Looking for a Financial Advisor for Military Veterans?

Are you a military veteran? Get to know financial advisors who specialize in serving military veterans.

Every veteran knows that success in service requires strategic planning, unwavering discipline, and a support team you can count on. A financial advisor who understands the unique challenges and benefits of military service can help ensure your financial mission succeeds long after you’ve completed your last deployment.

Whether you’re transitioning from active duty to civilian life, navigating the complexities of VA benefits and military pensions, or balancing the demands of reserve service with a civilian career, your financial situation is unlike that of most Americans. Between frequent relocations, deployment cycles, special tax considerations, and a unique benefits structure that includes everything from TSP to VA loans, you need more than generic financial advice.

You’ll likely find dozens of nearby financial advisors well-suited to help you reach your money goals with a personalized plan. But it may be more difficult to find a financial advisor who specializes in serving military veterans.

Fortunately, many financial advisors offer virtual services so you can meet online no matter where you (or they) live. This means you can choose to hire a specialist financial advisor who lives hundreds of miles away if you decide their knowledge and experience working with military veterans is a better fit to help with your unique financial planning needs.

Financial Planning for Military Veterans

💡 In the Q&A below, you’ll gain insights from financial advisors who work with military veterans to help them make smart decisions to enjoy life more today while preparing for a comfortable retirement in the future.

🙋‍♀️ Do you have questions not answered below? Use the form on this page to submit your questions, and we’ll update this article with answers from the financial professionals and educators in the Wealthtender community. You can also contact the financial advisors featured in this article directly to set up an introductory call or ask your questions by email.

Q&A: Financial Advisors Specializing in Serving military veterans

Questions and Answers with Dr. Steven Crane, Financial Advisor for Military Veterans

We asked Dayton, Ohio financial advisor Dr. Steven Crane to answer questions he often hears or encounters when working with military veterans.

Q: What is a common financial planning challenge unique to military veterans that you frequently encounter when working with your clients? How do you work with them to overcome this challenge?

Crane: One of the most common challenges I see with military veterans is fragmentation. Their financial life is spread across too many systems, benefits, and decisions that were never designed to work together. VA benefits, disability ratings, retirement systems, TSP, civilian employment, insurance, healthcare, and family obligations often operate in silos. Veterans are expected to figure it out on their own, and most were never given a clear roadmap.

I help veterans overcome this by slowing things down and rebuilding the picture from the ground up. We bring everything into one place, clarify what benefits they have, what they are entitled to, and how those pieces interact. Once there is clarity, we can make intentional decisions instead of reactive ones. The biggest shift is moving from survival mode to strategy. Veterans are incredibly disciplined, but discipline without direction still leads to burnout. My job is to give them that direction.

Q: For military veterans who are unsure whether or not they should hire a financial advisor at the current point in their lives, what guidance can you provide to help them make a more informed and educated decision?

Crane: The question is not “do I need an advisor,” it is “what kind of help do I need right now?” Not every veteran needs full-scope ongoing planning immediately, but every veteran benefits from having a qualified professional in their corner at key transition points. Getting out of the military, changing careers, dealing with disability benefits, getting married, having kids, or approaching retirement are moments where mistakes get expensive fast.

I come at this from a unique standpoint because I previously worked as a Personal Financial Counselor on base. I saw firsthand the limitations of that role. While education and basic guidance are valuable, those positions are restricted by contracts that prevent counselors from providing comprehensive, individualized planning. I had countless service members ask complex, deeply personal financial questions, and there were many times I knew exactly how to help but was not allowed to go there. In some cases, that lack of depth actually created more confusion instead of clarity.

That experience is one of the main reasons I started my own firm. Veterans deserve more than surface-level education. They deserve someone who can look at the full picture and help them make real decisions with confidence.

If you feel confused, overwhelmed, or constantly second-guessing your financial choices, that is usually a sign it is time to talk to someone. A good advisor should help you understand your options, not pressure you into products or long-term commitments. Even one or two focused conversations can prevent years of costly missteps.

Q: How do the services you offer military veterans distinguish your firm from other advisory firms?

Crane: Most firms start with investments. I start with the human. My work with veterans is heavily focused on education, behavior, and real-world decision-making, not just portfolio construction. I am fee-only, which removes many of the conflicts veterans are rightfully skeptical of. There are no commissions, no product sales, and no incentive to push one solution over another.

