe” Bergdahl disappeared from his base in Afghanistan in June 2009. He was held in captivity by the Taliban for 5 years. He was released in May 2014 in a controversial exchange of 5 Taliban detainees.

I remember following the media coverage of Bergdahl’s release closely. I remember hearing the news reports that a POW was coming home. I remember reading that he wasn’t a POW, he was a traitor — a soldier who “walked off” his post in Afghanistan. Then he wasn’t facing charges… no, wait, he was facing charges. And then, frankly, I forgot about him.

Until Serial.

Serial is a podcast that I was late to the game to start listening to. When a friend told me about it, she said “wow, Michelle, CNN did a story about it. I thought everyone knew about Serial.” With her recommendation I subscribed and started listening during my daily 3-mile walks. I was hooked.

Here’s how Serial describes itself:

Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig. Serial tells one story—a true story—over the course of a season. Each season, we follow a plot and characters wherever they take us. We won’t know what happens at the end until we get there, not long before you get there with us. Each week we bring you the next chapter in the story, so it’s important to listen to the episodes in order.

In my opinion Serial goes deeper than any other news source and is told like a documentary. But instead of showing one person’s view of a news event, this podcast shows you the story from the perspectives of many people directly and indirectly related to that story.

When the creators of Serial announced that Bergdahl and his trial would be the focus on Season 2, I honestly hesitated.

Did I want to hear what Bergdahl had to say?

I started listening for one reason: I wanted to know why and how Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan. Mainly how. How does a soldier leave the Mest-Malak combat outpost in Paktika Province? How is that even possible?

Many of my military friends won’t even consider listening. They’ve made up their minds about Bergdahl (he’s guilty of desertion) and they don’t want to know anything else about him. Plus the search for Bergdahl after he was captured by the Taliban put a lot of soldiers’ lives in danger.

But here are 3 reasons why you may want to consider listening to Serial Season 2.

Why I'm Listening to Bergdahl on the podcast Serial

Are you listening to the Serial podcast about Bowe Bergdahl?

This podcast is about more than Bergdahl.

When you listen to this podcast, you do hear from Bergdahl. But you also listen to an interview with a journalist who was held by the Taliban and how he was treated. This podcast offers a complex perspective of the ongoing war in this part of the world that looks beyond the surface of terrorism. It looks at our foreign policies. It looks at the sacrifices that soldiers make to “leave no man behind.”

This podcast is produced for the 99 percent.

When you listen to this podcast you listen to a story about the Army, its operations and its purpose in Afghanistan from a civilian for a civilian audience. There are a lot of things I don’t know or understand about the Army. But when I listen to this podcast, I hear Koenig explaining what seems like such basic military information and I think “wow, the general public really doesn’t know anything about the military.”

For example, Koenig interviews soldiers who served with Bergdahl and they will explain how awful their working conditions were on deployment. I hear her prod them with questions about their food, the toilets (or lack there of) and sleeping conditions. I think “obviously they were on a deployment in Afghanistan.” But unless you have a close family member serving in the Armed Forces, you wouldn’t know those details not shown in 30-second news segments. This podcast is produced for civilians – not the military.

This podcast shows you that the Bergdahl case is complex.

Emotionally many Americans are very frustrated with Bergdahl’s actions, but as the podcast points out, the general who investigated these same actions testified that jail time for Bergdahl would be “inappropriate” and said he did not find “any evidence to corroborate the reporting that Bergdahl was … sympathetic to the Taliban.”

After listening to 4 episodes of Serial, I’m not sure how I feel about Bergahl. Wait, I take that back. I know I feel about Bergdahl as a person. But how did I feel about him and his court-martial scheduled to begin in August 2016?

I’m not sure. So until I make up my mind, I’ll just keep listening to Serial. You should too.

Are you listening to the Serial podcast about Bowe Bergdahl? Why or why not?

How to File an Appeal or Grievance with Tricare

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There are options for your family to reach out to Tricare if you have any issues with medical care received or are hit with an unexpected bill.

How to File an Appeal or Grievance with Tricare

Tricare has 4 types of appeals.

Health emergencies can happen at any moment. Typically, things go way too fast for our thought process and there isn’t the luxury to think things through like, “wait, will this decision eventually bite me back with a huge medical bill?” We go to the doctor without question, so ourselves or our loved ones can get treated.

What do we do when that happens?

Your family can file an appeal with Tricare.

How to file an appeal

In Tricare’s words, an appeal is “the action you take if you don’t agree with a decision made about your benefit.” Because it’s particular to decisions, there are separate appeals you can file. Tricare offers 4 different types of appeals: factual, medical necessity, pharmacy and Medicare-Tricare.

