Financial Literacy: Helping Vets Combat Student Debts

What is it? There are lots of educational benefits out there for military members and veterans, but it’s hard to find a comprehensive list all in one place. Because of this, SALT  (opens in a new tab), a financial literacy program through the nonprofit American Student Assistance  (opens in a new tab), announced an updated version of its book “The Military Smartbook for Defeating Student Debt  (opens in a new tab).” The electronic resource is not only designed to help veterans and their families make student loan payments more manageable but also to educate them about federal and state benefits available to them and how to apply.

Why it works: John Zurick, SALT president, said he hopes this book can help simplify a complicated application process for U.S. soldiers. “There are so many educational benefits available to those who have served in the United States armed forces, figuring out which program a service member is eligible for can be difficult,” Zurick said in a statement. “We want this e-book to be a source veterans use to help them learn about all the special options available.”

Other perks: In addition to the e-book, SALT members—who, by the way, can sign up for free—have access to a number of online tools and apps  (opens in a new tab), including a debt organizer, savings calculator, and budget planner. SALT also provides online courses to help students develop responsible financial habits.

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