As everyone scrambles to check off their to-do list for the year and shift into the holiday, I asked my planners what they think are effective year-end financial strategies?

Here’s what they said:

Joann Nieciecki:

“Honestly, amid the holiday chaos and winter break with kids, my finances are the last thing on my mind. Instead of year-end strategies, I prefer to incorporate ongoing habits into my routine throughout the year, such as automating savings and regularly assessing progress on my goals. This approach feels more manageable and allows me to enjoy the holiday festivities with my family stress-free. After the holidays, I’ll sit down with a plate of cookies and plan the year ahead.”

Sam Kirby:

“The end of year is not only a great time to take a look at where you’re at, but also look ahead at where you’re hoping to be.  Don’t make this into a huge time suck or you’ll never want to do it again!  Instead spend a few minutes checking in on investments and 401k contributions to ensure everything looks as expected. Check in on savings balances, and run through cash needs for the coming year. If you start this process before the very last minute you may have time to optimize tax savings for the current year as well as strategize for the coming year.  A new year can be a fresh start – take what you’ve learned from the previous year and put it to work.”

Martha McNeely:

“I like using the end of the year as a time of reflection and goal setting.  I take inventory of my spending and habits from this year and use those to determine any changes or routines I want to start in the year ahead.  I also check to see if there are any additional contributions that need to be made to my retirement accounts, HSA, etc., to make sure I’m on track for reaching my financial goals.”

There you have it. Is getting a handle on your finances a priority for the new year? Then I recommend you chat with us sooner than later… you can find out more about that here.