U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt Bobby Yarbrough) (This image was manipulated using filters.)

If you have a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), you probably signed up for it at the start of your military career, and by now are dimly aware that a percentage of your monthly income contributes to the plan. But since it’s always been that way, you haven’t thought much about it.

Now you’re transitioning. Do you know how much you’ve saved for retirement, whether you should “roll over” your TSP into an employer 401(k) plan, and what all these acronyms and numbers mean? Here are quick answers to all your questions about the TSP, and how to decide whether to cash it out or not.

What is the TSP?

The TSP is a special type of Individual Retirement Account (IRA) maintained by the federal government and offered to federal employees.

Although service members have a 20-year pension plan, they can use the TSP as an alternate or supplemental plan. The TSP is a good deal because the federal government pays the administrative costs of the plan, so your money is never subject to fees for trading, account transfers or anything else.

It’s basically a free IRA for service members and other federal employees.

Do you realize how much our big economy relies on small business? As we celebrate National Small Business Week, let’s take a look at exactly how much small businesses impact the U.S. economy and more specifically how StreetShares small business owners and veteran business owners make an impact.

It’s National Small Business Week and the beginning of National Military Appreciation Month! We’re honored to be associated with these two special celebrations and to get the Professional Services Innovator of the year award ourselves from the Greater Washington Innovation Awards.

At StreetShares, we recognize small businesses, military members and veterans every week as they are who we serve every day. The U.S. Small Business Administration has declared this week as National Small Business Week to highlight the impact of exceptional entrepreneurs and small business owners who fuel the U.S. economy by creating jobs and innovation. 

Senator John McCain designated May as National Military Appreciation Month. During this month, it’s encouraged for Americans to recognize U.S. service members. There are six national observance days to help everyone get involved.

Did you know that you can invest in small business loans even if you’re a ‘little guy’ retail investor? It’s true, you can.

Individual retail investors can back the small business loans we fund at StreetShares. Our investment product, called Veteran Business Bonds¹, is open to retail investors thanks to our Regulation A+ offering, which is approved by the SEC.

StreetShares is the only company that allows unaccredited investors to invest in loans that help small businesses. You don’t have to be a veteran either. Any individual investor in the United States can participate.

From the earliest days of our country, small businesses were the backbone of the American economy. Investments were made locally through the informal networks of investors and merchants. Industries were built and regions prospered through locals investing, buying and trading with the companies they believed in. But we don’t live in colonial times any longer. We can still support the business owners and entrepreneurs who provide great services and quality products and there are plenty in our own backyards. What if we committed to supporting small businesses? What if we committed to keeping money in our local economies that would help create more jobs, cut down on packaging and transportation waste, and put working capital back into the hands of Main Street America?

Here’s three reasons why you should consider supporting small businesses:

As a peer-to-peer lender, we fund veteran small businesses with small business loans and lines of credit that are backed by investors who support veterans. Here's the story of one of our many veteran investors who proudly supports veteran-owned small businesses. Furthermore, his member username is ISupportVets. He explains why he invests in businesses on StreetShares, as written in his own words.

What is the significance behind your username “ISupportVets”?  

The ISupportVets username accurately describes the primary reason that I invest as a StreetShares Pro member, because I do support veterans. I assist veterans through several organizations and see StreetShares as another way to support them. I really like being able to give veterans a hand up by promoting their veteran owned small businesses.

Attention all military members and veterans: assess your retirement plan for your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions. You served our country. You deserve to able to retire in it. Do not do yourself a disservice.

Like any military mission, planning for “Mission: Retirement” should include a sound strategy and a clear definition as to what success looks like.

Sure, saving as much money as possible seems to make sense. But, how much will you need? And what are some ways to grow your money? What is hand-to-hand combat like on the financial battlefield so you’ll be ready when the time comes?

While no short blog article can cover all that in major details, what follows below is an understanding of “Mission: Retirement” and financial allies that can help any military member or veteran as well any spouses or family members in between.

Did you know that you can invest in small business loans even if you’re a ‘little guy’ retail investor? It’s true, you can.

Individual retail investors can back the small business loans we fund at Streetshares. Our investment product, called Veteran Business Bonds¹, is open to retail investors thanks to our Regulation A+ offering, which is approved by the SEC.

StreetShares is the only company that allows unaccredited investors to invest in loans that help small businesses. You don’t have to be a veteran either. Any individual investor in the United States can participate.

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2016 -- StreetShares, a Washington, D.C.-area small business lender, has become the first lender in the country to be qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to use funds from public investors to back loans to small businesses. StreetShares will use this qualification to scale its small business funding community. StreetShares will initially offer the new securities to American military members, veterans, and their families.

Let’s face it—we’d all much rather conduct business with real, genuine people over corporations or large companies. That’s good news for you as a small business owner, because—almost by default—small businesses already have a personal touch. But you know what can make that personal touch even more powerful? Building a personal brand for you as a small business owner.