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How Do Unemployment Benefits Work for Military Spouses Living Overseas?

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Filing for unemployment isn’t as complicated as it once was. If you are a military spouse that has lost a job due to PCSing with your service member, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. There are many factors that go into determining if you qualify along with how much money you can receive. Finding out if you do qualify and how much you may receive does not have to be difficult anymore as most states have this information readily available online.

How Do Unemployment Benefits Work for Military Spouses Living Overseas?

Many states do not spell out whether moving overseas qualifies or disqualifies a military spouse from receiving unemployment benefits.

There are now 46 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that provide unemployment insurance for military spouses that leave their jobs specifically to follow their service members on a new assignment.

Only Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota and Ohio consider leaving a job for this reason to be “voluntary” and therefore not a good reason for leaving a job under any wavier.

Ohio worked on legislation last year to include military spouse relocation due to a PCS to be eligible for compensation. It however stalled in the state House in November with some opposing the bill saying they are already borrowing money from the government and without asking for further funds, this would create a heavier tax on businesses.

When filing for unemployment, make sure you apply in the state in which you worked; not the state or country that you have moved to. If you worked in any of those 4 states that do not offer unemployment for military spouses, then you do not qualify unless there are other circumstances you can claim exemption with. A link to each state’s unemployment information is available here. If you are unsure whether you qualify or not, go ahead and apply anyway. You can always file an appeal if you are denied the first time.

Some states have a specific clause under qualifications for unemployment to account for military spouses relocating out of state while others simply have a blanket statement for any spouse that moves a specific distance from their current job to follow a spouse to their new job assignment. The latter is known as a trailing spouse and applies to any spouse, military or not. Both of these are considered a voluntary quit with good cause.

Many states do not spell out whether moving overseas qualifies or disqualifies a military spouse from receiving unemployment benefits. Each state has its own laws regarding unemployment. There are a few states that have laws that specifically exclude moves overseas however. If you can make a case that you will be able to apply for jobs in America while overseas, then you may be approved for unemployment benefits after all.

Remember that each state is different and that laws constantly change. If you did not qualify a few moves ago, don’t be deterred this time. Perhaps the laws have changed in your favor. For example, Virginia only passed the military spouse unemployment compensation bill in 2014 and Ohio is still considering theirs.

Not only does every state have its own rules for qualification, but they also have different steps you must take to get unemployment benefits. The amount of compensation you may receive and the duration of benefits may differ as well.

Before you leave your job, make sure you check your state’s guidelines first. While leaving your job early to prepare for a move or to take a vacation before you PCS may sound good, you may lose out on unemployment if you quit too early. South Carolina for example only allows a person to resign from their job 15 days prior to a move.

Things to know when filing for unemployment:

  • Most states have a minimum amount of time that you must have worked in that state to qualify.
  • The amount of money you will receive is based on a percentage of your earnings over the previous 52 weeks.
  • Most states cap the amount of time you can receive unemployment benefits to 26 weeks.
  • Unemployment benefits are taxed. You will have to report them on your federal income tax return.
  • Filing for unemployment does not penalize your former employer. Unemployment insurance comes from the state’s general unemployment fund.

Go to your state’s website for unemployment and read all of the rules before you quit your job. When filing, you will likely need a copy of your service member’s PCS orders. If you leave a job in America to follow your spouse on their job assignment overseas, you may qualify for unemployment. You would need to be able to show that you are able to continue looking for work from an American business while you are abroad however.

If you worked while overseas with your spouse and have now received orders back to the United States you may be wondering if you can get unemployment that way. In some cases it is possible. You paid taxes on the money you earned abroad. Some of that money goes into the unemployment fund. You can apply for unemployment in your state of residency if you worked for an international company. If you worked for an American company while overseas, then you would apply for unemployment benefits from the company’s state of home office.

What questions do you have about unemployment? Post them in the comments section and we will try to answer them in a future article.

States Aim to Streamline Professional Licensing for Military Spouses

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Moving to Nebraska and want to be a nurse, dental hygienist or athletic trainer? You’re in luck! New laws allow you to obtain a one-year temporary license in several health-related professions.

