Kate Horrell

Kate Horrell is an accredited financial counselor® and personal financial educator who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits. With more than 10 years working with thousands of military families, she understands the concerns of currently serving, retired and veteran families.

Kate has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland, volunteers with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and is a member of the Military Officers Association of America, or MOAA, currently serving spouses advisory board. She has been married to a sailor for 27 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the U.S.

Latest Articles

What to Do with Your Pay Raise

Since your paycheck is changing, you should make changes to your budget.

It’s Time to Check Emergency Contacts and Beneficiary Designations

An annual checkup for your information is a quick and easy way to prevent future hassles.

6 Steps You Can Take to Make It Through a Financial Crisis

Is it time to sell everything on eBay to earn cash?

ABF1 Cedric Mathis (left), assigned to NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Fuels Department, and his wife, ABF1 Aleesha Mathis (right) of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), take an oath of enlistment during a reenlistment ceremony in Japan.

Military Continuation Pay: The Mid-Career Bonus You Don't Want to Miss Out On

Unfortunately, some military service members miss out on their mid-career continuation pay bonus, because they don't know the...

The words "state taxes" appear on a red, white, and blue, shield-shaped sign that imitates an interstate sign, against a blue sky and wispy white clouds.

Which State Will You Choose? New 2023 Tax Filing Option for Military Families

Which state have you decided on for your 2023 state income taxes? As a military service member or spouse, your options may...

Understanding the Newest FICO Score

The method for calculating credit scores will change by the end of this year. We explain how it may affect you.

RAPIDS Appointment Scheduler for IDs

The RAPIDS Appointment scheduling website has a robust search function, allowing you to search by state, zip code, place name...

Marines shop for uniforms at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, Corry Station Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Thrift Shop, Jan. 23, 2024. (Garrett Dipuma/Navy)

How to Save Money on Military Uniforms While Still Meeting Standards

Take a look at these alternatives to save money on military uniforms while still meeting uniform standards.

Two airmen carry a heavy dog crate between them.

The Military's New Pet Transportation Policy: What It Means to You

Military service members will be reimbursed for some of the costs of moving one dog or cat when moving on permanent change of...

Wood blocks printed with numbers arranged to spell 2024 sit atop ascending stacks of quarters while a hand places another block in the image featuring an arrow hitting a bullseye

5 Ways to Prep Your Military Finances for 2024

Annual increases in pays and allowances give military service members the opportunity to do a financial reset every year...

A piggy bank wearing a Santa hat smiles amid shiny coins and against a backdrop of twinkling lights.

Free and Low-Cost Ideas to Brighten Up the Holidays

Whether you celebrate a religious or cultural holiday or not, there's always something to spend money on in December. Gifts...

A string of holiday lights wind around a piggy bank

Do Holiday Bargains Really Save You Money?

It’s not a bad idea to take advantage of promotions. But be aware of how advertised “freebies” are factored into the price of...

The Navy Federal Credit Union mascot takes a photo with runners.

What You Need to Know About Navy Federal's Takeover of Community Bank

While the takeover by Navy Federal of the Defense Department's Community Bank should have no direct impact on services...

Army Retirement Services Officers (RSOs) with the Army National Guard take a certification course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on a variety of topics, including the Survivor Benefit Plan.

A Key Survivor Benefit Plan Deadline Was Moved Up. Here’s What You Need to Know

The deadline to enroll in the military's Survivor Benefit Plan during this year's open season has just shortened --...

an arrangement of desktop items featuring the words capital gains tax

How to Reduce Capital Gains Tax on a House You Sell After Less Than 2 Years

You may be eligible for a partial exclusion of capital gains tax if your employer transfers you to a new location that is at...

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Most Popular Military News

Marine Sergeant Major Fired from Recruit Depot Was Arrested and Faces NCIS Investigation

Sgt. Maj. Gerardo Trevino's firing follows seven known reliefs or reassignments of leaders responsible for Marine training in...

Sailor Held by Venezuela for Alleged Maduro Assassination Plot Is a Navy SEAL, Service Records Show

Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, who has been held in Venezuela for more than two weeks, is a petty officer first class and Navy...

Medal of Honor recipients visit Arlington National Cemetery

Medal of Honor Recipients Could Get $100,000 Annual Pensions Under Bill Proposed in Congress

Under the Monetary Enhancement for Distinguished Active Legends, or MEDAL, Act, the monthly pension for Medal of Honor...

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Man Accused of Trying to Kill Trump Wrote a Book Urging Iran to Assassinate the Ex-President

Ryan Wesley Routh portrayed himself online as a man who built housing for homeless people in Hawaii, tried to recruit...

