Key Takeaways Two separate federal laws protect service members from financial harm: the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) covers debt taken out before active duty; the Military Lending Act (MLA) covers debt taken out during active duty. The SCRA caps interest rates at 6% on pre-service mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and student loans — and can save thousands in … [Read more...] about SCRA and MLA: The Military Financial Protections Most Service Members Don’t Know They Have