States Aim to Streamline Professional Licensing for Military Spouses

If your profession requires a license, it is in your best interest to reach out to the licensing agency in your new state.

If you’re not relocating to the Cornhusker State, you can still take advantage of military spouse licensing agreements. Many states have streamlined professional licensing for military spouses.

Which states? Which licenses?

According to Military OneSource, 49 states have agreements in place to help military spouses through the licensing process. Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not currently have reciprocity agreements specifically for military spouses.

New York is not indicated to have military spouse specific reciprocity on the map. However, as of March 2017, New York does offer simplified licensing options in many professions for military spouses. There is an application process that is New York specific and your license must be in good standing in another state. Applicants also must pay the appropriate fee and submit the application for their desired license.

This process is true for the rest of the United States as well.

Each state requires a different application process to obtain a reciprocal license. Every state requires that applicants verify their military spouse status. To complete the application you will also need to provide evidence of a current license and/or education from another state. This will require providing transcripts, copies of your license(s) and supporting documents.

There may also be additional requirements in many states. These requirements may include:

  • proof of employment
  • professional exams or equivalent assessments
  • fingerprints or background check
  • first aid, AED and/or CPR certifications

There are also different professions that are considered eligible in each state. Some states don’t appear to target or exclude specific fields. Other states are limited to education professionals. Still other states exclude lawyers and teachers.

The license you can obtain also varies. Some states offer a temporary license as a hold over until the professional license is approved. In many states, the application process is expedited. Often a longer-term provisional license is granted in lieu of a full certification. This can allow professionals to complete additional requirements for full licensure.

What if my license isn’t covered?

For many professions, there aren’t national certification standards. While there are lots of similarities, especially in medicine and health professions, there are also lots of differences.

States naturally tend to favor candidates who have completed education in their jurisdiction. Especially in education and legal professions, there may be statutes and requirements specific to each state.

However, before you give up hope, check out the state licensing agency for your profession. For educators, that is usually the department of education. For lawyers, it is the state bar association. Other professions, like medicine, health or beauty, all have licensing boards. While there might not be specific language related to military spouses, there are usually avenues for professionals who have been prepared out of state or who are seeking reciprocity with a current license.

If you have questions, contact the office indicated by your professional licensing agency. With a few questions, you might be able to clarify the process or ask about military spouse licensing statutes. A new program might have been put in place and not publicized!

Are there any hidden issues?

Reciprocity, whether you are seeking it through a military spouse certification program or through other avenues, seems to mean that if you bring a current license from State A, then you should get a similar license from State B.

This is not always the case.

In some states, certain professions have employment requirements in order to obtain a reciprocal license. This is often seen with teachers. This clause means that applicants must have completed a certain number of years working professionally in order to qualify for reciprocity.

There are often state-specific professional exams. This is the case for lawyers and teachers, as well as other professions. Unless there are other programs in place, applicants might need to pass these tests in order to be licensed. It can pay to keep your results from previous states’ tests and ask the licensing board to review those before you pay for the new tests.

Bottom line: if your profession requires a license, it is in your best interest to reach out to the licensing agency in your new state.

Does your job require a state license? Have you had difficulty getting a state license after a PCS? Tell us in the comments.

Should Military Spouses Have a Spending Allowance?

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Not long ago, women were expected to marry, have children, and live a life dedicated to home and husband.

It was what society told women they could and should do. Money, like education, was deemed too complicated for women, despite the fact that managing a home required the ability to budget and plan.

In fact, it wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that women were legally seen as independent financial beings, capable of holding property and wealth separate from her father or her husband. It took another 70 years before women could open a credit card account without a husband co-signer.

But for all of this progress and financial independence, some modern-day women find themselves at the whim of their husbands, financially speaking.

When first presented with the idea that some stay-at-home military wives are granted an “allowance” for taking care of the household necessities, I was more than a little dumbfounded.

Should Military Spouses Have an Spending Allowance?

