Steve Burns
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) One of the most common problems for returning veterans, even ones with a home and a job, is money management.
When veterans transition back to civilian life, it’s usually the first time in their lives they’ve had to worry about everyday expenses. Sometimes, that big life change can lead to problems.
“A lot of people say, ‘Well, I’ve got money to burn,’” explained Anderson Wozny, Director of Edelman Financial. “‘I’ve got plenty of money because I don’t have to pay for clothes…don’t have to pay for day-today expenses. Their paying for my housing…I’ve got plenty of money!’”
A survey done in 2013 by the University of North Carolina and Duke found about one-third of post-9/11 veterans had been contacted by a collection agency, exceeded their credit limits or written a bad check.
“Oftentimes, if they’re coming straight out of high school, there’s not a lot of education with respect to what we’re dealing with, with the miracle of compound interest on the backside,” said Wozny.
That same study also found a likely link between a lack of financial literacy and homelessness, saying some lessons on money management could easily be added to pre- and post-deployment programs.
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