Military to be paid during the shutdown

UPDATE: Congress has passed a Military Pay Act that will prevent a stop on military pay during the shutdown. This means you will still get paid regardless of which bank you have.

If you have not heard, Congress has until midnight Monday to agree on a budget or the government will face a shutdown. This means that only essential government employees will continue to work and everyone else such as the DMV office and the IRS will be sent home until a budget is passed. Essential government employees include agencies such as meat inspectors, border patrol, and of course the military. Military employees will be required to continue working without pay. Once congress agrees upon a budget, then there is a possibility that everyone will be back paid. However, until that happens, military personnel will go without pay. Luckily for most military members, there is an opportunity to still receive your paycheck during the shutdown. Thanks to Military.com for compiling a list of many banks and credit unions that have released statements with a plan for the delay of paychecks for military members. Many say they will offer a payroll advance to military members with direct deposit. For those without direct deposit, many are offering other benefits such as low to zero-interest loans to military members. This support from financial institutions provides some relief to military families during what can be an incredibly stressful time. In addition to managing their finances, military members should also stay informed about any armyignited platform updates and grants that may become available as part of broader contingency plans. Keeping an eye on these resources can be crucial for navigating the financial and operational challenges posed by the government shutdown.

Some of the banks and credit unions offering shutdown plans are:

• USAA
• Navy Federal Credit Union
• Pacific Marine Credit Union
• Marine Federal Credit Union
• Service Credit Union
• Air Force Credit Union

Visit Military.com for complete details on the plans provided.

This is another reason that emergency funds and proper budgeting is beneficial. If done right you will not be living paycheck to paycheck and will be able to survive a few months without pay. Remember, emergency funds should be 3-6 months of your monthly financial obligations for situations just like this. You can build your emergency fund painlessly through the use of automatic savings and budgeting. See Set up Automatic Savings and Pay Yourself First and How Much Cash Should You Have on Reserve? Also, you can download a free budget tracking spreadsheet designed for military members here.