Spring Clean Your Finances
Back in very early January, I wrote a blog about financial resolutions for the New Year, which notes that most people give up on those resolutions after about 3 months. With the days getting longer, the weather warming, and flowers starting to pop up, why not use the change in seasons as a motivator to refocus on those plans! Here are a few ways you can spring clean your finances ~
- Declutter Your Financial Goals
Take some time to figure out your financial goals. Maybe it’s buying a house, maybe it’s starting a family, maybe it’s a dream vacation – whatever it is, determining your goals is the first step in creating a plan to reach your financial target.
Once you have clear goals, take steps to help achieve them. Make sure you are meeting your employer’s 401k match, and maybe up those contributions, set up automatic deposits in your savings or investment accounts, clarify your budget, pay off your high-interest credit cards – these are small steps that can make a big difference in your financial picture.
- Upgrade Your Financial Plan
Meeting with a financial planner or a springtime refresh to your existing financial plan is an excellent way to see is you are on track to meet your financial goals. A financial plan looks at your whole financial picture – where you are now and what you are looking to achieve to build a roadmap to guide you to your goals.
An updated financial plan will also allow you and your advisor to ensure your investment strategy aligns with your time horizon and tolerance for market fluctuation. More on risk tolerance here.
- Tidy Up Your Accounts
The days of staying at one job for 20 years seem to be behind us, and switching jobs often comes with a bump in salary, but it may also mean multiple 401(k)s. Consolidating your retirement accounts by rolling them into your new employer plan or an IRA has multiple benefits – fewer fees, less to monitor and keep track of, and streamlined beneficiaries.
With online banking, it has become incredibly easy to open bank accounts, leading many to have a long list of savings and checking accounts at multiple institutions. Consolidating your bank accounts is also a great way to tidy up your financial picture because it allows you to better track income and expenses, as well as know where all your funds are.
- Organize Your Beneficiaries
Thinking about what happens to your money if something happens to you is never fun, but it can be important for your loved ones. Make sure your retirement accounts have both primary and contingent beneficiaries. If you have an individual investment account, consider making it a “Transfer Upon Death” account, meaning it will skip the probate process and be transferred directly to your named beneficiary.
While you are thinking about safeguards for the future, make sure your estate plan is in order. Basic estate planning documents include a will with guardianship clauses as needed, medical and general powers of attorney.
Pictured: Sam, and Meridian’s Running Club – Kira, Emily (Sarah Y’s sister), and Jonathan (Sarah Y’s husband).
At the end of last year, I ran my first half marathon, and one of my hopes for 2024 was to run a half in under 2 hours. Maybe it was the terrain, maybe it was the temperature, maybe it was my pre-race training strategy, but when I ran the Rock n’ Roll Half in Washington, DC on March 16th, and fell way short of my time goal. While I am a little disappointed, it was the first major race I have run with friends and that was a great experience! I am taking this change in the seasons as an opportunity to reset and recalibrate to hopefully catch that sub 2 hour finish later this year.