First Command Financial Services, Inc. Reviews 4

Stay away from First Command Financial Services.

After reviewing my accounts in detail, including statements, trade confirmations, and insurance documents, I realized I was set up in a way that worked against me financially.

My Roth IRA contributions were repeatedly invested into the same mutual fund with about a 5.75% front-end sales load and a relatively high ongoing expense ratio. Every time I contributed, part of my money was gone before it even had a chance to grow. My accounts were also heavily concentrated in that one fund and subject to maintenance fees.

I was also put into a whole life insurance policy that cost me about $465 per month. After leaving and switching to term, I now pay around $80 per month for similar coverage. That difference speaks for itself.

There were times when my wife and I were struggling financially just trying to cover normal expenses, and at the same time money was being pulled into this setup. Looking back, that money could have made a real difference for us.

I took my time, asked questions, and trusted the guidance I was given.

They also lean heavily on a veteran and military identity to build trust. Several of the people I worked with shared that background, which made it easier to believe I was being guided in the right direction. In my experience, that trust did not match the outcome.

After moving everything elsewhere, I was able to set up something much simpler, lower cost, and more transparent almost immediately.

I would not recommend working with them.

Have been a client for 35 years and 1st Command helped my wife and I reach our retirement goals. I have trusted them without reservation, and they have always provided sound counsel and alternatives for us to consider. The recommended mix of insurance, savings and long and short-term investments have been the hallmark of a great strategy. Kurt Langenwalter in Alexandria, VA and his team of competent assistants have been my go to for the last 20 of these years. Hooah to Kurt and First Command - Rene and Mary Belanger

Avoid. It's not worth it.
If you want to receive almost zero helpful information, be given hack job legal advice from someone who is not a lawyer, and have to spend time and energy undoing emotional stress caused to your elderly mother by a financial advisor who uses scare tactics instead of addressing concerns calmly and rationally, I highly recommend Annmarie at the Lexington Park, MD location. She will quickly create an entire false narrative where she knows everything and then refuses to consider any conflicting information, no matter how valid the source, that challenges that narrative. Annmarie not only thinks she knows more than two different estate lawyers, but after all of two appointments, she also believes she knows more about my mother's life, circumstances, goals, desires, habits, etc than I do. When I asked her in writing to (a) not give legal advice, (b) refrain from preying on my mom's obvious anxiety about aging to hawk an unviable "plan" and (c) give my mom *more options* than the *one* Annmarie provided (which doesn't accomplish my mom's goals in any way, shape or form) so *my mom* has proper risk/benefit analyses to help *her* (NOT me) make informed decisions, this is her response: "It is my fiduciary responsibility to plan according to her needs and no one else’s. I have given a thorough in dept analysis of what I believe is a prudent use of her available funds, a realistic (and in my opinion generous travel budget) for the next 5 years taking into account her tax situation and her Medicare premiums. In all my planning relationships I put my client’s best interests first and foremost, something you don’t seem to appreciate. My analysis will not change based on how much you would like to spend of your Mother’s assets."
So, yeah, make Annmarie your financial advisor and enjoy the benefits of having her violate the legal protections you put in place to help your parents, inflicting her own personal insecurities on your loved one to win an argument (or avoid admitting she got something wrong, whatever), and then being accused of being the money-grubbing villain she invisions in her head, all while still ending up with zero reasonable/workable financial planning strategies.

I am a long-time client who is very happy about the services I have received from First Command. They have helped me ensure I am taking the right steps to prepare for retirement and other long-term goals.