Financial security is top of mind for many in the military community. Veteran Saves Week is an opportunity for transitioning servicemembers and Veterans to take control of their financial future. Each day, the initiative focuses on a different aspect of financial readiness, including building savings, managing housing expenses, and navigating the financial changes that come with transitioning from military to civilian employment.
Veteran Saves, of which Armed Forces Mutual is a founding partner, seeks to motivate, support, and encourage the entire Veteran community to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth.
Veteran Saves Week is an annual initiative that encourages Veterans, transitioning servicemembers, military families, and caregivers to take meaningful steps toward financial stability. Through educational resources, practical savings strategies, and community engagement, the initiative helps participants identify financial goals and develop plans to achieve them.
The initiative also highlights financial challenges that can be especially relevant to the military community, from preparing for civilian employment to managing changes in household expenses and planning for long-term financial security.
Veteran Saves Week returns November 16–19, 2026, with the theme Starting Where You Are. Building What's Next.
This year's campaign focuses on taking achievable steps toward financial readiness, recognizing that financial goals and circumstances look different for everyone. Topics include establishing a starting point for savings, finding financial support and resources, preparing for major life changes, and understanding housing costs after military service.
For more information about this year's activities and resources, visit the Veteran Saves website.
To discuss Veteran Saves Week and the Veteran Saves Pledge, Sarah Roder, Armed Forces Mutual Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement at the time of the interview, spoke with Krystel Spell, then Manager of Military Programs for Veteran Saves. In this role, Spell implemented programming that supported the mission of motivating the military community to set financial goals and make plans to achieve them.
She brought more than a decade of experience working in the digital military community, including targeting military audiences and managing military-focused content campaigns. As a military spouse, Spell also offered a personal and in-depth perspective on today's military family.
Watch their discussion below to learn more about Veteran Saves Week, the importance of financial readiness, and how setting achievable savings goals can help support long-term financial stability.
Whether you're preparing for a major life transition, building an emergency fund, or working toward a long-term savings goal, small steps can make a meaningful difference.
Visit the Veteran Saves Resource Center for financial education and savings tools, or take the Veteran Saves Pledge to establish a goal and begin working toward it.