Links to Additional Resources

Asset Recovery Kit (ARK) The ARK is a short-term loan offered by the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation to service members between paychecks to help meet their immediate cash needs. Service members must agree to receive financial counseling, but they only pay a flat fee for the loan which is significantly lower than fees charged by commercial payday lenders.

Association of Military Banks of America (AMBA)  AMBA is a nonprofit association of banks operating on military installations, banks not located on military installations but serving military customers, and military banking facilities designated by the U. S. Treasury.

American Savings Education Council (ASEC)  ASEC is a nonprofit, national coalition of public and private sector institutions that share a mission to raise public awareness about the necessary steps to successfully ensure long-term personal financial independence. The ASEC website provides information, tools, and numerous calculators to assist consumers in planning their financial futures.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) Military Line  As part of the Financial Readiness Campaign, the BBB partnered with DoD to provide a variety of consumer services and materials to members of the military community.  The BBB Military Line website posts financial topics, branch-specific news, and additional consumer education resources.

Consumer Action  Maintained by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the US General Services Administration, the Consumer Action website contains information and tips on a number of topics including identity theft, credit, travel, utilities, and consumer complaints.

Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC)  DCUC is an organization of credit unions whose membership consists wholly or in part of personnel of the U.S. Department of Defense, both military and civilian. The Council's total membership consists of 240 credit unions serving the DoD establishment worldwide. All are insured by either the National Credit Union Administration (the federal regulator), or an independent or state agency meeting federal standards.

Department of the Treasury Financial Literacy and Education Commission  The Financial Literacy and Education Commission is comprised of twenty federal agencies including DoD, that provide financial education.  The website, MyMoney.gov, provides information on various personal finance topics from across the spectrum of federal agencies that deal with financial issues and markets.  Additionally, the Department of the Treasury's website provides financial calculators and a toll-free number (1-888-MyMoney) available in Spanish and English for anyone in the general public seeking information about federal financial education materials.

Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC)  The FCIC provides answers to questions about the federal government and everyday consumer issues.  The FCIC is a partner in the DoD Financial Readiness Campaign and assists DoD by tailoring its Money Resource Information to DoD personnel. 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Consumer Protection  The FDIC website provides resources to educate and protect customers, revitalize communities, and promote compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws. 

Federal Reserve Board  The Federal Reserve Board website provides consumer-oriented information on bank accounts and services, consumer credit, identity theft, leasing, mortgages, and basic personal finances.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection  The Bureau of Consumer Protection strives to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices through investigations and legal action.  The Enforcement Division litigates civil contempt and penalty actions to enforce FTC court injunctions and administrative orders addressing consumer protection issues, data security, fraud, and other scams.

Freddie Mac Credit Smart  Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress in 1970 to create a continuous flow of funds to mortgage lenders in support of homeownership and rental housing.  Freddie Mac is aiding the DoD Financial Readiness Campaign by making its Credit Smart materials and resources available to DoD financial educators.

InCharge Institute of America Military Money  InCharge Institute is a nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to take charge of their finances.  InCharge Institute assists the military through the provision of financial literacy materials available via Military Money magazine and the Military Money website and by making its award-winning debt management program available to members of the military community for a fraction of the normal cost.

Institute of Consumer Financial Education (ICFE)  The ICFE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people of all ages improve their spending, increase their savings, and use credit more wisely.  ICFE assists service members and their families by helping them to understand their credit reports and making ICFE electronic financial news and financial education materials available to DoD financial education and counseling practitioners.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Information for Members of the Military  The IRS website serves as the main source of information for determining and paying federal taxes.  The Tax Information for Members of the Military portion of the IRS website provides further tax information specifically targeted to service members and their families.

Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy  The Jump$tart Coalition provides a clearinghouse of resources to support the financial education of youth and young adults. Jump$tart is assisting the DoD Financial Readiness Campaign by making its Personal Finance Education Materials Clearinghouse database available to DoD personal financial counselors, educators, and command financial specialists.

MilitaryINSTALLATIONS MilitaryINSTALLATIONS is a searchable directory of worldwide installation and state-related military information, programs, and services. It provides easy access to fast facts, articles, website resource directories, photos, contact information, major units, weather, and maps. With this resource, users can quickly find relevant information about any installation or military resources in their state. Learning about a new community was never easier.

Military OneSource   This site provides information and resources to help balance work and family life. Consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or via email offering personalized support to any service  member, DoD civilian personnel designated as Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, or family member. Military OneSource can connect individuals with a trained, state-licensed mental health professional in the community, telephonically, or online for confidential/private counseling.  Active duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, DoD civilian personnel designated as Civilian Expeditionary Workforce members and their families are eligible to receive counseling services from Military OneSource and MFLCs.

Available personal financial management materials include financial counseling checklists, articles, and tips on topics such as budgeting, credit and collections, and taxes.  Through Military OneSource, service members and their families can also access up to twelve sessions of free, face-to-face financial counseling with a counselor in their area. Options for telephonic and online counseling are also available.  To contact Military OneSource by phone, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, call Stateside at 1-800-342-9647. The Military OneSource website lists specific dialing information for other countries.

Military Saves  The Military Saves program, sponsored by DoD with the Consumer Federation of America, provides service members with the necessary tools to develop and maintain a savings plan. The Military Saves program is a free service designed to assist service members in reaching their financial goals, reducing and eliminating debt, and learning more about wealth-building and savings.

Military Sentinel  Military Sentinel is a joint initiative of the FTC and DoD designed to help improve consumer protection for service members, their families, and DoD civilians.  The Military Sentinel website allows service members, DoD civilians, and their families to file consumer complaints that are used by over 500 law enforcement organizations to target cases for prosecution and other enforcement measures.

National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU)  The NAFCU is an association that exclusively represents the interests of federal credit unions before the federal government and the public.  NAFCU provides advocacy for the DoD Financial Readiness Campaign among its association members, encouraging use of other partner products and programs such as FDIC Money Smart and the America Saves program.

National Military Family Association Financial Resources The National Military Family Association is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening and protecting the families of the men and women currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen. It provides families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA with information, works to get them the benefits they deserve, and offers programs that improve their lives.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Office of Investor Education  The SEC Office of Investor Education provides services and answers to questions consumers may have concerning investing and how to avoid fraud.  The website also has separate sections for researchers, teachers, and students.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)  The Consumer and Family Economics group within the USDA, CSRESS was created to enhance economic opportunities and quality of life among families and communities by strengthening the capacity of families to establish and maintain economic security.  The USDA CSREES is sharing relevant financial education research, knowledge, resources, and tools with DoD, military personal financial counselors, educators, and command financial specialists.

USA4 Military Families  The USA4 Military Families initiative is a partnership between DoD and states to engage and educate state policymakers, nonprofit associations, concerned business interests, and other state leaders about the needs of military members and their families.  The USA4 Military Families website lists the key issues identified by the DoD (including predatory lending), best practices implemented by state Governors, and news on notable state level developments and announcements.

Women's Institute for Financial Education (WIFE)  WIFE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial education to women.  WIFE encourages practical money management skills and provides an introduction to financial planning among the spouses of enlisted service members through materials and advice that cover the basics of financial literacy. WIFE also provides DoD personnel and the spouses of service members access to their Money Club tools and resources.