Financial Assistance

Managing money in today's marketplace can be challenging. Frequent deployments, separation from extended families and numerous moves can drain the resources of military families. Your Fleet and Family Support Center's financial educators can assess your finances, help you set priorities and make your money work as hard as you do.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is also there for you with loans if you can't meet your basic living expenses such as rent, food and electricity. If you need help, call them and they will be able to advise you on what services they can provide.

Command financial specialists

Each command has a command financial specialist trained to assist you with financial matters. If you are considering drawing Advance Pay when relocating, remember that Advance Pay repayments will be withdrawn from the service member's pay monthly, which will reduce their monthly income.

Fleet and Family Support Center

The Fleet and Family Support Center provides financial education, training and counseling that emphasize long-term financial responsibility through instruction on sound money management to include debt management, savings and investment, and retirement planning. The FFSC has a personal financial manager that will take you step by step through the financial planning process. This includes setting up and effectively managing a basic financial plan. Various workshops, counseling, seminars on buying cars, and renting or buying homes are available. The PFM offers one-to-one counseling to those experiencing money management difficulties or for those who wish to better understand how to budget their finances. The PFM also trains command financial specialists who are command members and are available to assist with basic financial education and assistance.

The Fleet and Family Outreach Center at Naval Support Facility Indian Head is open every Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The main office for the FFSC is at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren. If you would like assistance, contact the FFSC at 800-500-4947 or 540-653-1839.

Indian Head and Charles County are both high cost-of-living areas and are considered part of the Washington metropolitan area. The approximate price range of a home in Charles County is between $250,000 and $500,000. The average monthly rent of a two-bedroom apartment is $1,000. 

Information on the Charles County property tax rate please visit the Charles County government website as the rate changes every fiscal year. If you decide to rent a home, don’t forget about setup costs, which usually consist of a security deposit of one month’s rent plus the first month’s rent. Application fees run about $25-$50 each and are usually not refundable. Less expensive housing -- both in rental and purchase price -- can be found by commuting 15 to 60 miles each way. While public transportation to the base exists, it's not normally available in the areas where the majority of personnel choose to live and does not come onto base for pickup or drop-off. 

Utilities

Utility hookups in Maryland are relatively low and range from $68-$115 for telephone, cable and electricity combined. Electricity, cable, telephone and possibly water and gas can be expensive. Maryland is considered a Southern state as far a climate, and utility bills of $250-$400 per month for all utilities combined is not uncommon. According to the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, the average electric bill is $150 per month. 

Car insurance

For car insurance, Maryland residents pay premiums that are just a little higher than the national average. Please visit the insurance requirements for Maryland vehicles at the Maryland government website.

Maryland follows a tort system, which means that someone must be found at fault for causing an accident, and that person and their insurance company is responsible for all damages. If you choose to register your car in Maryland, be prepared to pay a 6% tax on the Blue Book value of the car, $75 for two years’ worth of registration and administrative fees. The 6% tax can be adjusted for active-duty military who register their cars within 30 days of arriving. In addition, registering a car in Maryland requires a stringent car inspection, costing $40-$100.

Consider whether you need Advance Pay and request it only as a last resort. Repayments for Advance Pay will be automatically withdrawn from the service member’s pay monthly, reducing their month income, in some cases drastically. 

Be very careful when using the government travel card, as it is easy to get in over your head. The GTC is to be used for permanent change of station-related travel expenses only, so do not use it for unauthorized expenses. If you are unsure about its intended use, ask your leadership for guidance. Overdue GTC debts may be subject to pay garnishment and may well be subject to punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Your Fleet and Family Support Center can work with you to prepare a personalized financial plan.