Financial Resources for Guard & Reserve
Free, official resources first — then partners we think are genuinely worth your time. Everything is labeled so you always know which is which.
Tax filing
Start here if you are claiming the 100-mile travel deduction. Check the free options before paying for anything.
Free tax prep and filing software built for the military community, including Guard and Reserve. Volunteers understand Form 2106 and reservist travel.
Use MilTax →Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites offer free in-person help from volunteers trained on military tax issues. Often the best option for a complicated return.
Find a VITA site →Federal filing is free and supports Form 2106 and Schedule 1 adjustments, which is what the reservist travel deduction needs.
File federal free →Military filing tier with support for the forms reservists need.
See TaxSlayer Military →Guided interview walks through the reservist travel deduction. Note their free military offer excludes National Guard and officers.
See TurboTax Military →Banking & credit unions
Military-focused institutions often waive fees, offer lower loan rates, and understand deployment and drill pay in a way ordinary banks do not.
Open to all Armed Forces members including Guard and Reserve, veterans, and family. Widely used for checking, auto loans, and credit cards.
Visit Navy Federal →Directory of credit unions serving military installations, if you want an option near your unit.
Find a credit union →We are applying to banking partners relevant to Guard and Reserve members. Offers will appear here once approved.
Partner application pending — link coming soonVA home loans
One of the most valuable benefits available, and frequently missed by Guard and Reserve members who assume it is active-duty only. It is not.
Guard and Reserve members generally qualify after six years of service, or 90 days of active duty under Title 10. No down payment and no PMI on a VA loan.
Check VA eligibility →Request your COE online. This is the document a lender needs before a VA loan can proceed.
Request your COE →We are applying to VA-focused lending partners. Offers will appear here once approved.
Partner application pending — link coming soonInsurance & credit
Coverage gaps between SGLI and civilian life catch people out, and drill travel makes credit monitoring worth having.
Servicemembers Group Life Insurance covers you while serving; VGLI lets you convert after separating. Know the conversion window before you need it.
Review SGLI options →You are entitled to free reports from all three bureaus. Active-duty and Guard members can also place free active-duty alerts.
Get your reports →We are applying to credit monitoring and identity protection partners. Offers will appear here once approved.
Partner application pending — link coming soonEducation & GI Bill
Selected Reserve members have benefits distinct from active duty. Chapter 1606 in particular is widely under-claimed.
Compare Chapter 30, 33, and 1606 benefits. Selected Reserve members may qualify under Chapter 1606 without active-duty service.
Compare GI Bill benefits →Each branch offers TA for active drilling members, often covering most of a course. Separate from and usable alongside the GI Bill.
Learn about TA →Compare what your benefits are actually worth at specific schools before enrolling.
Compare schools →We are applying to education and certification partners. Offers will appear here once approved.
Partner application pending — link coming soonHow we choose what goes here
Free and official resources are listed first in every category regardless of whether we earn anything, because that is usually the right answer. Partner offers appear only where we believe the service genuinely fits a Guard or Reserve member, and every one is labeled. A partner relationship never changes where something appears on this page, and it never affects the numbers our calculator produces.
Sections marked as pending are categories where we have applied to partners but have not been approved yet. We would rather show you the free options and an honest placeholder than pad the page.