New legislation introduced this week in Congress would require the Department of Defense to provide housing literacy training to service members.
The bipartisan Military Financial Literacy Act introduced Tuesday by House Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) and Pat Harrigan (R-NC) would force DOD to partner with counseling organizations to provide personalized guidance to service members on topics including budgeting, predatory lending, housing decisions related to Permanent Change of Station orders, and home loans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Currently, DOD is not required to provide such assistance.
McDonald Rivet called the bill “a common sense step” in helping service members find a home for themselves and their families that could possibly last a lifetime.
“Our troops and their families make huge sacrifices to keep us safe,” McDonald Rivet said in a statement shared with Military.com. “When they return, we need to do everything possible to help them thrive—which includes making it as easy as possible to find and buy a home.”
Harrigan, in a statement shared with Military.com, described service members as “easy targets” due to constantly being on the move and having to navigate VA benefits, ever-changing housing markets, and lenders potentially with ill intent.
“This bill gets them in front of a real expert, one on one, who can walk them through their credit, their budget, their VA home loan options, and their legal rights as a service member,” Harrigan said. “I'm proud to co-lead this because these men and women have enough to worry about defending this country. Their financial future shouldn't be one of them.”
Military.com reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
Bridging the Gap, Providing 'Expert Guidance'
Officials within McDonald Rivet’s office told Military.com that the impetus for this legislation stems from an April 2025 Government Accountability Office report identifying significant gaps in how DOD delivers financial literacy training to service members.
These findings raised broader questions about the effectiveness of existing programs and prompted our outreach to service member and veteran groups to explore how training could be strengthened.
Officials were asked how the Military Financial Literacy Act, if voted into law, would provide the necessary tools through DOD to service members.
They said it would direct DOD to partner with a qualified nonprofit counseling organization to provide one-on-one, personalized financial and housing counseling to active-duty service members and those transitioning out of service.
“The partner organization would need to be approved by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, have expertise serving the military community, and provide certified counselors trained specifically for service members and their families,” officials said. “By requiring certified counselors with specialized training in military financial issues, the bill ensures service members receive expert guidance rather than one-size-fits-all advice.”
A topsy-turvy housing market acts as a backdrop for the bill’s intent.
“Service members are especially vulnerable to shifts in the housing market since they don't always get to choose when, where or how often they're moving,” officials added. “Without the right tools to navigate those moves, service members could find themselves in a financial disaster.
“By requiring housing literacy training tailored to each service member's individual situation, we are investing in knowledge and skills that stay with them, no matter how much the market fluctuates down the road.”
Support From Military Organizations
The legislation has been supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).
Joy Craig, VFW national legislative service associate director, said in a statement shared with Military.com “that financial readiness…is a critical component of overall military readiness and long-term veteran success.”
“Service members and their families face complex financial decisions throughout their careers, from navigating housing options during frequent moves to preparing for transition,” Craig said. “Strengthening individualized financial education and counseling focused on housing and ensuring consistent, practical training across the force would help build stability, reduce stress, and improve outcomes both in and out of uniform.”
Son Nguyen, VAREP founder and president, said that “financial readiness is a shared responsibility.”
