The fourth paper in this series explores key factors that contribute to military family financial readiness—prior to transition—so that service members may exercise control over their finances and optimize their choices at transition to optimize their financial opportunities and minimize the risk of financial hardship. The goal for any service member is to maximize their range of options in transition by capitalizing on their unique assets (education benefits, intangible leadership skills, etc.) and limiting potential liabilities (limited professional network, advanced education or training) through sound financial preparation.