JJ Montanaro

Joseph "JJ" Montanaro is a certified financial planner professional (CFP^®). He is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He also holds a master’s degree in personal financial planning from Kansas State. JJ is a director on the USAA Military Advocacy team.

Montanaro has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a regular contributor to Military.com and also writes monthly personal finance columns for American Legion and Military Spouse magazines. Before entering the financial services industry, he served in the Army for six years on active duty, and in 2009, he retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.

Latest Articles

4 Secrets to Retiring Happy from Military.com’s Longtime Financial Columnist JJ Montanaro

A great retirement isn’t just about having enough money. It’s about knowing what you’ll do with your time, who you’ll spend...

Illustration of the word RETIREMENT painted on a long road.

Ramp Up for Retirement Now – Because Later Never Comes

The key to a successful retirement isn’t just saving. Instead, setting up an income plan, planning for contingencies and...

Ominous dark coloring in an illustration of a downward chart suggests a negative trend.

Why September's Typical Stock Slump Shouldn't Scare You

The “September Effect” makes for catchy headlines, but it shouldn’t dictate your financial behavior.

School supplies surround a blue piggy bank.

Back to School Is a Good Time to Teach Kids Financial Readiness

The small, everyday choices you make teach your kids how to think about money, spend wisely, save for the future and talk...

4 Midyear Money Moves for a December to Remember

Whether your big goal is paying off debt, building your emergency fund or just surviving a few days of theme park madness...

A stack of U.S. $100 bills on top of a generic calendar page.

Midyear Financial Tuneup for Military Families: Your Money Needs Regular Care Too

If July had a motto, it could look something like this: "Still time to make this year awesome."

A US $100 bill and the US flag meld in a photo illustration.

Declare Your Financial Independence: A Fourth of July Guide to Freedom

Just like our nation's founders took bold action to secure a better future, we can take a few deliberate steps to build...

In an atrium with model airplanes and paratroopers hanging from a long skylight, military retirees talk to people at tables.

Here's How to Maximize VA Benefits over Your Lifetime

VA benefits can play a critical role in a veteran's financial plan. Here's a three-tiered look at how to make the most of...

Three US $100 bills stick up from the sand on a beach.

Be Financially Smarter by Fall with This Summer Reading List

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started on your financial journey, these books provide valuable insights...

A mix of different U.S. bills are jumbled around a desktop with a brass-colored compass.

Understanding Military Pay: A Key to Building Your Financial Future

Let's take a look at how military pay works, the built-in advantages it offers and how you can use it to pay down debt, save...

house cutout under paper umbrella in sand

Summer Insurance Checkup: Protecting Your Fun (and Your Wallet)

Summer should be about fun, relaxation and making great memories, not financial stress. A little insurance review before the...

A toy moving truck is on top of scattered U.S. $100 bills.

PCS Season Survival Guide: Financial Tips for Military Families on the Move

Here are four steps to help make your PCS smoother, smarter and less financially frustrating.

Military Spouses: The Unsung CFOs of Military Families

Let’s face it: Behind nearly every financially sound military family is a military spouse juggling more spreadsheets (and...

The words "estate planning" appear in black letters sideways on lined notebook papers, on a wood desktop surrounded by office items and coffee.

Wills and More: These Are the Legal Documents Every Military Household Needs

Estate planning isn’t just about protecting your assets; it’s about protecting your family from unnecessary stress and...

A hand holding a pen appears to be checking items on a list amid graphic icons representing forms of insurance.

Preparing for the Worst: 5 Steps to Review and Update Insurance Policies for Financial Security

The key to staying protected is making insurance reviews a regular part of your financial routine -- because the last thing...

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Most Popular Military News

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Trump Administration Threatens No Back Pay for Federal Workers in Shutdown

President Donald Trump’s administration is warning of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during a shutdown.

(Staff Sgt. Nancy Spicer/29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Teen Cadet Says He Was Beaten, Concussed at Camp at Aberdeen Proving Ground

In early August 2022, 17-year-old Nathanael Royal called his parents and begged them to bring him home before he got attacked...

Battle of Franklin. November 30, 1864 (Library of Congress).

The Civil War Battle Where a West Point Professor Defeated His Confederate Student

The Civil War ripped apart nearly every bond Americans shared — classmates, friends, even family members found themselves on...

Army Vet Sentenced to Year In Prison For $80,000 Fraud, Stolen Valor

Sharon Toney-Finch, 43, was indicted in April 2024 on four charges: wire fraud, stolen valor, theft of government funds, and...

Vietnam veterans of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, stand with Army Maj. Gen. John W. Weidner, chief of staff for U.S. Strategic Command, Col. Robert Newbauer, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District, American Legion Post 1 Commander Lennie Roth and others after a ceremony Sept. 18 at American Legion Post 1 in Omaha, Nebraska. Fourteen veterans of Bravo Company were honored for acts of valor and meritorious service in Vietnam more than 50 years ago. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Delanie Stafford)

Bravo Company Vietnam Veterans Honored with Long-Overdue Bronze Stars

While it took more than five decades, 14 veterans of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, were...

Latest Military Videos

Amy McGrath Interview Part 1

Amy McGrath Interview Part 1

Amy McGrath Interview Part 2

Amy McGrath Interview Part 2

Ship Parade Kicks off Events Celebrating 250 Years of the US Navy and Marine Corps

A ship parade streamed up and down the Delaware River beside Philadelphia on Thursday to kick off a celebration...

Trump Cabinet Members Talk Buying DHS Facilities in Chicago and Middle East Visit at WH

President Donald Trump opened a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House on Thursday by speaking about his...

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Racheal Balke, a current operations intelligence noncommissioned officer assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), conducted a wargaming event as part of an ongoing deployment readiness exercise at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Sep. 3, 2025. The wargaming phase, part of the joint planning process, utilized artificial intelligence tools to stress-test the command's response to real-world crises (U.S. Army photo by Brian Andries, DVIDS).

The Army’s New Intel Playbook: How AI and Data Are Rewriting the Battlefield

The U.S. Army is betting big on artificial intelligence and data to reshape how intelligence is gathered, analyzed, and...

Navy News

A Philadelphia Fire Department fire boat streams water as the USS Lassen passes by at the start of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, Parade of Ships, as seen from Navy Yard, south Philadelphia.

A Grand Parade of Ships Kicked off the 250th Anniversary of the Marines and Navy

Hundreds of veterans, active service members, families of the lost, and dignitaries came to Mustin Field at the Navy Yard on...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Air Force News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Broadview

Veterans, Who Saw One of Their Own Arrested by ICE and Charged, Say Feds Are Undermining Democracy

Days after a 70-year-old Air Force veteran was among five people charged while protesting outside a suburban U.S. Immigration...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

A Grand Parade of Ships Kicked off the 250th Anniversary of the Marines and Navy

Hundreds of veterans, active service members, families of the lost, and dignitaries came to Mustin Field at the Navy Yard on...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Coast Guard News

A Grand Parade of Ships Kicked off the 250th Anniversary of the Marines and Navy

Hundreds of veterans, active service members, families of the lost, and dignitaries came to Mustin Field at the Navy Yard on...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

JJ Montanaro

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