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

A hand places the fourth colored 'slice' into a pie-chart type of pie on a wood surface.

Pieces of a Pie: How to Start Saving for Retirement Right Now

Your retirement income will likely come from a variety of sources. Imagining retirement income as pie pieces can make the...

Five stacks of coins increase in height. A hand holds a magnifying glass in front of the tallest stack.

VA Beneficiaries: Here's How to Get Free Financial Counseling

Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiaries now have access to free financial coaching through the Veterans Benefits Banking...

Two sets of hands hold a pen and a calculator respectively, implying that the people attached to the hands are looking over financial paperwork.

How a FINRA Fellowship Can Help Military Spouses Become Accredited Financial Counselors

Applications for the 2024 fellowships are open through April 15. A webinar explaining the program is scheduled for March 28.

BAH Rate Protection Rules

How to Make Sure Your Kids Don't Overpay for College

High school seniors are enrolling in college. What questions does a parent need answered?

A diamond-shaped yellow warning sign appears against a blue sky with wispy white clouds.

Florida Residents Living Out of State Need to Check Driver's License, Registration Status

Military families are running into roadblocks and getting bad information when trying to resolve insurance-related...

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...

Military News

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Ronny Jackson during the 2024 Republican National Convention

Navy Demotion Reversed for GOP Congressman Who Government Watchdog Found Abused Subordinates

Jackson was quietly demoted to captain in 2022, three years after his retirement from the Navy, following an inspector...

The sign at the entrance at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Camp Pendleton Officer, Wife Sue Military Housing Company over Crash That Killed 8-Year-Old Son

A Marine Corps family whose 8-year-old son died last year after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Camp...

Members of the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team complete a physical fitness test

Coast Guard to Launch Service-Wide Physical Fitness Test for All Members Next Year

Coast Guard men and women must take a preliminary assessment by the end of this year and a mandatory PFT starting in 2026.

USS Falcon crewmen suit up 2 Navy divers during the rescue operation following the sinking of the USS Squalus.

How the Men on a Navy Submarine Survived After Sinking 240 Feet in the Atlantic

Trapped 240 feet beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, Lt. Oliver Naquin could not ensure the crew of the USS Squalus...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, arrives to meet with Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa at the presidential palace in Quito, Ecuador

Rubio Says US Is Designating 2 More Gangs as Foreign Terrorist Groups

The two new designees, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, are Ecuadorian gangs blamed for much of the violence that began since the...

Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of Navy Reserve, is piped aboard during a change of command ceremony where Rear Adm. Luke Frost relieved Rear Adm. Mike Steffen as commanding officer of Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command aboard Naval Station Norfolk on June 27, 2025.

All Services Now Issue Form DD214-1 to Departing Reservists

The military's reserve components now issue departing reservists a new record that summarizes their periods of active and...

Latest Military Videos

Smoke Seen Rising over Gaza Strip as Israel Continues Aerial and Ground Attacks

A large plume of smoke was seen rising over the Gaza Strip from southern Israel on Friday. (Sept. 5)...

Hegseth Warns Trafficking Drugs to the US Will Have Lethal Consequences

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned that trafficking drugs into the country will have lethal consequences, adding that...

Foreign Troops in Ukraine Will Be Considered 'Legitimate Targets', Putin Says

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine before a peace agreement is signed...

Illinois Governor Urges People Not to Give Trump Reason to Send National Guard

Chicago residents are bracing for an influx of military patrols and immigration agents in the coming days. (Sept. 5)...

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

Members of the Georgia National Guard stand guard

Georgia Governor Sending 300 National Guard Troops to DC amid Trump’s Crackdown

Gov. Brian Kemp, who has worked to repair strained ties with the president after years of political tension, framed the...

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at a news conference

Trump's Promised Immigration Crackdown in Chicago Could Last About Six Weeks, Suburban Official Says

Leaders of a Chicago suburb that houses a federal immigration processing center say they were told that the Trump...

Navy News

Venezuelan Jets Confront US Warship After Trump Orders Strike on Cartel Boat

CBS News, citing multiple Defense Department officials, had reported earlier that the incident involved two armed Venezuelan...

Navy Demotion Reversed for GOP Congressman Who Government Watchdog Found Abused Subordinates

Jackson was quietly demoted to captain in 2022, three years after his retirement from the Navy, following an inspector...

Air Force News

Col. Edward Segura, director of manpower, personnel and services, Air Force Reserve Command, speaks

Space Force Opens Applications for Air Force Reservists to Sign Up for Part-Time Service

Applications have opened for certain Air Force reservists to join the Space Force under its new one-of-a-kind, part-time...

U.S. Air Force Col. Stephanie Figueroa, Commander for the 233rd Space Group, gives a speech

Mobile Missile Warning System Retired, Air National Guard Expected to Have Jobs for Airmen

After about 40 years of standing ready to provide missile warning in the event of a war, the one-of-a-kind Mobile Ground...

Space Force News

Space Force Opens Applications for Air Force Reservists to Sign Up for Part-Time Service

Applications have opened for certain Air Force reservists to join the Space Force under its new one-of-a-kind, part-time...

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle discusses the decision to relocate U.S. Space Command headquarters to Redstone Arsenal

US Space Command Can Be Running in Huntsville Before Trump Leaves Office, Official Says

U.S. Space Command headquarters can be fully operational before President Donald Trump leaves office, a Redstone Arsenal...

Marine Corps News

Camp Pendleton Officer, Wife Sue Military Housing Company over Crash That Killed 8-Year-Old Son

A Marine Corps family whose 8-year-old son died last year after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Camp...

Marine Veteran Charged with Threatening to Shoot Schoolchildren Now Out of Jail

Once held on $1 million bond for livestreaming threats to shoot elementary school children, a military veteran is now out of...

Coast Guard News

A Coast Guard recruit from Company Oscar 188 does plank exercises during incentive training at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J.

How to Prepare for the Coast Guard’s Mandatory Physical Fitness Tests

The service announced this week that all military personnel will be required to undergo mandatory physical fitness tests, or...

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) (left) sits moored next to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) at Coast Guard Base Seattle

Coast Guard Begins Upgrades to Puget Sound Homeport for New Polar Security Cutters

The U.S. Coast Guard announced that it will spend up to $137 million to modernize its Base Seattle to homeport new, larger...