Kate Horrell

Kate Horrell is an accredited financial counselor® and personal financial educator who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits. With more than 10 years working with thousands of military families, she understands the concerns of currently serving, retired and veteran families.

Kate has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland, volunteers with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and is a member of the Military Officers Association of America, or MOAA, currently serving spouses advisory board. She has been married to a sailor for 27 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the U.S.

Latest Articles

Two sets of hands hold a pen and a calculator respectively, implying that the people attached to the hands are looking over financial paperwork.

How a FINRA Fellowship Can Help Military Spouses Become Accredited Financial Counselors

Applications for the 2024 fellowships are open through April 15. A webinar explaining the program is scheduled for March 28.

BAH Rate Protection Rules

How to Make Sure Your Kids Don't Overpay for College

High school seniors are enrolling in college. What questions does a parent need answered?

A diamond-shaped yellow warning sign appears against a blue sky with wispy white clouds.

Florida Residents Living Out of State Need to Check Driver's License, Registration Status

Military families are running into roadblocks and getting bad information when trying to resolve insurance-related...

What to Do with Your Pay Raise

Since your paycheck is changing, you should make changes to your budget.

It’s Time to Check Emergency Contacts and Beneficiary Designations

An annual checkup for your information is a quick and easy way to prevent future hassles.

6 Steps You Can Take to Make It Through a Financial Crisis

Is it time to sell everything on eBay to earn cash?

ABF1 Cedric Mathis (left), assigned to NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Fuels Department, and his wife, ABF1 Aleesha Mathis (right) of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), take an oath of enlistment during a reenlistment ceremony in Japan.

Military Continuation Pay: The Mid-Career Bonus You Don't Want to Miss Out On

Unfortunately, some military service members miss out on their mid-career continuation pay bonus, because they don't know the...

The words "state taxes" appear on a red, white, and blue, shield-shaped sign that imitates an interstate sign, against a blue sky and wispy white clouds.

Which State Will You Choose? New 2023 Tax Filing Option for Military Families

Which state have you decided on for your 2023 state income taxes? As a military service member or spouse, your options may...

Understanding the Newest FICO Score

The method for calculating credit scores will change by the end of this year. We explain how it may affect you.

RAPIDS Appointment Scheduler for IDs

The RAPIDS Appointment scheduling website has a robust search function, allowing you to search by state, zip code, place name...

Marines shop for uniforms at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, Corry Station Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Thrift Shop, Jan. 23, 2024. (Garrett Dipuma/Navy)

How to Save Money on Military Uniforms While Still Meeting Standards

Take a look at these alternatives to save money on military uniforms while still meeting uniform standards.

Two airmen carry a heavy dog crate between them.

The Military's New Pet Transportation Policy: What It Means to You

Military service members will be reimbursed for some of the costs of moving one dog or cat when moving on permanent change of...

Wood blocks printed with numbers arranged to spell 2024 sit atop ascending stacks of quarters while a hand places another block in the image featuring an arrow hitting a bullseye

5 Ways to Prep Your Military Finances for 2024

Annual increases in pays and allowances give military service members the opportunity to do a financial reset every year...

A piggy bank wearing a Santa hat smiles amid shiny coins and against a backdrop of twinkling lights.

Free and Low-Cost Ideas to Brighten Up the Holidays

Whether you celebrate a religious or cultural holiday or not, there's always something to spend money on in December. Gifts...

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., smiles as he speaks to supporters during an election night rally at the Elks Lodge in Murphysboro, Ill.

House Approves Wide-Ranging Veterans Bill After Bipartisan Compromise Reached

A wide-ranging veterans policy bill that would bolster home caregiver programs and support for homeless veterans, among other...

U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor arrives at the ROTC building on a university campus

Kings of Campus: How Some Army Instructors Use Their Clout to Prey on College Cadets

To the young students in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), the officers who run the programs on college...

Sgt. Jacqueline Speights, from 175th Surgical Detachment, 531st Hospital Center, prepares a sample for COVID-19 testing while Spc. Samuel Mawanda, from 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), records data at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital’s COVID-19 sample processing section within the hospital’s Department of Pathology, Jan. 24, 2022. (Maria Christina Yager/Army)

Tricare Changes are Coming in 2025. Here’s What Beneficiaries Need to Know Right Now

Tricare beneficiaries need to be aware of changes taking place in both the East and West regions and may need to take action...

