NEW YORK — Retirement planning for the 22 million military veterans and 1.4 million active service members has its own nuances.
Veterans and active service members have different benefits, lifetime earnings patterns and other issues to consider compared with civilians.
Many veterans enter second careers after their military one ends. Vets need to manage both their military pensions and maximize their retirement savings through an employer-sponsored retirement plan or IRA, said Larry Rosenthal, an independent financial advisor with ING Financial Services based in Washington, D.C.
Veterans should seek advice from a financial advisor to help manage their increased cash flow, establish a plan to pay for their children's college education or retire any existing debt, he said.