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The former commander of the U.S. Army Garrison West Point, Col. Anthony Bianchi, was found not guilty on charges related to...

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The Justice Department charged Alexander Cain Poplin with three misdemeanor offenses, including entering restricted grounds...

Latest Military Videos

In a significant show of defiance against the United States, North Korea on Friday provided a rare view into a facility built to enrich uranium for nuclear bombs as leader Kim Jong Un called for a rapid expansion of nuclear weapons. (Sep. 13) AP

Clean up After Israeli Troops Withdraw From Tulkarem Refugee Camp After Raid

Israeli troops have pulled out of the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, leaving behind a trail...

Dutch 'Adopt' US War Graves to Harbor Memories of the Country's Liberation 80 Years Ago

In the rolling hills of the southern Netherlands, locals have vowed to never forget the American and other Allied...

Biden and Harris Pay Respects at Pentagon on 9/11 Anniversary

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made their final joint visit to all three 9/11 memorial...

US Announces $700 Million in Aid for Ukraine's Energy Grid and More

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced more than $700 million in aid for Ukraine during a visit to...

Investigations and Features

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...

A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

They Stood Sentry over America's Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer.

For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

Platoon live-fire exercise at the Grafenwoehr Training Area

Soldiers Set to Get New Deployment Bonus as High Operations Tempos Strain the Army

Soldiers will receive an extra monthly bonus -- ranging from $210 to $450 per month, depending on rank -- for time away from...

US Moves Soldiers to Alaska Island Amid Russian Military Activity Increase in the Area

The U.S. military has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in the Aleutian chain...

Navy News

Navy chief petty officer combination cover uniform fitting

Navy Offers New Housing Allowance Alternative for Families, More Female Uniform Options

The Navy will now allow sailors who change duty stations within the U.S. -- but choose to leave their families behind -- to...

The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Laboon sails in the Red Sea

Lessons from Red Sea and Ukraine's Black Sea Fight Help Prep Navy for Possible Conflict with China

The Navy is taking lessons from its combat in the Red Sea over the past year and what Ukraine has done to hold off the...

Air Force News

U.S. Air Force CV-22B Osprey over Yokota Air Base

Air Force Ospreys Set to Again Deploy Abroad After Deadly Crash, But Concerns Linger on Mechanical Issues

The news comes less than a year after a deadly November CV-22 Osprey crash in Japan that claimed the lives of eight airmen.

"The Road" A Graphic Novel Adaptation" by Cormac McCarthy and Illustrated by Manu Larcenet (Dargaud)

Air Force Veteran Cormac McCarthy's Post-Apocalyptic Epic 'The Road' Is Now a Graphic Novel Worthy of the Original

A lot of military veterans talk about preparing for a post-apocalyptic world, but author Cormac McCarthy, whose work was...

Space Force News

Haleakala Silversword, a highly-endangered plant on the island of Maui, Hawaii

Air Force Looks to Add Telescopes on Sacred Hawaii Volcano as Outrage Continues over Fuel Spill

A year and seven months after 700 gallons of fuel spilled at a Space Force observatory located atop a sacred Hawaiian volcano...

Space Force Guardians assigned to the 1st Delta Operations Squadron, Detachment 1, receive their Space Force patch during a private ceremony April 24, 2024. Senior Master Sgt. Cody Brown, Senior enlisted leader, 1st Delta Operations Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Station, California, was the guest speaker during the ceremony. (2nd Lt. Kate Anderson/Air Force)

Space Force Tuition Assistance

Space Force members take off-duty college courses under the Department of the Air Force's Military Tuition Assistance program...

Marine Corps News

U.S. Marine recruits stand in line to do pullups

Marine Who Published Memoir About Alleged Sexual Abuse of Underage Recruit Faces Court-Martial

The charges come nearly a year after Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Champagne published a book that described his own pursuit of a...

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine holds a news conference in Springfield, Ohio

Neo-Nazi Group Led by 2 Ex-Marines Pushed and Cheered Haitian Pet-Eating Claims Gripping Ohio City

Armed and hidden behind masks, aside from its leaders, Blood Tribe marched under swastika flags in Springfield weeks prior to...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guardsman Becomes 5th Member of Service Awarded for Rescues During Maui Wildfire

Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class John Thompson on Wednesday became the fifth Coast Guardsman to receive the service's highest honor...

This undated image provided by OceanGate Expeditions in June 2021 shows the company's Titan submersible.

The Coast Guard Will Hear from Former OceanGate Employees about the Titan Implosion

U.S. Coast Guard officials investigating the implosion of an experimental watercraft en route to the wreck of the Titanic...