From Uniform to Budget

A Military-to-Civilian Personal Finance Mini-Course

Leaving the military changes almost every line of your financial life at once — and nobody hands you a new finance office when you get out. From Uniform to Budget is the missing handoff: a clear, no-fluff walkthrough of exactly what happens to your income, TSP, credit, and VA benefits in your first year of civilian life, and exactly what to do about each one.

This isn't a 200-page finance textbook. It's an 8-page digital guide built to read start-to-finish in under an hour, with five sections and actionable, do-it-this-week tips throughout — no jargon, no filler.

What's Inside

• Map Your New Income & Benefits Picture — how to fairly compare a civilian job offer to what you actually made in uniform, and what to budget for when BAH, BAS, and TRICARE disappear
• Build a Transition-Proof Budget — a three-bucket system built for the unpredictable first 6–12 months out
• Make Smart Moves With Your TSP — your real options, explained without the rollover sales pitch
• Protect and Rebuild Your Credit — the habits that matter most during a high-friction transition
• Use Your VA Benefits Wisely — disability compensation, the home loan funding fee exemption, and the VSO resource most people skip
• Bonus: Your 30-60-90 Day Action Plan — exactly what to do first, next, and after that

Every figure is checked against tsp.gov, va.gov, and tricare.mil for the current benefit year — not recycled from an old forum post.

Who It's For

Service members within 12 months of separation or retirement, and veterans in their first two years of civilian life, who want a straight answer instead of a 40-minute video to extract one fact from.

Format

Instant PDF download · 8 pages · zero finance background required · current for the 2026 benefit year

Educational material, not personalized financial or legal advice. Verify program-specific numbers at tsp.gov, va.gov, and tricare.mil, and consult a fee-only planner or accredited VSO for guidance specific to your situation.