Written by: Kristen Jowers, MS, & Nichole Huff, PhD
While every service provider plays a critical role in suicide prevention, financial counselors are an important partner in identifying risk and connecting individuals to support. Financial stress can contribute to emotional stress, relationship strain, and feelings of hopelessness, placing financial counselors on the frontline of support for military-connected families.
Suicide remains a critical public health concern within military communities. According to the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO), 471 service members across the Total Force died by suicide in 2024 (DSPO, 2026). While this represents a decrease in suicide rates from 2023, sustained suicide prevention efforts remain important, particularly because long-term suicide rates among Active Component service members have generally increased since 2011.
Suicide is rarely the result of a single cause. It occurs in the context of multiple interacting stressors such as relationship conflict, legal issues, substance use, financial strain, or behavioral health challenges. A study of active-duty soldiers found that nearly one-quarter (23%) of those experiencing a suicidal crisis had encountered a financial stressor during the preceding 24 hours (Elbogen et al., 2024).
The most recent DSPO report found that among Active Component service members who died by suicide, 13% had known financial difficulties in the year preceding their death (DSPO, 2026). Financial difficulties frequently co-occurred with other challenges, including relationship problems (45%), workplace difficulties (34%), and administrative or legal concerns (24%). These findings underscore the importance of viewing financial stress within the broader context of an individual’s life circumstances.
Financial counselors are often among the first professionals to hear about overwhelming debt, employment concerns, legal challenges, or other financial stressors. As trusted helping professionals, they may be among the first to notice warning signs of suicide risk and connect service members and families with appropriate support.
Common signs include:
- Talking about wanting to die or feeling like a burden
- Expressing hopelessness or feeling trapped
- Extreme mood changes
- Increased risk-taking behaviors
- Withdrawal from family, friends, or usual activities
- Giving away possessions or saying goodbye
If you notice warning signs, do not be afraid to ask directly about suicide. Research shows that asking someone whether they are thinking about suicide does not increase risk and can help open the door to support. You might say:
“I’ve noticed you’ve been dealing with a lot lately, and I’m concerned about you. Are you thinking about suicide?”
Become more comfortable using destigmatizing, person-centered language when discussing suicide by reviewing the Defense Suicide Prevention Office’s How to Talk About Suicide Talk Sheet. Thoughtful language can reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking, and support meaningful, life-saving conversations.
If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide or emotional distress, contact the Military & Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.
To learn more about the role of financial service providers in suicide prevention, including safe messaging practices and using the Ask, Care, Escort (ACE) model, watch the on-demand OneOp webinar, Understanding Financial Uncertainty and Military Suicide Risk.
For National Suicide Prevention Month resources, visit the Defense Suicide Prevention Office’s Suicide Prevention Outreach Toolkit.
References
Castro, C. A., & Kintzle, S. (2014). Suicides in the military: The post-modern combat veteran and the Hemingway effect. Current Psychiatry Reports, 16(8), 460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0460-1
Defense Suicide Prevention Office. (2026). Annual report on suicide in the military: Calendar year 2024. U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.dspo.mil/Portals/113/2026_CY/documents/DSPO_ReportonSuicide_CY24_20260317_508c.pdf
Defense Suicide Prevention Office — Annual Report on Suicide in the Military (2024). https://www.dspo.mil/Portals/113/2024/documents/annual_report/ARSM_CY23_final_508c.pdf
Elbogen, E. B., Serrano, B. N., & Huang, J. (2024). Financial Well-Being of U.S. Military Veterans and Health Impact: Results From the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking. Medical Care, 62(12), S91–S97. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000002077
