What to do before you’re deployed

Keeping track of your finances day-to-day is hard enough, but when you’re scheduled to be away, you need to pay special attention to these five items before you go. Start planning now—three months before you leave is not too early.

• You can take care of many details online, or
• Our representatives are available to meet with you at a branch

Your Command Financial Specialist is also a great resource in preparing for deployment.

Account Management

Try to automate the process as much as possible and make use of electronic account access.

• Sign up for Direct Deposit to your Navy Federal checking and/or savings account(s). Click here for a Direct Deposit Enrollment form. (193kb Requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader)
• Provide us with your instructions for the disbursement of your direct deposit or allotment:
• Complete a PERIODIC TRANSFER REQUEST form (75kb Requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader and form #216 needs to be added) and take it to a branch or mail it to:
  Navy Federal
  PO Box 3002
  Merrifield, VA 22119-3002

• Call 1-888-842-NFCU (6328), international numbers, weekdays, 7:30 am–7:30 pm, Eastern time

• Sign up for 24-hour Account Access ahead of time. Even though you can sign up online, your Confirmation Letter is sent to you by mail.

  All surface ships and naval installations provide you with Internet access.

  Navy Federal’s Account Access is the easiest way to transfer money between accounts and balance your checkbook from anywhere. This can be especially important when two people are working from the same accounts.

• Establish automatic transfers for your loan and credit card payments, and for savings. Complete and return to a branch or the above address:
• For automatic transfers To/From another financial institution, an
  AUTOMATIC RECURRING FUNDS TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION
  (56kb Requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader)
• For automatic transfer between Navy Federal accounts, a
  PERIODIC TRANSFER REQUEST
  (193kb Requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader)
• Enroll in Navy Federal’s FREE Web Bill Pay service and pay your bills online. To enroll, you must have a checking account and be signed up for Account Access.
• Apply for a Visa^® Check Card, CUCARD^® (combination debit and ATM cards) or Navy Federal credit card for getting cash from ATMs. The cards and PINs will come to you in the mail. To activate your new Visa Check Cards and credit cards, you will have to call a special phone number that accompanies the cards.
• Forgotten PINs can be reissued. Navy Federal employees do not have access to that information. A forgotten PIN must be electronically reissued and mailed to you. To register your request to have your PIN reissued, stop by a branch or call
  1-888-842-NFCU (6328), international numbers, weekdays, 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, Eastern time.
• Place an “Active Duty Alert” on your credit report to help prevent scam artists from opening new accounts while you’re away. To place an alert, contact:
  Equifax, 1-800-685-1111
  Experian, 1-888-397-3742
  TransUnion, 1-877-322-8228

  If you tell one agency, it is required to notify the others. The alert is good for 12 months and removes your name from pre-screened offers of credit for two years.

• Order more checks. (Account Access users can order online on their “Other Services” link.) Often, cashing a check during deployment is the only way you can get cash because not all foreign countries accept debit cards.
• Sign up for NAVchek® Line of Credit with overdraft protection for your checking account—just in case.
• Open a second checking account for your spouse or joint owner. This should ease confusion about who is writing checks when and for what. You can divide your direct deposit between the two accounts any way you want. These funds can be reallocated at any time should your needs change during deployment. Your joint owner can call
  1-888-842-NFCU (6328), international numbers, weekdays, 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, Eastern time, with your new instructions or visit a branch.
• Make sure Navy Federal has your and your joint owner’s correct address. Account Access users can change addresses online under the “Other Services” link. Or you can call 1-888-842-NFCU (6328), international numbers, or visit a branch.
• With your spouse, develop a family budget to be used during your absence.
• Create a list for you and your spouse of important account and telephone numbers.

Security Alert :

• Do not write your PIN on your cards or anything in your wallet.
• Never leave signed checks behind for someone else to complete and use.
• Keep in mind these ATM Safety Reminders.

Legal Matters

A little planning can give you great peace of mind.

• Consider assigning power of attorney which allows someone to act on your behalf for a limited time and for specific purposes.
• A general or specific power of attorney applies whenever you’re not available.
• A durable power of attorney only works if you’re incapacitated or missing in action.
  

• Your Legal Office can provide you with a preformatted Power of Attorney document.
• Discuss with your spouse or next of kin the location of documents, such as birth certificates, insurance policies, wills, etc.
• Apply for a tax extension if you are deployed. Or file your taxes before you ship out.

Vehicles and Home

Keep everything up-to-date and provide necessary information for those staying behind.

• Make sure your car’s registration, insurance, tags and inspection will last through deployment.
• If your car will be driven, complete vehicle maintenance before deploying. And leave a list that includes a trusted mechanic/garage and the car’s type of battery, oil and tires.
• Make sure your spouse knows the location of your home’s electrical fuse/circuit box and the water and gas control valves.

Other Business

• Check the expiration date of all dependent ID cards. If the cards expire before the end of your deployment, contact the appropriate personnel office to initiate the paperwork.
• If you’re the bill payer in the family, arrange for your spouse or someone else to pay rent, water, electric, gas, phone, car payments and other expenses. Make it easy by enrolling in a bill-paying service such as Navy Federal’s Web Bill Pay which can send out e-mails when bills are due.
• Verify that your Record of Emergency Data (ROED) is up-to-date.

Keeping in Touch

See that family and friends know how to reach you. Set up an emergency plan in case your deployment is extended. And know the contact information for organizations such as:

• The American Red Cross
• Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society
• Navy Legal Services Office

If you prefer to deal with us by phone:

Useful Links:

Pre-deployment Tips from Force Health Protection & Readiness Policy & Programs

Other Important Member Information