Since 2006, the national nonprofit Building Homes for Heroes has built or remodeled customized, mortgage-free homes for veterans disabled in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The organization aims to remove the financial burden from veterans’ families and enable them to lead more independent and productive civilian lives.
Now, members of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors are helping these vet homeowners succeed.
Last year, the Napfa Consumer Education Foundation (NCEF) committed to a national partnership with Building Homes for Heroes in which participating financial advisors provide two years of pro bono services to those veterans who receive homes. So far, 26 advisors have been paired with local veterans, and more than 100 more professionals are waiting to be connected.
The advisors help veterans “get off on the right financial foot,” says NCEF coordinator Lisa Lenczewski. “The program sets them up for success so they don’t lose this home.”
Advisors help with cash-flow planning to make sure home recipients can afford the property taxes, homeowner association fees and utilities, she says. They may also assist with other financial planning needs.
According to Lenczewski, veterans chosen by Building Homes For Heroes—which receives substantial support from JPMorgan Chase and Co.—are typically first-time home buyers aged 21 to 30 who have families and have been released from the service within the past 12 to 36 months. They face significant income changes since becoming disabled and many also have some debt.
Buz Livingston, head of Livingston Financial Planning, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., was one of the first advisors to join the Building Homes for Heroes initiative. “We’ve been at war so long, it’s the least I can do,” he says.
He works with retired U.S. Army staff sergeant Aaron Hale, 36, and his wife, Kelly. Hale, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, was completely blinded and sustained other severe injuries in Afghanistan in December 2011 when a device he was working on detonated. During his recovery, Kelly was diagnosed with melanoma and has undergone multiple surgeries. The couple and their four children received the keys to their home in April 2013.
Livingston immediately noticed that the Hales did not have windstorm insurance on their new home. He spoke to them about the importance of carrying this coverage in Florida and about the state’s high hurricane deductibles. He has encouraged them to track their cash flow and given them an action plan with a time line for completion.
He informed the Hales that honorably discharged veterans can apply for property tax exemptions in Florida—as they can in many other states. He also notes that applying for a homestead exemption could keep homes from being seized by creditors in Florida.
“Buz wanted to make sure we had all our ducks in a row,” says Aaron Hale. “We’re paying attention to where all the pennies are going and regularly eyeing our bank accounts and credit reports.
“Incorporating a solid financial plan for the wounded service member into the Building Homes for Heroes program is an invaluable strategy,” says Hale, who recently earned an associate’s degree and does motivational speaking. He is working toward a bachelor’s degree in finance so he can help others. “It is one thing to motivate someone into action,” he says. “It is another to show them the way.”
Advisors Helping Our Heroes
August 2014
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