After nearly 20 years of marriage, I will admit that money issues are at the top of the list of things we argue about.

Is this practice a way for controlling husbands to keep their wives on a short spending leash?

Does it imply that these military spouses are incapable of handling money? Or that they are untrustworthy?

Can a healthy military marriage survive this kind of arrangement?

Is a Spending Allowance a Trust Issue?

In Kristine Schellhaas’s book, “15 Years of War,” she recounts her life as a Marine Corps spouse, including her time spent as the leader of the unit spouse organization. During that time, she often counseled young Marines headed out on deployment to ensure their spouses had access to their bank accounts.

Turns out, many of these same Marines said “I do” in a hurry because of the deployment and the idea of giving financial access to someone they hardly knew (wife or not) was a bit daunting.

I certainly can’t begrudge them for their concerns, but like Schellhaas pointed out to these Marines, a great many more problems could arise should a spouse be left without access.

A set allowance hardly provides wiggle room for emergencies or unexpected expenses and in times when a service member isn’t available on a routine basis, it’s not hard to imagine the difficulties a military spouse might face.

But these newly married military spouses aren’t the only ones earning an “allowance.”

The Monetary Worth of a Stay-At-Home Spouse

While a get-hitched-get-deployed kind of marriage might suffer from a few trust issues, it’s hardly the kind of thing one would expect from a couple who married under less time-constrained circumstances. However, a quick search of military spouse forums reveals that many military families operate in this fashion.

Since a stay-at-home spouse doesn’t have an employer, the monetary value of the work they do is often hard to estimate. According to Salary.com if stay-at-home mothers were paid for their work at a similar rate as someone employed full-time, they would earn well into 6 figures.

But it seems in some cases, stay-at-home spouses feel guilty asking for money as they don’t directly contribute financially to a family’s income. They are left feeling less valuable than their paycheck-earning spouse and an allowance, while possibly intended as a way of providing some financial freedom, often ends up feeling like payment for services rendered.

Hardly a healthy outlook for a marriage between 2 competent and loving adults.

A Rose by Any Other Name

Discussion of this issue often calls out the controversy that stems from the use of the word “allowance?” It tends to imply one spouse wielding financial power over another.

But, if it were termed “monthly budget” would so many cringe at the thought? If both spouses were limited to an “allowance” would we find less to critique?

After nearly 20 years of marriage, I will admit that money issues are at the top of the list of things we argue about. I have and often still suffer from feelings of guilt in knowing I am capable of earning as much as my spouse, but my income, due to choices we have made as a family, is dwarfed by my active-duty spouse. And there have been plenty of times when we have limited ourselves to an allowance to ensure we stayed on budget.

What I can’t condone, however are those instances where an allowance is used as a power grab. For me, a healthy marriage means both spouses are equally responsible for the well-being of their family, be it earning a paycheck or managing a household. And as long as couples openly discuss spending expectations, whether you call it an allowance or not is really of little consequence. Communicating openly and honestly about your money to each other benefits your marriage.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think of allowances for military spouses?

How to File for Unemployment When You PCS

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In the 18 years I’ve called myself an Army wife, we have PCSed 9 times. In those same 18 years, I’ve held 16 different jobs and a handful of temp positions.

Up until recently, the longest I had ever a job with the same company was 2 years. Some of that transition was thanks to low pay or lay-offs. Other jobs came and went because of our expanding family.

But the vast majority of jobs lost (and gained) have been because of a PCS.

As if picking up and moving from one side of the country (or world) to the other isn’t stressful enough.

No, there is nothing like worrying about making ends meet while searching for your next house-to-call-home, unpacking your household goods, and just getting a general lay of the land.

Want to find something that utilizes your skill set and offers competitive pay too? Teleporting to Mars might be easier.

How to File for Unemployment When You PCS

Have you filed for unemployment related to a PCS?

Thankfully, most states recognize the unique and transient nature of our particular lifestyle. State legislatures have eased or expanded unemployment benefits to include military spouses who voluntarily leave jobs to follow active-duty service members.

