USA Cares LogoWhite version of USA Cares logo

Nonprofit

Military & Veteran

Certified

Build a stronger financial future with military & veteran financial counseling

As an active-duty member, reservist, or veteran, you've earned real benefits, and debt from credit cards, auto loans, or housing can make it hard to use them. Our financial counseling services, credit counseling, debt management, and home buyer readiness support, are built around military life and help you regain control, reduce debt, and work toward homeownership and long-term financial readiness.

HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency

NFCC Member

501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Military and veteran financial assistance services overview.

Your credit report review session starts at $80 for individuals or $125 for joint reviews.

Close
Why act now

The benefits you earned are waiting. Use them.

  • Military financial counseling and protection services.

    Credit Counseling Designed Around Military Life

    Deployments, PCS moves, and SCRA protections create financial challenges most civilian counselors have never dealt with. Your counselor understands military life and builds your plan around your specific situation, not a generic one.
  • Military and veteran debt management support.

    Reduce Debt While You Serve or After You Separate

    Whether you are active duty or a veteran, a Debt Management Program can lower your credit card interest rates and consolidate payments, freeing up income for housing, family, and the future.
  • VA benefits and homeownership support for veterans.

    Use the Home Buyer Benefits You've Earned

    Your counselor walks you through VA loans and other home buyer programs built for those who served, including the $0-down-payment option most VA loans offer, so you actually use the benefits instead of leaving them on the table.
Your journey

How we help Military members Improve their financial future

  • Step 01

    Contact Us for a Free Budget and Credit Review

    The counseling call starts with a free budget and credit review. We will assess your debt situation and identify ways to reduce expenses and improve your financial health.
  • Step 02

    Get Personalized Debt Counseling

    During your counseling, we'll review debt relief options built around your situation. These plans can consolidate debt, lower interest rates, and simplify your payments so you pay off what you owe faster.
  • Step 03

    Work Toward Debt Relief and Homeownership

    Your counselor will guide you toward reducing debt, building stronger credit, and getting ready for homeownership. Whether it's your first home or an upgrade, the plan moves with you, not a one-time conversation you never revisit.
  • Step 04

    Access Resources and Tools

    Free financial tools and resources built for military members and veterans: budgeting worksheets, credit education, and financial literacy courses to help you manage your money and build lasting financial stability.
  • Financial Stability Starts With the Right Support.

Tools & resources

Military & Veteran

Tools & Resources

Practical calculators, checklists, and guides built for the unique financial
needs of service members and veterans.

Financial Calculators

Free calculators to help you build a budget, pay off debt faster, plan for a mortgage, and see what retirement actually looks like on your timeline.
Access

Financial Tools & Resources

Guides and worksheets built specifically for military pay, PCS moves, deployment budgeting, and the financial curveballs civilian resources don't usually cover.
Access

FIT Academy

Free, self-paced FIT Academy courses covering practical money skills and financial literacy basics, on your schedule, not a classroom's.
Participate

Consumer Events

Stay connected by exploring our upcoming free events, where you can gain practical financial knowledge, connect with experts, and take the next step on your financial journey.
Attend
Need Help Accessing Military Financial Resources?

Explore military financial tools and resources or connect with a certified counselor for personalized guidance.

Financial tools

Explore reverse mortgage estimates with guidance

Use our educational calculator to better understand how home value, available equity, interest rates, and loan costs may affect a reverse mortgage estimate. These numbers are examples only and should be reviewed with a certified housing counselor.

  • Smart Retirement Planning

    See how a reverse mortgage could impact your long-term financial security and provide extra cash flow when you need it most.
  • Clear Financial Insights

    Understand how much equity you can access and how it could supplement your retirement income.
  • Personalized Loan Estimates

    Get a tailored breakdown of potential loan amounts, interest rates, and repayment scenarios based on your home's value.
Explore Educational Calculator

Always Free

No Obligation

Confidential

For Educational Guidance

  • Estimated Home Value

    Based on market data
$425,000
Sample estimate - actual values vary

Estimated Available Equity

~$210,000

Estimated Monthly Payment Option

~$1,050

Interest Rate Range

6.5% - 7.2%
These are sample estimates for illustration only. Speak with a certified counselor for accurate figures based on your situation.
Want personalized guidance?

Speak with a certified housing counselor to review your situation, questions, and next steps.

Common questions

Military & Veteran FAQs

Common questions about military and veteran financial counseling.
Is military and veteran counseling really free?

Yes. There is no charge for your debt management or housing counseling session. Credit.org is a nonprofit organization committed to serving those who have served our country.

Can you help me with a VA home loan?

Yes. Our HUD-certified housing counselors walk veterans through the VA loan process, backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, from eligibility and pre-approval to closing. Most VA loans require $0 down and no private mortgage insurance, and the funding fee is often waived entirely for veterans with a service-connected disability rating. Your counselor can help you confirm what applies to you.

Do you offer counseling for active-duty members deployed overseas?

Yes. We offer phone and virtual counseling sessions that fit military schedules, including evenings and weekends. We understand the demands of service and make it easy to get help from anywhere.

Will counseling affect my security clearance?

No. Seeking financial counseling is viewed positively and shows financial responsibility. We maintain strict confidentiality, and your session information is never shared without your consent.

Can you help if I am struggling with SCRA compliance issues?

Yes. The SCRA caps interest at 6% on most debts you took out before entering active duty, credit cards, auto loans, older student loans, even a mortgage, once you submit your orders to the lender in writing. Your counselor can help you figure out which of your debts qualify and walk you through requesting the reduction.

What if I am a veteran with service-connected disability?

Your counselor builds your plan around your actual situation, including budgeting around disability income, understanding adaptive housing grants, and, if you're working toward a VA loan, confirming whether your disability rating waives the funding fee.

Should I Use Credit.org or Military OneSource?

Either, or both, depending on what you need. Military OneSource offers free financial counseling to active duty, Guard and Reserve members, and their families for military-specific topics like pay, PCS budgeting, and deployment planning. Credit.org focuses on credit counseling, debt management, and home buyer readiness, including VA loans, and we work with veterans and transitioning service members in ways Military OneSource doesn't always cover once you've separated. A lot of people end up using both at different points.

Still have questions?

Speak with a certified counselor for personalized military and veteran guidance.
Take the next step

Take the first step toward
financial freedom today.

You served our country. Let us serve you. Speak with a certified counselor for personalized military and veteran financial guidance, free of charge.

Private & Confidential

Educational Guidance

HUD-Approved Agency

No Sales Pressure

50,000+
People helped yearly
Trusted guidance from certified counselors
50+
Years of experience
Helping homeowners make confident, informed decisions
4.9/5
Client satisfaction
Based on thousands of counseling sessions