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Before You’re Deployed
Keeping track of your finances day to day is hard enough, but when you’re called away, you need to pay special attention to these five items. Start planning now—three months before you leave is not too early.
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 maximum use of electronic account access.
- Sign up for Direct Deposit and Account Access
- Establish automatic transfers for your loan and credit card payments and for savings
- Enroll in Web Bill Pay
- Get a debit card and/or credit card for getting cash at ATMs
- Develop with your spouse a family budget to be used during your absence
- Open a second checking account for your spouse or joint owner. This should ease confusion about who is writing checks when and for what. Divide your Direct Deposit between these accounts however you want
- Create a list for you and your spouse of important account numbers and telephone numbers
- Have a forgotten PIN reissued, either through the mail, by sending us an e-mail via Account Access or by calling 1-888-842-NFCU (6328), toll-free internationally 800-0-842-NFCU (6328), or collect internationally 1-703-255-8837.
- Order more checks. 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 overdraft protection, just in case
- Make sure we have your and your joint owner’s correct, current address
Security Alert:
- Do not give out your PIN to others
- Do not write down 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. General and specific powers of attorney apply 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 you can use
- 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
- 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 debts. Make it easy by enrolling in a bill-paying service such as Navy Federal's Web Bill Pay
- 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:
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