26 May 2020 Financial fitness hinges in part on taking advantage of the right "equipment." I've always been a huge fan of the Thrift Savings Plan, the military's version of a 401(k). As a Reservist and civilian financial planner, I signed up when it first became available to the military back in 2001. It wasn't nearly as user-friendly back in those days. There were only a couple of times a year when you could sign up or change what you were contributing. But as a financial planner, I knew it was a great way to save for retirement. Fast-forward nearly 20 years, and I find myself encouraging those in uniform to take advantage of the TSP. It can make a huge difference. Over the last couple of decades, I've seen service members accumulate hundreds of thousands in this valuable retirement plan. It's an easy, inexpensive and tax-advantaged tool to save for retirement.