Financial planning in 7 steps

1. Start By Setting Financial Goals

Your financial goals are the key to a good financial plan. Your financial goals will guide your planning.

Your financial goals are inspiring. What do you envision your life looking like in five years’ time? What about 10-20 years from now? Are you looking to buy a house or a car? Do you have children? What do you see your retirement life looking like? Start with goals. They will motivate you to take the next steps.

2. Track Your Money, And Redirect It Toward Your Goals

Take a look at your monthly cash flow to see what is coming in and what is going out. A clear picture of your financial situation is essential for creating a financial plan. It can help you identify ways to save money or pay down debt. You can develop short-term, medium-term, and long-term financial plans by analyzing where your money is going.

A budget is an example of an immediate plan. NerdWallet recommends that you use the 50/30/20 Budget Principles. Put 50% of your take-home pay towards needs (housing and utilities, transportation, and other recurring payments), 30% towards wants (dining out and clothing, entertainment), and 20% towards savings and debt repayment. A common long-term strategy is to reduce credit cards and other high-interest debt.

3. Get Your Employer Match

A financial advisor will ask you if you have a retirement plan that your employer has set up, such as a 401(k) or a match.

While 401(k contributions will reduce your take-home income, it is worth the effort to contribute enough to receive the matching amount. This match is also free money. Here’s the amount you should contribute to your 401(k).

4. Make Sure Emergencies Don’t Become Disasters

A financial plan should include cash reserves for emergencies. Start small. $500 will cover minor repairs and emergencies, but not enough to pay your credit cards. The next goal is $1,000. Next, you can aim for one month of basic living expenses.

Another way to shockproof your budget is to build credit. You have options, such as the possibility of getting a car loan at a reasonable rate with good credit. You can also increase your financial stability by having lower rates on insurance, and not paying utility deposits.

5. Tackle High-interest Debt

The first step in any financial plan is to pay down high-interest “toxic” debt such as credit card balances and payday loans. Some of these interest rates can be so high that you may end up repaying twice or three times the amount you borrowed.

A debt consolidation loan, or a debt management plan, maybe a solution if you are struggling with revolving credit.

6. Invest To Build Your Savings

Investing seems like something that is only for the wealthy or those who have a stable career. It is not.

Investing is as easy as opening a brokerage account or putting money into a 401(k). Many have no minimum investment requirements.

A variety of investment tools are used to create financial plans for retirement, college, or a house.

• Retirement plans sponsored by employers. You can gradually increase your contributions towards the IRS limit of $19,000. The limit rises to $26,000 if you are 50 years old or older.
• Traditional or Roth IRA. These tax-advantaged investment accounts can help you increase your retirement savings up to $6,000 per year (or $7,000 if you’re over 50). This NerdWallet IRA guide will assist you in choosing the right type of IRA, and how to open one.
• 529 college savings plans. These plans are state-sponsored and provide tax-free withdrawals and growth for qualified education expenses.

7. Build a Moat To Protect And Grow Your Financial Well-being

You’re creating a financial moat that will protect you and your family against financial setbacks. As you progress in your career, make sure to keep your financial moat intact by:

• Contributing more to your retirement account
• You can keep your emergency fund topped up until you have enough money to cover three to six months of your essential living expenses.
• Insurance can help you protect your financial stability so that a car accident or illness does not ruin it. Your loved ones are protected by life insurance. Term life insurance is suitable for most people. It covers 10-year-to-30-year periods.

This post was written by All Seasons Wealth. At All Seasons Wealth, we provide expert advice and emphasize the importance of creating in-house portfolios to personalize your strategy for asset management, financial planning, and cash management. We utilize research and perform market analysis to provide you with wealth management in Tampa. No matter your needs, we can work with you to develop a consulting solution tailored to you.

Any opinions are those of All Seasons Wealth and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of the strategy selected. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of the strategy selected. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon before making any investment. Past performance may not be indicative of future results.