Factual appeal: when payment gets denied or stopped for services or supplies that have either been received or authorized already.

Medical necessity appeal: when Tricare denies previous authorization because they assessed that it isn’t medically necessary anymore. The website outlines:

to be medically necessary means it is appropriate, reasonable, and adequate for your condition.

Pharmacy appeal: when your pharmacy prescriptions gets denied when you deem it necessary

Medicare-Tricare appeal: when you qualify for both, you may need to file with Medicare separately with their terms.

With the exception of the Medicare-Tricare appeal, the others require a written letter within 90 days of the decision. Along with that letter, add all your supporting documents that you have and the decision letter itself. For a pharmacy claim, you need to be specific on why you disagree.

The letter needs to be mailed to your contractor’s address (depending on where you are located). Tricare outlines the addresses in this link. You can also take your case a step further by requesting a formal review, reconsideration of decision or an independent hearing, depending on your type of appeal. That’s why I also encourage you to read more about each separate claim on Tricare’s website. That way you can assess your situation better: factual, medical necessity, pharmacy, and Medicare-TRICARE.

There are ways to continue the process when a decision doesn’t come back in your favor.

How to file a grievance

Also, we expect our medical practitioners to be diligent and appropriate when they work. When you are disappointed with your care, there are steps you can take to file a grievance with Tricare, so that your voice is heard.

Similarly to filing an appeal, you must write down your complaint and send it to your Tricare contractor’s address. The letter should outline the description of the event in question (date, time, name of practitioner, location, etc.). I suggest you be as detailed as possible and don’t forget to include any supporting documents.

Also, if you have any issues with dental care with your Tricare Dental plan, that is included too. It’s not limited to situations within medical care facilities.

In addition to your letter, share your sponsor’s Social Security number and all your information as well (name, address, phone number, date of birth, and sign it!). Tricare has a special website for grievances and I urge you to read it here.

If you’re filing an appeal or grievance for a dependent, include all the dependent’s information including your own. It’s good to share more during an appeal or grievance process that way they have the most comprehensive information. The whole family is covered, whether it’s the service member sponsor, spouse and children.

Have you filed an appeal or grievance with Tricare? What was your experience with the process?

29 Ways to Tell Your Spouse You Love Them

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Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

29 Simple Ways to Tell Your Spouse You Love Them

What are your tips and tricks for keeping love alive in your military marriage?

As a military couple you know how special your time is together. You want to tell your spouse how much you love them.

Here are 29 simple ways to do so.

  1. Leave them a love note. Leave love notes around the house for them to find. Put some in their suitcase if they are about to go somewhere. They can find them and read them later on.
  2. Make their favorite meal. Everyone loves to eat a good meal. Cook up their favorite without telling them. They will love to see that you thought about them enough to plan their favorite meal.
  3. Send them an email. If your spouse is gone, show them love by sending them a quick email. Tell them what you love the most about them.
  4. Send them a text. Text messaging is also a great way to share how you feel.
  5. Write them a love letter. If you have more time, write them a love letter. Make the letter at least 3 pages and then either send it to them in the mail or leave the letter out for them to read when they are home.
  6. Do the dishes. Sometimes doing a chore your spouse normally does themselves can help show them love. This takes the stress off and they will be very happy you took the time to lessen their load.
  7. Tell them. Sometimes just stopping them in the hallway and saying, “I love you” can mean a lot. Especially if you both have been really busy lately.
  8. Buy them something cute. Does your spouse have her eye on some cute earrings? What about some new pens? Surprise your spouse with a small gift.
  9. Clean their car.This is a great way to show someone you care. Wash their car for them so the next time they go to drive somewhere the car feels nice and clean.
  10. Buy them a book. Does your spouse like to read? Buy them a new book. They will love that.
  11. Give them a framed photo. These always make the best gifts, especially if they are deployed or away from home.
  12. Pack a care package. If your spouse is deployed, send them a love-themed care package filled with goodies.
  13. Write “I love you” in the snow. If there is snow, write how much you love them in the snow, take a photo and send the picture to them if they are not at home right now.
  14. Take care of the children for the night. If your spouse is normally the one to handle bedtime, offer to take over. Having a break from the kids works wonders.
  15. Flowers. Always a good way to let someone know you love them.
  16. Chocolate. Who doesn’t like chocolate?
  17. Have lunch together. Plan to meet up with them during the workday. Have a nice lunch date. Lunchtime is a great way to spend some time together.
  18. Draw a picture. This can be a fun gift. Draw a picture of your life together.
  19. Do their laundry. Take this chore off of their plate. Do their laundry for them, fold it and put the clothes away.
  20. Give them a hug. Very simple but does the trick.
  21. Give them kisses. Random kisses are a great way to show love.
  22. Be there. Just be around, be open to talk, be there for them.
  23. Tell them what you love about them. Sometimes we get so busy with life. Spend some time telling your spouse what you love about them.
  24. Watch a movie together. Pick something out after the kids go to bed. If they are deployed make plans to watch the movie and talk about what you thought about it afterwards.
  25. Watch their favorite TV show with them. Sometimes showing love is sitting down and watching a television show we might not enjoy that our spouse does.
  26. Send photos. If they are deployed, send them photos on a regular basis.
  27. Send a homemade gift. Make something for your spouse. They will love the item knowing your hands made something for them.
  28. Find songs that remind you of them. We don’t make mixed tapes anymore but we can always send a playlist of songs that remind us of them.
  29. Plan a vacation. Pick a place you have both wanted to go and plan a trip. This is a great way to show love to each other.