While your unemployment benefits won’t finance a tropical vacation or help put a new car in the driveway, they can help to ease the financial strain of a lost job and give you a little more time to get settled.

What Military Spouses Need to Know About Unemployment Benefits

When we PCSed for the first time, the internet was barely a thing. And Google, well, it was just a number. If a PCS is in your future (when is it not?), then while you are scouring online rental listings and local happenings, carve out a few minutes to check out unemployment benefits for your state.

Remember, unemployment is filed in the state where you are currently employed, not the one you are moving to.

Forty-six states offer some kind of unemployment benefit to military spouses (only North Dakota, Ohio, Louisiana, and Idaho do not.) But, every state is different in its requirements, so don’t just assume you’ll qualify. Check out this list for links to unemployment information in your state.

Get Familiar with Dates and Requirements Related to Unemployment Benefits

While researching eligibility, pay special attention to deadline and cut off dates and requirements for seeking employment once you reach your new duty station. Some states allow trailing spouses to terminate employment 30 days prior to the report date printed on your orders, for others it may only be 15 or 10 days. Plan accordingly.

Also, pretty much every unemployment program requires that recipients be actively searching for a new job. Often there are weekly or bi-weekly reporting requirements.

If you are planning on taking vacation in conjunction with your PCS move, make sure you schedule some time to begin your job search while you are enjoying your time off.

Make Copies of Your Service Member’s PCS Orders

To qualify for unemployment under the military spouse or trailing spouse option, you will need to provide a copy of your active duty spouse’s PCS orders. Just make sure the orders include provisions for accompanying dependents.

If they don’t, you may not be eligible for unemployment benefits. Check your orders and get them amended if need be.

Research Lateral Positions Within Your Current Company

Some states will require military spouses to take lateral positions within a company if one is available in conjunction with or in lieu of unemployment benefits. And the only way to know is to learn the laws that apply to your state.

If you can, make an appointment or call your local labor office. They should be able to help you find the information you need and explain the application process.

And while you’re at it, visit with your employer’s HR department. Many companies have programs to help employees transfer upon relocation.

Find Job Hunting Resources Right Away

Don’t wait until you’re neck-deep in packing tape and inventory sheets to start scoping job resources.

Don’t wait until you’re already feeling the pinch of a lost second income.

Do yourself a favor and start your job search as soon as you find out where you’ll be moving. Use social media to network with military spouses already in the area and contact Fleet and Family Services or Army Community Services at your new duty location. They often have an employment counselor on staff who can help you find job resources while you are transitioning in.

Sites like Indeed.com can give you an idea about the companies and jobs available in surrounding areas. Identify companies you might be interesting in work for and start making connections with recruiters if you can. Just make sure you are clear about your start date availability.

Have you filed for unemployment related to a PCS? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.

 

The Hidden Costs of Your PCS

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Money. You need it, often we feel we don’t have enough of it, and it requires almost constant management. Stir in a PCS and relocation and you’ve got the recipe for some of the unique challenges only members of our community will understand. But like many other things, a shared commiseration gives us the opportunity to share and learn from each other.

Having been through more PCSes than I can count on 2 hands, I’ve learned the best tool we have at our disposal is pre-planning. Good old Uncle Sam pays the movers to come and box everything up and move it, but there are lots of hidden costs that can put a strain on a family budget. Here are 3 hidden costs and strategies for overcoming them.

THE PROBLEM: EVERYDAY HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES

You can’t move liquids (with the rare exception), chemicals, and open food items. This often means that just before a PCS, we’re tossing all kinds of cleaning supplies and emptying the refrigerator of things like ketchup, mustard and salad dressings.

Talk about feeling like you are literally throwing money in the garbage.

And once we arrive, those items must be replaced in a hurry.

SOLUTION: Plan ahead if you can. If you know you are due for a PCS, even if you don’t have orders, try to anticipate. Plan meals that will use up the last of that bottle of ranch dressing and buy smaller bottles of household cleaners. Yes, it might cost a little bit more than buying the family size, but in the end, you won’t end up having to throw away half a bottle.

