Soldier of Finance
Read Soldier of Finance Online
Authors: Jeff Rose
FINANCE
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR MONEY AND INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE
JEFF ROSE,
CFP
®
American Management Association
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rose, Jeff (Business writer)
   Soldier of finance : take charge of your money and invest in your future / Jeff Rose.
      pages cm
   Includes index.
   ISBN 978-0-8144-3328-7 (pbk.) â ISBN 0-8144-3328-6 (pbk.) 1. Finance, Personal. 2. Investments. I. Title.
   HG179.R647 2013
| Â Â 332.024--dc23 | 2013007813 |
© 2014 Jeff Rose
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
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Printing number
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
DEDICATION
To my wife,
Mandy
, who supports and inspires me in everything I do. Without your constant encouragement this book would continue to be just another “big idea.”
To my three boys,
Parker, Bentley
, and
Sloane
, who give me the drive to be a better father, provider, and leader.
To all our
U.S. military service men and women
who continue to fight for our freedom.
In memory of
SSG Joshua Melton
, a true American hero who volunteered to defend the country he loved so that his wife, daughter, and future generations would always know freedom.
Â
Â
The test of success is not what you do when you are on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
âG
EORGE
S. P
ATTON
The Purpose of
Soldier of Finance
DISCOVERY PHASE: WHAT IS YOUR WHY?
Debriefing: A Soldier of Finance Success Story
2
   TIME TO ENLIST AND TAKE AN OATH
INITIAL TRAINING PHASE (WEEKS 1â5)
3
   WEEK 1: THE ARMY PHYSICALâMEASURE YOUR DEBT
Your Financial Status: Stop Being in Denial
Debriefing: The Meaning of
“Not Much Debt”
P/X Rangers (or Living Beyond Your Means)
4
   WEEK 2: ROSTER NUMBERâYOUR CREDIT SCORE FOR LIFE
Credit Scores and Your Mortgage
5
   WEEK 3: LAND MINESâYOUR CREDIT REPORT
Where to Get Your Free Credit Report
Carefully Verify the Information
6
   WEEK 4: THE LOW CRAWLâCREDIT REPAIR
Debriefing: No Credit to Good Credit
Get the Most Out of Your Credit Cards
Watch Out for Credit Card Company Dirty Tricks
7
   WEEK 5: LAND NAVIGATION CERTIFICATIONâIDENTIFY YOUR GOALS
Define Your Mission Objectives
Op Orders: How to Achieve Your Mission
8
   WEEK 6: ACCOMPLISHING GOALSâFROM CHAOS TO PRECISION
9
   WEEK 7: DESTROYING THE ENEMYâPAYING OFF DEBT
Field Artillery: Matching the Cannon to the Objective
Debriefing: Operation Motherhood
10
WEEK 8: SENSITIVE ITEMS REPORTâTACTICAL BUDGETING
The Basic Training Budget: Identify Your Unnecessary Spending
Practice Makes Perfect: Why Soldiers Drill
11
WEEK 9: FRAGOâTHE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS SURVIVAL GUIDE
Making the Most of Your Savings Account
You Are Now Ready for Anything
12
WEEK 10: MANUALS AND ORDERSâGETTING STARTED IN INVESTING
The Magic 10 Percent: A Guideline for Investing
Secure Your Base of Operations
13
WEEK 11: FROM BOOTS TO HUMVEESâBEGINNING INVESTMENT VEHICLES
Use Boots, Not Buses, for Short Distances
Middle-Distance Humvees: Investment Accounts (Individual or Joint)
14
WEEK 12: FIVE-TON TRUCKS AND MRAPsâLONG-DISTANCE INVESTMENT VEHICLES
Take an Active Role with a Roth IRA
Follow the Roth IRA with a 401(k)
The 401(k) for Military Personnel
The Stock Market: Be Careful of the Risks
Diversify Based on the Size of Your Portfolio
CONSOLIDATION PHASE (WEEKS 13â14)
15
WEEK 13: BASIC HOUSING ALLOWANCEâMORTGAGE BASICS
How Much House Can You Really Afford?
What Types of Loans Are Best for You?
16
WEEK 14: YOUR BODY ARMORâYOU NEED INSURANCE
