Americans don’t have a stellar record with New Year’s financial resolutions.
That’s unfortunate, as a new year dawning is a great time to self-reflect and reconsider personal financial realities with a remedy or two in mind to fix the problem.
“January may still feel like a reset, but Americans have stopped believing it leads to lasting financial change,” said Dr. Erika Rasure, chief financial wellness adviser at Beyond Finance, in a statement. “People aren’t failing at resolutions because they’re bad at sticking to them, but because goals don’t tend to stick around if they aren’t aligned with a person’s values from the get-go.”
Rather than giving up on resolutions, Rasure advises financial consumers to dig deeper and “understand what values shape your attitude toward money and work to address how they can improve your money management and financial wellness.”
Three Solid New Year’s Money Resolutions
Job one for Americans looking to improve their financial health in 2026 is to set attainable goals, using specific, easy-to-understand yardsticks for money management. These tips should help you manage and hit those goals.
Stick to solid measurement metrics
Most individuals who create financial resolutions do several things right. “They give themselves a trackable number,” James Hargrave, founder and CEO at Pillar Financial Planning, told NTD News. “For example, focus on specific ways to save $10,000 this year or to earn $100,000 in 2026. Then set up a way to track it.”
Get good financial help, again using specific benchmarks
Hargrave believes most people are better off with a trackable goal in education around financial topics. “Aim to read three financial books for 2026,” he said. “Meet with a certified public accountant with five prepared questions about taxes. Then meet with a certified financial planner with five prepared questions on budgeting, investing, and insurance.”
Automate your finances
Brian Denney, a financial analyst and editor-in-chief at finwire.io, a daily financial news platform, said Americans should approach resolutions like engineers, not as general enthusiasts.
That means three things, Denney told NTD.
First, automate ruthlessly. “If saving requires a monthly decision, you’ve already lost,” he noted. “Set up automatic transfers the day you resolve.”
Second, make resolutions specific and time-bound. “Just trying to save more money fails,” Denney added. “Transfer $200 to my high-yield savings account on the 1st of every month’ succeeds.”
Third, build in friction for bad habits and remove friction for good ones. For example, delete all of your shopping apps. “Instead, keep your investment app up on your phone’s home screen,” Denney advised.
Tend to Your Short-Term and Long-Term Financial Future, Too
Here are several bonus tips that help right now and over the long haul.
“Bump your 401(k) by 1 percent, even though you won’t feel it, but you’ll retire richer and then spend 20 minutes canceling subscriptions you forgot exist,” Denney said. “That’s it. Two decisions, with massive impact and zero daily discipline required.”
The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. NTD does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. NTD holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.