Trying to tackle your first financial plan? Figuring out your finances is tricky, even downright intimidating.
But, a good financial plan can help lay the groundwork for strong savings and a bright future. And it all starts with a few simple questions.
What is financial planning?
Financial planning is a catch-all term for using your money to achieve short- and long-term financial goals. Setting up a financial plan can help reduce the stress associated with daily decisions around cash while also establishing good habits for the future.
Financial planning is important because it helps you decide how to use your cash today and tomorrow. The financial planning process could involve professionals, online tools or just a DIY approach.
6 questions to ask when you begin financial planning
What’s the first step in financial planning? Start by asking yourself a few simple questions about your money, spending, habits and what you want your financial future to look like.
What goals do I have?
If you don’t know where you want to go, you’ll have difficulty figuring out how to get there. Start by asking: What do I want my life to look like in 5, 10 or 15 years?
The answer could include everything from “living debt-free” to “purchasing a home” or “paying for my kid’s college education.” There’s no right answer to the question, but the responses set you up with goals to work toward and a clear path to put your money to work.
How can I track my finances?
It’ll be hard to put your finances to your financial goals if you don’t track spending. To get an idea of your baseline finances, it can help to check out your credit report, and it may highlight areas of growth or improvement in your financial journey.
To understand how much money you can contribute toward your monthly financial goals, you’ll need to understand what money’s coming in and what’s going out. Consider using a personal finance app to automatically track your spending or creating an old-school spreadsheet. Read reviews of budgeting apps to see which might be right for you.
Once you know how much money you have to put toward goals, you can establish a financial planning timeline that makes achieving each goal realistic. You may also notice areas where you can improve or reduce spending.
Am I missing out on “free money?”
You may be able to reach retirement goals faster with the benefit of “free money,” aka employer matches or contributions to retirement accounts. If you’re unsure of benefits at work, ask the HR department about 401(k) matching policies. Your employer may “match” your monthly retirement contributions up to a certain percentage.
Similarly, if you’re saving for a shorter-term goal, consider taking advantage of banks with competitive savings account annual percentage rates (APRs), like a neobank. A higher APR could bring in more cash toward your goal, with relatively little work on your end. Read reviews to find the high-interest savings account that is right for you.
Do I have an emergency fund?
As exciting as saving for a down payment on a home is, you risk losing it all if you don’t also have an emergency fund set up.
Start with a small fund, even just a few hundred dollars, to avoid racking up credit card debt in case of a car repair or other unexpected expense. Once you reach the smaller goal, consider setting aside a fund large enough to cover a few months’ living expenses, which you can figure out from your finance tracking.
Planning for the worst-case scenario can help avoid dipping into other financial goals like retirement or down payment savings.
How am I paying down high-interest debt?
If you're carrying high-interest debt, you could be accruing more interest each month than you can save, causing the debt to grow even larger. If you have high-interest debt, there are a few different options you could consider depending on your circumstances and preference, like putting more money toward monthly payments or taking out a debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate. Read reviews of debt relief companies before choosing one to work with.
Am I investing in my future?
Part of the intimidation of financial planning may come from understanding how best to allocate investments. While most of us aren’t experts, some tools can make the process simpler.
If you’re contributing more toward investing, you may consider working with a financial advisor or robo-advisor. Both methods have their benefits and drawbacks, and either may help alleviate the stress of investing, freeing you up to focus on other goals.
Bottom Line
Financial planning may seem intimidating initially, but ultimately, the financial planning process just comes down to asking a few questions. From there, you may uncover goals and directions to secure the right financial future for you.
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