U.S. Department of the Interior’s Post

In honor of Patriot's Day, September 11, 2023... Just a reminder, Orange Coast Title offers discounts for Military members and First Responders on all applicable title fees. Contact OCT today for more information. #octitle #title #titleinsurance #titlecompany #realtor #realestate #realtors #realestateagent #realestateexpert #realestatebroker #patriotsday

Did you know that military spouses face an unemployment rate of 20% or higher? Make the 4+1 Commitment to help improve military spouse employment outcomes – learn more and adopt the commitment now!

As we take a hard look at Quality-of-Life measures for the DOD, military spouse employment MUST be a part of the conversation. According to the Blue Star Family’s 2023 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, this is the number one concern for Active Duty Spouses. There is nearly 600,000 civilian spouses of active-duty military service members. Military Spouse unemployment sits around 21% and underemployment is believed to be 31-51% among military spouses. Military spouse employment gets increasingly more difficult when stationed overseas due to the varying SOFA agreements with individual host nations. Providing better understanding the specific SOFA agreement for each duty location overseas would make huge strides to improving military spouse employment and thus Quality-of-Life for our military families. #HomefrontReadiness #QualityofLife #MilitarySpouse #MilitarySpouseEmployment #KnowBetterDoBetter -Blue Star Families: Military Family Lifestyle Survey (2023) https://lnkd.in/etnMK8KC -Understanding Status of Forces Agreements: https://lnkd.in/evs83VDU

As we progress into the second decade of dedicated Veteran Employment programs and the second generation of Military Spouse employment programs, our approach to developing employment solutions for the Military population and interested employers must shift. Learn more: #veterans #VeteranEmployment

Because of your sacrifice you may have received pay for a disability or an opportunity. Some of this pay may be excluded from your gross income. Here's part 1 of that list. 🌳 Did you receive any of these payments? As a military brat, it's my passion to help military personnel and their families navigate their financial situations for their home and business. Reach out to me on my website to get connected! Link in the bio. #prosperfinancialsllc #enrolledagent #eaformilitary #militaryaccountant #businessaccountantforveterans #taxplanning #taxpreparation #taxrepresentation #qboexpert #usmcaccountant #navyaccountant #armyaccountant #airforceaccountant #coastguardaccountant #spacecoastaccountant

A bit dated and yet the numbers haven't changed (except maybe the budget!). Sharing this still very relevant piece from Rosemary Williams noting $54-$186M per year spent by DoD on military spouse employment programs, citing a GAO report (2012). https://lnkd.in/evjFW5Bv Military spouse unemployment is 21%. The READINESS Act (H.R. 6462 and S. 3530) is a meaningful, no-cost solution to help federally employed military spouses retain their employment. #militaryspouseemployment #militaryspouseretention #federalemployees

To all those active and retired servicemembers discouraging friends and family from joining the military . . . Stop. And to all the media outlets doing the same, please stop. Whether you’re like me and obtained a no-money-down mortgage on a single family home at the age of twenty-two (underwritten by the Department of Veteran Affairs), or are about to graduate with a law degree (paid for by the Department of Veteran Affairs), your military service helped you get where you are today. Think about the long-term benefits you enjoy because of your military service before you disparage military life because bi-weekly paychecks for junior enlisted members aren’t all they could be. But also remember that military service often requires giving more than you receive. Not surprisingly, a pretty famous Naval officer (and President) once said “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” Higher paychecks likely won’t fix the “recruiting crises,” but more respect for those who serve just might.   UPDATE: Thank you all for your interest in this important topic! Let's keep the conversation going. My motivation for this post came from a recent Military Times OpEd, linked below: https://lnkd.in/ecZUqGJJ

Exemptions, including homestead exemption, are specific dollar or percentage reductions in value based on certain qualifications of the property owner. There are other personal exemptions such as widows/widowers, low-income senior, disability including veterans and first responders, deployed military and others. You must apply for any applicable exemptions on or before March 1 of each year. #WeValueOurCommunity #propertytaxexemptions #homesteadexemption #taxreduction #propertyownerqualifications #taxexemptionbenefits

Knowledge is Power!

Calling all new and seasoned military spouses….anyone else feel like that were very unprepared for the challenges the military life presents? Did you have any awakenings in your journey? I know that I had a good idea of what to expect but something’s just threw me. What are 3 things you wish you knew about before becoming a military spouse that no one told you but would have been helpful in adjusting? What are the 3 things you wish you knew before your first deployment or military ordered move that would have helped make things easier to prepare or plan? Your answers would be greatly appreciated! #militaryspouses #militaryfamilies #helpfultips #supportnetwork