The Army's Financial Readiness Program (FRP) is available at every installation. Army Community Service (ACS) FRP teaches Soldiers in both classroom training & individual counseling sessions, how to save and invest their money, how to establish savings goals, debt elimination strategies, and saving for emergencies. Through partnerships with non-profit corporations, many of these tools and resources are provided online for those geographically separated from an ACS office. Contact your local installation ACS center or Family Service Center for more information.

Army Reserve Soldiers on drill status and their authorized Family members are eligible for Financial Readiness services.

Prevention Education: Classes are provided in personal financial management readiness and consumer affairs to Soldiers and Family members. These classes include:

• Banking and credit union services

• Budget development and record-keeping

• Credit, (for example, use and abuse of credit, right to obtain credit regardless of sex, race, age, marital status or national origin, and credit cards)

• Consumer rights and obligations

• Insurance

• Personal financial readiness to include, the military pay system, entitlements, and how to read Leave and Earnings Statements, wartime pay systems, and the Sure-Pay Program; checkbook management; financial counseling resources and procedures; Soldier's financial responsibility to themselves, Family members and creditors; financial planning for Family separations; short notice deployments; extended absence financial plan; and permanent change of station moves

• Instruction and information materials that assist Soldiers and Families with critical life stages impacting personal finances (for example, marriage, parenthood, college, and retirement)

Mandatory Training:

• Refresher classes will be conducted for personnel who have abused and misused check-cashing privileges

• Financial planning classes and counseling are conducted for all junior enlisted Soldiers (E-4 and below) who are scheduled for their initial PCS move

• Support is provided to unit commanders in establishing personal financial management readiness training for first term/initial term Soldiers

Financial Counseling Services: These counseling services are provided for Soldiers and Family members in areas such as budget development and financial planning, developing a spending plan, managing personal finances, and evaluating assets and liabilities

Prescreening and Counseling for the Family Subsistence Supplemental Assistance Program: Soldiers are pre-screened to determine Family Subsistence Supplemental Assistance (FSSA) Program eligibility. Pre-screening will consist of reviewing paperwork, assisting Soldiers in completing application, estimating amount of FSSA, and assisting certifying officers.

Debt Liquidation Assistance: Assist commanders, Soldiers, and Family members with problems of financial indebtedness, the following debt liquidation assistance will be provided:

• Facilitate resolution of financial crisis by-

  • Assisting clients in analyzing their assets and liabilities and enrolling them in a debt liquidation program, if appropriate

  • Assisting clients in developing a repayment plan to liquidate debts

  • Assisting clients in contacting their creditors

  • Notifying each enrollee's creditors by mail that they are enrolled in the debt liquidation program.

• Follow clients through counseling until the following occurs-

  • Client's debts are liquidated

  • Counselor is assured that client can manage independently

  • Client withdraws from the program

  • Assist client in transferring to debt liquidation program at new duty station

Consumer Advocacy Service:

• Information is provided to help Soldiers and Family members make educated decisions

• Feedback is provided to commanders on consumer issues affecting Soldiers and Families

Consumer Complaint Resolution: Soldiers and Family members will be assisted in handling consumer complaints. The following services will be provided:

• Information on resolving consumer complaints, consumer rights, and protection laws

• Referral to military and civilian resources responsible for resolving complaints

• Coordination with Staff Judge Advocate, Inspector General, and Armed Forces Disciplinary Board on issues requiring their assistance

• Assistance to clients in drafting consumer complaint letters, and contacting agencies and businesses in reference to consumer issues

• Publicizing agencies and businesses that employ unfair business practices in accordance with AR 190-24

• Feedback will be provided to commanders on recurring consumer problem areas affecting Soldiers and Family members

Emergency Assistance: Soldiers and Families will be provided emergency assistance to help prevent privation. This assistance will include:

• Consideration of Army Emergency Relief loans and grants for eligible individuals

• The procurement, storage and handling of food locker items, for distribution as warranted

Classes or Seminars for Youth and Teens: Upon request, provide age appropriate classes or seminars to youth and teens as part of their school age or youth education classes, or activities at installation youth or Child development facilities.

For more information, finance calculators, online training, and other tools see the Financial Readiness website maintained by Army MWR:
https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/personal-assistance/financial-readiness

More information can be found in Ch 4 Section V of AR 608-1, Army Community Service:
https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN6228_AR608-1_Web_Final.pdf

For the location of the Finance Readiness office on local Army Installations, check the Military Resource Locator library on MyArmyBenefits:
https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/benefit-library/resource-locator

Financial Frontline:
https://www.financialfrontline.org/