Even the simplest of actions can go a long way when celebrating how much you love someone. Whether they are home or in a faraway place. Take the time to tell your spouse how much you love and care for them.

What are your tips and tricks for keeping love alive in your military marriage?

 

Commissaries Set Recycling Record

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Did you know that every year the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) sets a recycling goal for commissaries around the globe?

Programs are in place to make sure that all commissaries reduce the amount of landfill waste by recycling appropriate items. It’s dependent on the management of each commissary location to work together to fulfill these goals.

DeCA announced that their commissaries achieved an 83 percent recycling efficiency rate in 2015 compared with 75 percent in 2012. Wondering what that equals in terms of tonnage?

It is 60,000 tons of cardboard, 1,900 tons of plastic and 108+ tons of paper. That is pretty awesome!

There are 245 commissaries worldwide, so you can imagine the amount of diligence it takes to implement change on that level. It’s evident how important is it to help the environment to DeCA because of the hard work they put in from the commissary level.

According to DeCA’s press release, they even had 7 commissaries achieve net zero status through their organic contracts. That means they were successful in turning their organic waste material into compost!

A big congrats goes to the Hawaii commissaries in Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hickam Air Force Base and Schofield Barracks. The other 2 commissaries that did net zero status are Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington and Los Angeles AFB in California.

DeCA doesn’t stop there. They have a food bank program that has been helping with their environmental efforts as well as making a local impact. More commissaries (from 110 to 134) participated in the food bank program than last year. As the commissaries rotate out food that is still edible, they were able to donate the items to more food banks (from 77 to 117!) than last year too. Their press release quoted the deputy director of DeCA’s logistics directorate, Randy Eller and he said,

Our food bank program resulted in just under 2.4 million pounds of food diverted from ending up in landfills and being used to feed the hungry.

I love his comparison in pounds. It puts things in perspective.

Your family can jump on the bandwagon and become efficient recyclers like the commissaries too! My husband and I try our best to recycle when we can.

Here are some small ways that helped us manage our disposables:

Separate!
We have separate receptacles for our paper and plastic items. Our housing area has large bins that we place our paper and plastic trash. Separating from the beginning helps us efficiently throw away what we don’t need anymore. Don’t forget to recycle your electronic goods. There can be some harmful material in old TVs and laptops. Also, batteries can be recycled too.

Reuse!
If we need a plastic bag at the grocery store, we save it for additional use. A great example is that we use the plastic to bag up litter from our cat. Also, we use the plastic bags to collect trash from our rooms too. Local commissaries also have plastic recycling bins. Before you start your shopping trip, you can drop off used bags there.

You can also go one up and utilize reusable bags for your grocery shopping! My hometown actually has a plastic bag ban. If you do want to use plastic bags, you pay a fee.

Buy Recycled!
There are goods out there that are made from recycled materials, so buy those items when you can. You can buy recycled paper, plastics and batteries (that’s why don’t forget to recycle them!).

Also, repurposing items are a great way to reduce waste. If you can’t repurpose, donate what you don’t need anymore because your trash can be a treasure for someone else (we’ve heard that before, right?).

See if your family can set a new record with your recycling this year!

Service Members Sue for Medical Malpractice?

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For the Ortiz family, a scheduled Cesarean section delivery at a military treatment facility was supposed to go smoothly. Somehow, medication that was properly documented as an allergy was given to Air Force Capt. Heather Ortiz and it resulted in an unexpected antihistamine dose to counteract the allergy. That deprived her daughter, Isabella of oxygen when her blood pressure went down to troubling levels.