Once you arrive, try to shop sales and buy in bulk to lower costs. Also consider easing into replacement items. A solid multi-purpose cleaner can hold you over for a few months to help spread out costs and a little meal planning helps to do the same for those refrigerator staples.

Also, as you get ready to PCS, consider selling items you don’t need or want. Use that extra money to help offset some of these hidden relocation costs.

THE PROBLEM: HOME SALE/RENTAL DEPOSIT

You’ve got to put a down payment or deposit down on your new home, but you haven’t closed on a sale or received your last deposit back.

SOLUTION: This one is a little trickier, but again, the key is to plan ahead if you can. Anticipate the overlap in timing by putting a little money in your savings account each month leading up to a PCS. It is much better to have extra money saved then to be caught between paychecks without the funds you need.

You may want to consider taking a pay advance to help cover those large ticket costs, just make sure you plan your follow-on budget appropriately until the advance is paid back.

THE PROBLEM: THE FURNITURE DOESN’T FIT

You did the research, waited for a sale, and landed the perfect couch or set of curtains. Enter a set of PCS orders and a new temporary home. And of course, nothing fits in your new house.

Solution: We learned this lesson the hard way, so my advice? Buy modular furniture as much as possible.

That doesn’t mean you have to buy cheap, just buy smart. Also, before you pack up all that furniture, take some good measurements. Then when you are checking out potential new digs, take some quick measurements to see if what you have will work.

I’m not saying to pick a house to fit your furniture, but if what you have won’t work at all (ask me about the on-post house that wouldn’t allow for us to get a queen-sized bed upstairs!), the cost of replacing furniture might be worth some consideration.

Don’t be afraid to check out consignment and thrift stores, especially those around military housing areas. You’re not the only one struggling to make that new house feel like a home and chances are you can secure some gently used pieces at a killer price.

What other PCS costs have you experienced? What tips can you offer to help offset those relocation costs?

8 Financial Stressors Military Couples Face and How to Overcome Them

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There are many things that set military couples apart from civilians, but financial stressors we all share. Sure military families have different financial stressors than civilian families, but they are there nonetheless.

Here are 8 financial stressors military families face and how to overcome them.

8 Financial Stressors Military Couples Face and How to Overcome Them

Not Agreeing on How to Handle Finances

Most couples are made up of one spender and one saver. This can be great as the saver can keep the spender in check and the spender can get the saver to live a little. When a couple can’t decide together how best to handle money, financial stressors occur.

To overcome this, sit down and talk to each other. Set aside time when children are not around and there are no interruptions so that you can have a serious financial discussion. Don’t leave the table until a decision has been made.

Not Communicating

Communication is key in a healthy relationship. If you are not being honest with yourself or your spouse about spending, more financial stressors will occur.

Do you hide shopping bags in your car until your spouse isn’t home so they don’t see how much shopping you’ve done?

Ask yourself why you feel the need to do so. Did you spend more than you should of? Are you worried they will be upset with you for this?

Not Creating a Budget

Forget financial stressors, money-conscious couples that set budgets have less stress. Knowing how much money is coming in and going out will bring relief.

Knowing that you have enough money to pay all the bills by allocating money each month will set fears aside. As a couple, decide how much money you want to save and how much you’re comfortable spending each month.

Putting Off Saving for Retirement

When you’re young and facing bills, saving for retirement might be the last thing on your mind. Savvy savers know that saving now for retirement can alleviate financial stressors. You can contact a financial planner, attend a saving for retirement seminar or do your own research.

The sooner you start saving for retirement, the better off you’ll be when the time comes.

Not Having an Emergency Savings

It is recommended to have an emergency fund with the greater of either 2 weeks’ worth of pay or $1,000. You can use an emergency fund calculator to determine the right amount that your family should save. When an unexpected event occurs that brings in a large bill, financial stressors arise. Help lower the stress by having a plan already in place.

