Five Ways to Make 2026 Your Most Aligned Financial Year Yet

Money can be an important resource for supporting the life you envision — yet it’s also easy for financial decisions to fall to the background. Daily demands take over, choices get delayed, and it’s natural to find yourself responding to circumstances rather than planning ahead. So, as we turn the corner into 2026, here are five considerations that may help you review your financial strategy.

1. Revisit your goals with clarity and curiosity

One of the most grounding traditions you can build is a year-end — or early January — money date. It doesn’t have to be formal or intimidating. It can simply be a quiet moment to reflect on the past year’s priorities and consider how you’d like to approach the year ahead. Light a candle, pour a glass of wine, play some music if that helps — this is about presence, not pressure.

You can do this with a partner, a close friend, or simply on your own. The goal is to create space for reflection, not to tally up everything you think you “should” have done. Start by asking yourself:

• What genuinely mattered most to me in 2025? Not the urgent things, but the meaningful ones.
• Where did my financial choices reflect those values, and where did they drift?
• How would I like my financial life to be organized or managed in 2026?

Once those big-picture intentions are clear, build a structure that supports you throughout the year. Set up quarterly check-ins to revisit your goals so they don’t become an aspirational list you forget about until next December. Create two or three personal “metrics” that actually mean something to you: maybe the number of debt-free months you’re aiming for, the size of your emergency fund, or the amount you want to give to causes you care about.

If you’re unsure where to begin, a financial advisor can help you sort through your options and clarify next steps. They may help you organize your financial information and explore approaches that align with your priorities. They may help you build a system that supports your life, your values, and what you ultimately want for yourself and the people you love.

2. Reassess your savings and retirement strategy

Once you’ve clarified where you want to go, take a moment to see whether your current savings habits are aligned with the direction you have in mind.

Start by reviewing your retirement, brokerage, and general savings accounts. Ask yourself: Am I contributing in a way that matches the life I’m building? It’s a sign to take a closer look if your answer is, “I’m not sure.”

With shifting tax laws and contribution rules, especially around catch-up contributions and Roth treatment for certain income levels, it’s worth confirming that your strategy still makes sense for the upcoming year. Even small increases in your savings rate—1–2%— may make a noticeable difference in how consistently you’re setting money aside..

It’s also important to be aware of your employer match. Contributing enough to receive the full match is a straightforward way to take advantage of what’s available through your workplace plan.

3. Check your investment mix — risk, resilience, and readiness

A healthy investment strategy reflects an understanding of yourself. How much volatility can you live with without feeling off-balance? How much liquidity helps you feel steady during uncertain moments? How much growth do you need to support your long-term plans?

As you enter a new year, take a fresh look at your portfolio through that lens of self-awareness. Make sure your mix of growth assets and safety assets fits both where you are today and where you want to be three, five, ten years from now.

This is also a moment to review your cash on hand. Emergencies happen at inconvenient times. Liquidity means a rough patch doesn’t force you to sell investments or take on debt just to stay afloat.

If you’re carrying any high-interest debt, build a realistic, compassionate repayment plan. As you assess your accounts, you may come across opportunities where tax-related strategies—such as tax-loss harvesting—could be worth evaluating

Consider this an opportunity to reflect on how your financial structure aligns with your needs and comfort level—not to remove uncertainty, but to gain perspective on how you’re approaching it

4. Reevaluate your spending through the lens of your values

This is one of the most revealing parts of a financial reset. Your spending tells a story — where your time and energy went, what brought you joy, and what might have happened out of habit.

Look at each category and ask: Does this reflect the life I want to live? Does this feel aligned with my values, or just familiar?

Sometimes the answers will surprise you. You may realize that a major expense — like a high-cost rental or an unused subscription — no longer sits well anymore. You may also discover spending that brings you so much joy that you want to support it even more in 2026.

This can be a good moment to review ongoing expenses, make adjustments where appropriate, and reduce obligations that no longer feel necessary.

5. Reconnect with your charitable intentions

Charitable giving is one of the clearest expressions of alignment between money and meaning. And more households are treating giving—both time and money — not as an afterthought but as part of their overall financial plan.

Take a moment to revisit where you gave in 2025. How did those choices feel? What impact did they create? Were there causes that lit you up but didn’t make it onto the list? Are there ways you’d like to involve your family more intentionally?

When you reconnect with your charitable intentions, you reconnect with the parts of yourself that want to contribute, uplift, and make a difference. For many people, this aspect of planning can highlight how their financial choices relate to the values that guide them

A more intentional 2026 starts with one small step

Your financial life doesn’t require a dramatic overhaul to feel more aligned. What it needs is consistent, thoughtful attention — nothing more complicated than that.

Choose one action from the list above. Begin a single conversation. Commit to one habit.

Each informed choice can contribute to a financial approach that feels more connected to your priorities.

And if you’d like support along the way, our team is here to help you align your resources with what matters most.

Brighton Jones LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Please consult a qualified professional regarding your personal circumstances.