I also take a truly holistic view of service because my work with veterans extends far beyond traditional financial planning. Through one of my veteran-focused companies, I have helped thousands of veterans navigate the VA disability process by coordinating proper medical evidence and working alongside attorneys and veteran service organizations. That work has resulted in billions of dollars in benefits secured for veterans over the years. When I say I understand the systems veterans are dealing with, I can stand behind that with real outcomes, not theory.

Veterans who work with me go through a deep, structured planning process that touches every area of their financial life. We do not just talk about retirement accounts. We cover cash flow, debt, insurance, taxes, benefits, career transitions, family planning, estate planning, and long-term security. The goal is not just to “do better with money,” but to feel confident and in control again.

Finally, the way the firm is priced matters. The fees we charge are intentionally some of the lowest in the industry because Financial Legacy Builders was built from the ground up to serve those who serve and those who have been historically priced out of quality financial planning. Accessibility is not a side feature of our work. It is the point.

Q: When you first speak with a military veteran, what questions do you like to ask to better understand their unique circumstances and determine how you can best help them achieve their goals?

Crane: I start by asking where they feel stuck or stressed. That tells me more than any balance sheet ever will. I also ask what they think they are doing “wrong” with money, because that usually reveals a lot of unnecessary guilt, bad advice, or misinformation they have been carrying for years.

From there, I ask about transitions. Are they still serving, recently separated, or years removed from the military? What benefits are they relying on? What decisions are coming up that feel heavy, confusing, or overwhelming? Those moments of transition are when most financial damage occurs without guidance.

I approach those conversations with empathy because I understand the military journey personally. I went from graduating at the top of my schoolhouse, receiving accolades and meritorious promotions, serving in demanding billets, lateral moves in my career, a medical board, and ultimately becoming a homeless veteran. My career flipped upside down fast, and I know what it feels like to lose structure, identity, and financial footing all at once.

That experience is why I focus on coaching the entire veteran, not just their bank account. Money decisions do not happen in a vacuum. They are tied to identity, stress, health, and life transitions. When you understand the whole person, the financial plan finally starts to make sense.

Q: For military veterans approaching retirement, how do you recommend they prepare to make the transition and optimize their income sources and military benefits?

Crane: Preparation should start earlier than most people think. Veterans need to understand how their military benefits, VA disability, Social Security, pensions, and personal savings will work together, not independently. Timing matters, and small decisions around when to claim benefits or draw income can have long-term consequences.

I also encourage veterans to rethink what retirement actually means. For many, it is not about stopping work entirely, but about reducing stress, gaining flexibility, and having options. We focus on building multiple income sources, managing healthcare costs, and protecting against longevity risk. Retirement is not a finish line. It is a transition that deserves just as much planning as entering civilian life.

Q: What questions do you recommend military veterans ask financial advisors they’re considering hiring to help them decide if they’re a good fit?

Veterans should ask how the advisor gets paid and whether they sell products. They should ask how often they will meet, what areas of their financial life are actually covered, and whether education and coaching are part of the process. They should also ask if the advisor has experience working with veterans and understands military benefits.

Most importantly, they should ask whether the advisor is willing to explain things in plain language. If someone talks down to you, avoids questions, or makes you feel rushed, that is a red flag. Trust matters more than credentials.

Q: Is there anything that comes up frequently in your initial meeting with military veterans that surprises you?

Crane: What surprises me most is how much veterans blame themselves. Many come in believing they failed financially, when in reality, they were navigating complex systems with very little guidance. They did the best they could with the information they had at the time.

Another common misunderstanding is what financial planning is. Many veterans, and people in general, think financial planners are only for the wealthy, for highly complex situations, or that we just pick investments and try to beat the stock market. They do not realize that proper financial planning is comprehensive and strategic. A good planner is not just an investment advisor. They are strategic partners who understand your life, your family, your career path, your benefits, and how to optimize every dollar while connecting you to the right resources beyond spreadsheets and retirement accounts.

Once veterans realize they are not broken and that there is a clear path forward with proper support, everything changes. Confidence comes back. Decisions get clearer. That moment when someone realizes they are not behind or hopeless is why I do this work.

Get to Know Dr. Steven Crane, Financial Advisor for Military Veterans:

View Steven’s profile page on Wealthtender or visit his website to learn more.