Now, 6-year-old Isabella suffers from brain and nerve damage that is directly related to her birth. Isabella will have to endure special treatment for the rest of her life and her parents have valid concerns with all the financial responsibilities that will and have been coming their way. That’s why Isabella’s father filed a lawsuit against the Army hospital.

Unfortunately for the Ortiz family, there is a doctrine in place that keeps service members from suing the government for medical malpractice.

It’s called the Feres doctrine. According to the Cornell University Law School website, the Feres doctrine

prevents people who are injured as a result of military service from successfully suing the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

It was enacted in 1950 and since then the Feres doctrine has stopped countless military medical malpractice cases in its tracks.

Should Service Members Be Able to Sue for Medical Malpractice?

Do you think service member should be able to sue for medical malpractice?

The Ortiz family and supporters recently pushed their medical malpractice case to the Supreme Court. An Air Force Times article reported that the original petition was filed on October 13 and it currently has a 30-day extension from the initial December 18 deadline to respond.

Military medical malpractice has a long history since the Feres doctrine was formed and was actually the reason it was enacted in the first place. In recent years, the unfairness of the doctrine is becoming more evident. A similar case in 2011 was never heard by the Supreme Court after months of waiting. After what was supposed to be a routine appendectomy, left Staff Sgt. Dean Witt in a vegetative state. Medical malpractice was the culprit because the hospital utilized improper gear and gave him harsh treatment, according to his legal petition.

In my opinion, it doesn’t even make sense, especially for the Ortiz and Witt medical malpractice cases. That’s the tip of the iceberg because there are so many other medical malpractice cases out there that would benefit from reform.

The Ortiz family argues that the use of the Feres doctrine to military children is unfair because they have never worn a uniform. Their daughter wasn’t injured as a result of being in the military. Isabella is a military child, not a service member.

The medical malpractice problem for military families isn’t black and white.

In fact, I think the process is so convoluted, I welcome you to read further about the messiness from a piece in the Atlantic.

All in all, I believe a change is needed to protect our military families. If the Supreme Court hears the Ortiz medical malpractice case, it would be followed by many more cases.

What should we do? We could encourage Congress to step in.

Luckily, there are lots of advocates out there lobbying to reform or amend the doctrine like the American Legion, the National Organization for Women and a handful of members of Congress. With that said, we could all contact our congress members to show our support for military families that have endured medical malpractice.

Now it’s your turn: Do you think service members should be able to sue for medical malpractice?

Service Members: Filing Their Taxes

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January is here, which means the holidays are over and you should be thinking about taxes. Whether you plan to do your taxes yourself or take them in for an accountant to handle, you need to think about getting ready to do them.

5 Things Military Service Members Need to Know About Filing Their Federal and State Taxes

Taxpayers have until Monday, April 18, 2016, to file their 2015 tax returns.

Here is a list of 5 things that military families need to know about filing federal and state income taxes. Make sure to go over these and apply them to your situation.

Free Tax Assistance On Post Most military installations will offer free tax filing assistance through the on-post tax center. This can be very helpful because you can make an appointment to get your taxes done and have someone with experience do them for you for free. A lot of military members take advantage of this service. Check and see what is available at your duty station. You probably do have to make an appointment ahead of time.

Free Tax Online Programs If you want to do your taxes online using a tax program you should learn about the free options for service members.

H&R Block at Home, TaxAct, TaxSlayer and TurboTax offer free tax preparation software for your federal taxes.

Keep in mind that in most cases you will have to pay for the state part of your return. That will depend on which state you are filing with and you should figure out what the fees will be for your particular state. Some states do not have an income tax and others do not tax members of the military.

Tax-Exempt Income When you are serving in the military, not all of your income is taxable. You do not have to pay taxes on combat pay. This is important to remember, especially if you were deployed for the whole calendar year.

BAH, BAS, uniform allowances, moving and travel pay and educational payments are also not taxable. This means that the amount that you make that you have to pay taxes on is a lot lower than what you brought in. Luckily, any tax program you use is going to know how to get you the best refund when you are dealing with combat pay and other extra military expenses that are not taxable.

One thing to remember is that in order to qualify for the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) you have to have a minimum of a certain amount of taxable income.

Military Deductions There are a few tax deductions that service members need to know about. You can deduct some of your uniform expenses, some of the job and travel expenses you may have had when getting out of the military as well as travel of more than 100 miles if you are a part of the Reserves.

