Get ready for tax season early!

Groan, ugh, not tax season again?? Why do we need to talk about this now?? Well, for one, who wants to have to race around collecting everything and then get to the appointment with the accountant only to realize that you are missing things? You can start organizing your tax folder now so that all you have to do is put the correct W-2s and other statements in the folder as you get them! I would start out with an accordian folder and label the little tabs with different categories, ie. job, mortgage, student loans, Roth IRA, IRA, mutual funds, TSP, etc. Put in each folder a piece of paper that briefly describes what each one is so that you can better remember as the statements start rolling in. Call as soon as you are able to make an appointment. For those in the military, we have free access to the tax center on post so please utilize it! For Fort Hood gals, we have a great Legal Assistance place on post, and the woman will do your taxes for free as well. Save all major purchase receipts, tax write-offs (say if you donated something), any amounts that you gave to charity, etc. If you think of filing your taxes as a process then you won't be so overwhelmed when the time comes.

**Please, please, PLEASE, check your tax exemptions that you are filing. So many people just claim one, or zero, even if they are married and have kids! I know that it feels good to get that money all at once when you get your tax refund but why do you want to give Uncle Sam an interest free loan? Why not change your exemption and contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan where they take your pre-tax dollars thus reducing your tax liability? www.tsp.gov Or, if you work in the civilian sector, and your company has a 401 (k) plan then max the amount that you need to so that the company matches your contribution!**

Welcome!

Last September, I had the great opportunity to partake in a program to become an Accredited Financial Counselor through the MSAFCPE (http://www.militaryspouseafcpe.org/pages/page.cfm?page_id=8). I was given a scholarship (worth about $900), and it came at a perfect time. I was at a crossroad in my life as I had just had a little baby boy, but I still wanted to feel like I was doing something in my life besides being a wife and a mom. So, when I received the email saying that I was accepted into the program, I jumped at the chance. Ok, wait..rewind..I actually panicked, because it said that I need to do classtime as well as do 400 hours of either paid or volunteer internship time! How on earth was I going to do that and not pay an arm and a leg for childcare? Luckily, being the resourceful person that I am, I looked on www.myarmylifetoo.com and saw that they had the Financial Readiness Branch on post. I contacted the program manager, and she agreed to let me do an internship through them. And, the best part? Up to 50 hours of free childcare a month! I ended up learning a TON about the military and how hard these soldiers and their families were/are hurting financially. I finished my hours, and my final exams, in April of this year, and I am not an Accredited Financial Counselor! In the process, I learned a lot about myself and our own finances. I have always been intrigued by money but now I am borderline obsessive (Joe gets a little upset about that sometimes!). I just think that it is so important to know where you stand. I will be the first to admit that I do not know very much about investments nor do I want to. They bore me so much. I would rather focus on budgeting, cash flow, and how/why money affects a family so much. I can sit down with anyone and figure out a better financial system for them, and I pride myself on that. I am especially interested in helping the military as I am a fellow military spouse, and I know the inside look at what we get paid and the effect of multiple PCS' and deployments. I always welcome questions and you can send me emails at robyn.mroszczyk1@us.army.mil.