Taking on More Debt Than You Can Handle

You and your spouse need to be realistic on what you can afford. Keeping up with the Joneses is what gets military families into trouble.

If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.

Just because your neighbor has a new car or put in a pool does not mean that you need to do the same thing.

How many financial stressors do you need in your life?

Is trying to keep up with the social status of your neighbors or friends worth the burden?

Be realistic with your wallet. If you can’t afford the payments on a new car, maybe you don’t need such an expensive one.

Struggling with Finances on Your Own During a Deployment

When your spouse is deployed and you are unable to communicate immediately or even frequently, financial decisions are often made on your own.

It can be extremely frustrating when financial stressors arise during a deployment. You don’t have your significant other to help you make a decision and are forced to deal with it on your own.

Setting time aside before your spouse deploys to discuss what to do in this instance can help significantly.

Not Expecting a Baby to Change Your Finances Dramatically

If you don’t have children yet, you might not understand this but it is true. Children are expensive. The more you have, the more it will cost you. Having a child unexpectedly can create financial stressors if you aren’t prepared. Not everyone gets the opportunity to plan ahead for a growing family, but if you are able to plan financially for your little one, life will be a little easier.

Which of these financial stressors is your military family facing? How are you planning to overcome them?

Cost-Saving Proposal Would Make Commissary Employees NAF Instead of GS

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Just when we’ve gotten used to something in our military life being stable, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC) throws us another curve ball. As military families, we have come to accept change, but there are things we just don’t like having messed with. The commissary is one of those things.

Congress charges the MCRMC to review military benefits and make suggestions on how the government can modernize the military compensation and retirement system. Recommendation 9 in their report is to combine the commissaries and exchanges, theorizing that it will ensure better access and savings for military families. That in itself is a huge topic of debate.

A particular component of that recommendation is that DeCA, Defense Commissary Agency, employees be converted from GS (General Schedule) federal employees to NAF (non-appropriated fund) in order to reduce staffing costs by an estimated $110 million.

commissary

What does that really mean? An estimated 16,000 DeCA employees will be biting their nails waiting to find out how their salary will be affected. Currently, DeCA receives government funding and their pay scales are different, and usually higher, than NAF counterparts such as the Exchange. According to Beth Moten, the legislative and political director for the employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), every DeCA employee will see a pay cut of at least 10% based on the scale differences. She gives an eye opener of an example:

The starting salary for a NAF employee commissary cashier in Charleston, South Carolina, for example, would be 47 percent below that of the current starting salary of a DeCA cashier in the GS system.

Need actual numbers to shake things up for you? Entry-level cashiers in Nevada commissaries are GS-3 employees earning at least $25,000. If their jobs are changed to NAF, their pay would line up with minimum wage, which I Nevada is $8.25 an hour making their salary now only $17,160 a year. They would be doing the exact same job for almost $8,000 less a year.

How would your job satisfaction and job performance change with an $8,000 pay cut?

To make things worse, NAF employees also have a different health care package that has fewer options, the employee retirement contribution is lower and the retirement age is higher than GS workers. Changing their status to NAF will also make their jobs less dependable as they would now be vulnerable to formal reduction in work forces and the possibility of their job being outsourced.

This all sounds terrible, right? You bet. The strain of this change won’t just make an impact on DeCA workers; it will also make a difference in your shopping and savings. If the commissary no longer receives appropriated funds, they will have to increase the price of goods to cover salaries.

In a recent government survey, 92% of respondents say they have shopped in the commissary. What percentage do you think will still be shopping at the commissary if prices are up and savings are down?

This change only looks good in the eye of the government. They would be saving a huge amount of money, but DeCA employees and commissary patrons would be feeling the brunt of it.

This is just a recommendation by MCRMC and hopefully Congress has not been taken in by shiny numbers but will see that military benefits like the commissary are something families deserve to have left alone. We need something stable in this crazy, ever changing life we all lead.

Keep the commissary the way it is and let families focus on more important things.

What do you think of this proposal? What would you say to the MCRMC or Congress?