Gay pride flag flies during Pride Observance Month

Naval Academy Graduate Charged with Hate Crime After Pride Flag Ripped from Annapolis Shop

A Naval Academy graduate was charged with a hate crime after a tattoo shop in Annapolis reported its LGBTQ Pride flag had...

Who Is Doug Collins? A Look at Trump's Pick to Head the VA

The former Georgia congressman is a Southern Baptist minister and Air Force colonel.

Squad live fire exercise at Schofield Barracks

Thousands of Women Serve in Combat Roles. Pentagon Nominee Hegseth Says They Shouldn’t.

Pete Hegseth has made clear, in his own words, that he is critical of military service by women and more specifically opposes...

Latest Military Videos

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's D-Day Message

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower began drafting his Order of the Day for June 6, 1944, in February. It was...

French Military Training Ukrainian Troops Ahead of Battlefield Deployment

A French military task force with a festive name — “Champagne” — is wrapping up a mission that's no...

Ukraine Soldiers Focus on Keeping Russian Advances at Bay but Brace for Trump Taking Over in US

Ukrainian soldiers on the front know the re-election of Donald Trump in the U.S. will change their lives, but...

US Military Releases Video Said to Show Impact of Drone Strike on Houthi Rebels

The U.S. military on Wednesday said it had conducted several days of strikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels. (Nov. 14)...

Investigations and Features

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

They Stood Sentry over America's Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer.

For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

Police Report Sheds New Light on Pentagon Nominee Hegseth's Sexual Encounter that Led to Assault Allegation

Pete Hegseth, who is tapped to lead the military and the nation's largest federal bureaucracy, has vehemently denied the...

Sign welcomes visitors to Fort Carson, Colorado

Fort Carson Unveils Largest, First-of-Its-Kind Chemical Battery Installed on a DoD Site

A large new chemical battery at Fort Carson will help ensure the base can keep functioning during power outages and provide...

Navy News

Malaysian fugitive Francis Leonard Glenn, known as Fat Leonard

'Fat Leonard' to Appeal Sentence, While Retired Navy Captain Will Seek a Reduced Charge

The prison term imposed by U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino at the Nov. 5 sentencing hearing was more than three years...

Cher's more formal look in her 1989 music video, "If I Could Turn Back Time," filmed aboard the battleship USS Missouri. (Criteron Studios)

How Cher's 'Turn Back Time' Music Video Made Even the Navy Blush

A video featuring Cher singing to a rowdy group of American sailors would have been no trouble for anyone involved -- if it...

Air Force News

Privately owned vehicles wait to enter through the Dale Mabry gate at MacDill Air Force Base.

MacDill Airman Gets 5 Years Of Probation in 'Undead Apes' Blockchain Fraud

U.S. District Judge William Jung sentenced Devin Rhoden to five years’ probation, a reflection of Rhoden’s substantial...

Two Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22B Ospreys fly low and fast in formation on a training range

The Osprey's Safety Issues Spiked over Five Years and Caused Deaths. Pilots Still Want to Fly It

The Osprey is back in the air after being grounded for months following a crash last November that killed eight U.S. service...

Space Force News

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink 4-36 payload launches

Pentagon Silent on Elon Musk and Starlink Risks as Military Use Expands

In the past year, U.S. news outlets have reported that Musk, who oversees the satellite internet provider, has developed a...

The flag of the U.S. Space Command is unfurled at the White House

Colorado Could Lose US Space Command. Trump Is Expected to Move It to Alabama.

Trump's original decision to place Space Command -- the combatant command tasked with military operations in space that was...

Marine Corps News

Daniel Penny leaves the courtroom for a lunch break

Pathologist Disputes Finding that Marine Veteran's Chokehold Caused Subway Rider's Death

Penny's lawyers have argued throughout the trial that his pressure on Neely's neck wasn't sufficient and consistent enough to...

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

Marine Corps F-35C Was Used in Combat for First Time to Strike Houthis, Military Confirms

Traveling at speeds of 1,200 mph, the F-35C can carry Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, air-to-air missiles and other...

Coast Guard News

A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak delivers parts to the oil exploration support vessel Aiviq

Coast Guard Set to Receive New Icebreaker by Year's End, Bolstering US Presence in Arctic

The need for ships with icebreaking capabilities is growing as China and Russia increase their presence in the Arctic...

Tech. Sgt. Thesia Westmoreland, non-commissioned officer in charge of pharmacy operations

Pentagon Works to Restore Benefits After Data Transfer Boots Coast Guard, NOAA and Other Beneficiaries from Tricare

Problems related to transfer of personnel records resulted in beneficiaries temporarily losing coverage.