December 18, 2025
As we begin 2026, how focused are you on your financial goals? Perhaps you are looking no further than the need to submit your tax return by the end of January.
If, on the other hand, you want to make 2026 the year you take control of your financial future and make significant steps towards financial freedom in later life, it’s time to commit to your 2026 goals.
It’s important to review your financial plans regularly, especially if there have been any major life events in the last year, like marriage or divorce, buying a new home, or moving towards retirement.
Whatever your stage of life, staying in control of your finances is key.
Here are our suggestions for your New Year’s financial resolutions:
Before setting new goals, it’s important to understand where you currently stand financially. Review everything: income, expenses, debts, and savings.
This is important. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Vague resolutions like ‘save more money’ give you nothing to aim for, nothing to track, and are less likely to make a difference. Aim for specific goals, such as ‘make full use of my tax-free ISA savings allowance’ or ‘save £500 every month this year’.
Your goals might also include paying off debt, or ensuring that you have a sufficient emergency fund to cover three to six months of your fixed expenses.
Most of our clients don’t have a budget when they first meet us because they know they have disposable income. But if you only save what’s left over at the end of the month, it’s much harder to create the SMART goals mentioned above. So, list all your sources of income, and identify all your fixed expenses. Once you have a clear idea of what’s left over you can allocate funds for variable expenses and savings. Review your budget regularly throughout the year, and adjust where needed.
If you don’t already have a plan, it’s never too early or too late to start.
If you’ve never done it before, though, where do you start?
This is where the advice of an experienced IFA can begin to help. If you expect a conversation to start with the numbers, talking to a Talis IFA might surprise you. We take a ‘life first, money second’ approach meaning that, while the numbers are important, we’ll ask what you want your life to look like in the future, before talking about the money.
Then we’ll look together to see how your financial planning can support that. Once you understand where you are now and where you need to get to, we can start thinking about the right products and strategies for you.
Armed with our plain-English advice, you’ll be able to make confident decisions about what’s most appropriate for your particular circumstances.
People who set goals are more likely to feel in control, so if you want 2026 to be the year you take control of your future life, it’s time to get goal-setting.
If you’d value some help to get started, talk to a Talis IFA about taking control of your financial future.
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