Military Money HQ (Building Wealth, Protection and Legacy)

Military Money HQ is a continuing education series designed specifically for Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC®) seeking to deepen their expertise in serving the military community.

This free CEU course is one of three offerings in the Military Money HQ series:

Credit, Debt & Consumer Protection (5 Credit Hours)
Planning & Budgeting (5 Credit Hours)
Wealth Building, Protection & Legacy Planning (5 Credit Hours)

Inside of this program are a total of 5 modules, 1 discussion topic, and 1 case study.

1. Economics 101
In this module, you’ll examine key economic drivers such as inflation, interest rates, and employment trends, and how they influence client behavior and financial stress. You’ll also develop strategies to help clients adapt their spending, saving, and borrowing decisions in response to changing economic conditions.

Learning Objectives:
-Describe the basic principles of economics.
– Examine key economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, and unemployment rates and explain their impact on personal financial decisions.
-Explain how changes in economic cycles, interest rates, and government policies influence borrowing, saving, and investing.
-Explain the concept of inflation and its impact on purchasing power.

2. Investing for Growth
In this module, you’ll explore core investment principles, including diversification, asset allocation, and risk-return tradeoffs. You’ll also develop approaches to help clients evaluate investment options, avoid common pitfalls, and align strategies with their goals and time horizons.

Learning Objectives:
-Explain common motivations for investing.
-Identify and describe four main asset classes available to investors.
-Describe the concept of risk tolerance when investing.
-Explain common investment strategies such as diversification, dollar cost averaging, active vs. passive investing, and target date investing.
-Apply the time value of money formulas to calculate the future and present value of a sum and annuity.
-Describe the fundamental concepts of behavioral finance.

3. Planning for Retirement
In this module, you’ll examine retirement savings vehicles, contribution strategies, and the long-term impact of compounding. You’ll also develop techniques to help clients assess readiness, overcome barriers to saving, and build sustainable income for the future.

Learning Objectives:
-Recall common reasons to save for one’s retirement.
-Identify common strategies to pay for retirement and analyze the potential sources of retirement income for one’s personal situation.
-Explain various tax benefits associated with retirement accounts.
-Name the basic components of military retirement.
-Describe the features and benefits of the Thrift Savings Plan.
-Explain common strategies for managing and drawing down assets to sustain income in retirement.

4. Protect Your Life, Loved Ones and Possessions
In this module, you’ll analyze the role of life and property insurance in mitigating financial loss. You’ll also develop strategies to help clients identify coverage needs, address gaps, and make informed decisions that protect against unexpected events.

Learning Objectives:
-Explain the purpose of insurance in a financial plan.
-Identify key components of life, auto, renters, and homeowners insurance.
-Differentiate between common coverage options and policy features.
-Evaluate factors that influence insurance needs and premiums.
-Apply insurance concepts to real-world scenarios.

5. Estate Planning
In this module, you’ll examine key estate planning documents, including wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, and how they function in real-world situations. You’ll also develop strategies to help clients organize, update, and communicate their plans to reduce confusion and risk.

Learning Objectives
-Define the concept of an estate plan and recall benefits of implementing one.
-Identify common legal documents used to create an estate plan, such as a Will, Power of Attorney, Advanced Medical Directives, and Trust.
-Recall the different types of benefits available to military survivors.
-Identify estate planning tools that help protect the financial stability and government benefits of individuals with special needs.
-Compare different methods of transferring assets to loved ones.