David Blackman

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Your Spouse Has Depression? Here’s How to Help.

I have depression. Actually, if you want to be specific, my diagnosis is much longer and more detailed than that. Depression is a lot shorter to say and to type. Let us not be prisoners of mere words and move forward together. I am lucky to have my spouse. Not...
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Five Tax Tips for Military Families

It’s tax time again, and that means my phone will be ringing with friends who ostensibly want to say “hello” but in reality have a tax question. Sit for the CPA exam and see if you don’t get the same treatment! Being a military family offers some tax advantages, but...
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Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance May Help Some, But Not Many

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) Program. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? You, gentle readers with your hands in your laps, are not alone. The program, outlined in Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 1341.11, isn’t very well known. The website used to determine...
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Major Defense Budget Cuts A Possibility…or Are They?

As you may be aware, the Congressional “Super Committee” recently failed to meet their deadline to come up with a plan to cut the Federal budget. Congress has until the end of December to come up with and pass the committee’s plan, otherwise $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts (“sequestration cuts”)...
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What’s in a Name? Plenty…

Although planning a wedding can be stressful, there is no doubt any married man will tell you it is completely, unreservedly worth every minute. One decision, however, looms over even the color of the text on the place cards: do you change your name? If you are keeping your own...
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Tax Preparation, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Computer

It’s tax time again, which means the countdown to April 15th is on. According to a recent government survey (reported in Forbes magazine), taxpayers will spend a whopping 6.1 billion hours “complying with the tax code.” If you believe the latest census, that’s the equivalent of every man, woman, and...
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Free or Discounted Child Care Agencies for Military Families

According to my father-in-law, Cokes used to cost only a nickel, everybody liked Ike, and the world was a swell place. Childcare was easy to find in this world also, since family was always nearby and you had known the neighbor’s kids their whole lives. Sadly, military people have never...
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Homecoming Tips for Single Service Members

As a single person living in the barracks, you may have new roommates when you return, or you may have someone who has been living in your home or apartment while you were away. Perhaps you moved out prior to deploying and will need to find a new residence when...
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Advance Pay: The Payday Loan That Isn’t

Your PCS orders have finally arrived! Look out! Here comes your “friend” to give you the inside track on how to make a little money at the government’s expense. “Advance pay, man! It’s an interest-free loan from Uncle Sam! Invest it, dude, or get that computer you’ve been looking for. ...
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The Thrift Savings Plan: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?

What is Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)? TSP is an account similar to a 401(k). Federal employees (including those in uniform) may participate in the TSP. Military members put pre-tax money into an account, and have the right to take the money out of the account at a certain point in...
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