Extension of Time to File Taxes If you have served in a combat zone or outside of the United States, then you should be able to extend the time you need to complete your taxes to October 15. This can come in handy for a lot of people serving and makes their lives a little easier.

And finally, new to 2016, active duty, Guard, Reserve and retirees will need their proof of health care coverage (IRS Form 1095) when filing their federal tax returns for 2015 as part of the federal Affordable Care Act. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service will be providing this information to members of the military. This form will also be available online through your myPay account. Look for it in the taxes section.

As a member of the military, you don’t want to miss out on these tax breaks and benefits that you are entitled to. They can help you keep more money at tax time and they are the reason a lot of military families receive a tax return each year.

Find a place to get your taxes done that you can feel comfortable with and be aware of what you can do to make filing taxes a little easier on yourself.

What questions do you have about filing taxes?

I Don’t Qualify for MyCAA, Now What?

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Since graduating with my bachelor’s degree in 2008, I’ve been thinking about going to a graduate school. First, I wanted to work a bit to see what kind of education would be best for my career path. In addition, there were so many programs out there, I was hoping the right one would come my way eventually.

After getting married and adjusting my career journey a smidge, I started feeling like now is the right time to pursue that graduate degree I’ve been dreaming about for years. The hunger to learn and educate myself more began to affect me.

In my free time, I researched programs that would add to the knowledge I’m already gaining in my career and found the perfect one. I kept my application process a secret mostly because I was scared to be overly excited. I only focused on a program at one school. Then I started researching ways to pay for my graduate degree.

Can't Use MyCAA? Other College Tuition Resources

Are you a military spouses, like myself, that doesn’t qualify for MyCAA? Here are some other resources that may help you pay for college.

I came to this conclusion:

College is so gosh darn expensive.

Last August, I mentioned that military spouses have a wonderful program to utilize for higher education called MyCAA. MyCAA does have limitations though. Only military spouses of active duty service members (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) at the following pay grades: E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 can use MyCAA. There are additional factors that might place you out of obtaining the MyCAA program like your choice of study. It needs to be an approved course by your academic institution.

Related: Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholoarship Program

To my excitement and fear, I received my acceptance letter to grad school a few weeks after I applied. My spouse’s military status pushes me out of the MyCAA program, so I needed to figure out other options pronto.

For those military spouses that don’t qualify for MyCAA like myself, now what?

I began looking into other options to make sure I can pursue my dream degree. I hope my efforts could help you as you navigate through the financial aid process, especially if you can’t use MyCAA.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The FAFSA should be one of your first stops as you start your educational journey. Don’t be intimidated at the lengthy process because it can open doors to grants and other applicable programs that would give you money for college.

Also, don’t be afraid of qualified student loans. They are the type of loans you want because they have extremely low interest rates and forgiving payback programs. My financial advisor calls it “good debt” and it can be deferred until you find a job. Here is a special link for military spouses and families to search through by the FAFSA folks.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The military members in our lives should consider all higher education opportunities, whether it be the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill Military or tuition assistance.

Out of the three, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is one that could be transferred to military dependents, including military spouses as long as certain qualifications are met.

In the same conversation with my financial advisor about funding my graduate degree, she mentioned that using the Post-9/11 GI Bill might be a good route for us. My husband is currently using tuition assistance to finish his bachelor’s degree and my graduate degree wouldn’t even need the whole contribution. There would still be funding there to supplement any additional education my husband would want after the military.

Plus, the transferability might go away for military spouses and children, so it would be beneficial to do a transfer now because it could always get transferred back to the service member.

School Scholarships and Grants

When you apply and submit your FAFSA, a majority of schools piggyback opportunities that are available to their applicants. If you’re pursuing an undergraduate degree, you can qualify for a Pell Grant, which doesn’t need to be paid back.

Military spouses should visit their on-post Education Center because counselors could share institutions that have special military-affiliated tuition pricing.

I know in Washington, D.C., certain classes that are held on base have lower pricing than the online program or off-base locations. They could also pass along location-based opportunities, you never know!

Scholarships and Grants from Military-Affiliated Organizations

There are so many wonderful opportunities from a number of military-affiliated organizations out there! One that comes to mind for all military spouses is National Military Family Association’s Spouse Scholarship program. Hurry though because the deadline is at the end of this month! It’s held annually, so if you miss it this time around you have another chance next year.

Research organizations that support your spouse’s branch for military spouse scholarships too. That’s a great place to start with military spouse directed opportunities.

What other resources besides MyCAA have you used to help plan for college?