Financial Readiness Program - Schofield Barracks

These HPCON measures are enforced for your safety: Limited Class Sizes • Face to Face by Appointment Only • Face Masks • Social Distancing • Virtual

The Financial Readiness Program is your resource for information on money matters. We can help you better understand financial topics like:

• Military pay
• Checkbook/debit card management
• Financial responsibility
• Credit reporting
• Debt elimination strategies
• Saving
• Investing
• Budgeting

We can also help you learn about other financial services, including:

• Army Emergency Relief (AER): A private, nonprofit organization established to help Soldiers and their Families in emergency financial situations due to no fault of their own.
• Education Program: Offers need-based scholarships to help eligible Army Families with education costs.

For more information about how the Financial Readiness Program can help you, contact your nearest Army Community Service Center.

Other helpful financial readiness links include:

• Thrift Savings Plan: A Federal Government-sponsored long-term retirement savings and investment plan, available for both Federal civilian employees and members of the uniformed services.
• U.S. Savings Bonds: A shorter-term savings option with competitive interest rates and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
• Military Saves: A component of the nonprofit America Saves and a partner in the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign, Military Saves seeks to motivate, support, and encourage military Families to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth.
• Money Matters: A mobile-optimized resource with calculators for savings, debt reduction and other reference material in one location.
• Housing Resources for Military Members: The National Military Family Association has compiled a great list of resources to help Military Families who are struggling with the pitfalls of the housing crisis.
• Army OneSource: Network of the services and delivery of support to Soldiers and their Families.
• Military OneSource: A Department of Defense-funded program that provides comprehensive information on every aspect of military life at no cost to active duty, National Guard, reserve members, and their Families.
• Office of Servicemember Affairs: A component of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau helps to educate and empower military members, veterans, and their Families in the consumer financial marketplace.
• Saveandinvest.org: A project of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, a free, unbiased resource dedicated to your financial health. Helps you make informed decisions through easy-to-use tools and resources, and arms you with the information you need to protect yourself from investment fraud.
• Better Business Bureau Military Line: Provides specialized education and support services, which meet the needs of active and retired military personnel and their Families.

Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) Pre-screening

Pre-screening and counseling for Soldiers who qualify for the FSSA entitlement. FSSA is an entitlement authorized by Congress in 2001 and created to supplement the Soldier's Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS). This entitlement will not exceed $1100 per month. Information and application for FSSA is web-based and can be found under the "Life Events that Impact Your Benefits" tab.

Army Emergency Relief Overview

Army Emergency Relief (AER) is a private, non-profit organization established to assist Soldiers and their Family members in emergency financial situations due to no fault of their own. Financial assistance is given in the form of an interest-free loan, grant, or combination of the two. Loans are repaid by an allotment.

Education Programs

AER’s Education Program is a secondary mission to help Army Families with the costs of education. The three separate scholarship programs are:

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program • Applicant must be the Spouse or widow(er) of an active duty or retired Soldier and reside in the United States. • Stateside applicants must be full time students. • First undergraduate degrees only. • Active duty military personnel are not eligible.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program Major General James Ursano Scholarship Fund for Dependent Children.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program • Applicants must be a Spouse of an active duty Soldier assigned in Europe, Korea, Japan, or Okinawa. • Applicants must physically reside with the Soldier at the assigned location. • First undergraduate degrees only. • Off post students are not eligible. • Spouses may be part time or full time students.

Major General James Ursano Scholarship Fund for Dependant Children • Dependent children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children of Army Soldiers on active duty, retired or deceased while in active duty or retired status.

The children of Grey Area Reservists/National Guard are eligible as well.

Scholarship awards will be awarded up to half the cost of tuition. Scholarship awards are based on financial need, as evidenced by income, assets, Family size, and special circumstances.

Applications and instructions are available for all the scholarships on the AER website at www.armyemergencyrelief.org

Financial Readiness Appointment Check List

To ensure you have a productive appointment, the following items are needed when you check in. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will need to reschedule your appointment.

1 Hour Appointments

Budget

• Copies of all bills
• Current LES
• Spouse's earning statement (if employed)

Financial Hardship Early Return of Dependents (ERD) Memo

• Copies of all bills
• Current EOM LES
• Copy of DA 4187

Consumer Complaints 

• All paperwork involving complaints (contracts, phone numbers for contract, etc.)

Projected LES

• Current LES

Car Fax

• VIN number of the vehicle

College Savings

• Current LES

Insurance (home, car, life)

• Current insurance documents

Non-Financial ERD Memo

• Copy of DA 4187 (SM can be seen by the on-call person as a walk-in if available)

Credit Appointment Check List

To ensure you have a productive appointment, the following items are needed when you check in. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will need to reschedule your appointment.

1-1/2 Hours Appointments

Credit (report, score, repair)

• Current report
• Current LES
• Copies of bills

Child Care Subsidy 

• Copies of all bills
• Memo from Unit Commander requesting consideration for subsidy
• Current LES

Investment Planning

• Current LES

Current Investment Paperwork

• Thrift Savings Plan
• Current LES
• Current TSP and investment paperwork

Home Buying

• Current LES
• Current report and/or credit score

Car Buying 

• Copies of bills
• Credit report
• Current LES

Security Memo

• Credit report
• Statement of Reasons from security office
• Documentation of all resolved debt issues from statement of reasons
• Current LES

Debt Liquidation 

• Copies of all bills
• Credit report
• Copy of letters from debtors and phone numbers
• Current LES

** Get your free credit report from: www.annualcreditreport.com

Million Dollar Soldier Refresher

This workshop is a Department of the Army mandated training for all Soldiers (E1-E4) on their move within 3 months of arriving to Hawaii. The training provides junior Soldiers with valuable financial tools. Topics include: budgeting, savings, car buying, building credit, avoiding scams and investing.

Classes are offered every Monday except Federal Holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at ACS Building (BLDG 690). Soldiers need to bring their latest end-of-month leave and earning statement (LES) to the class.