Ask anyone what they want to achieve when setting goals at the beginning of a year, and at least one of those goals is likely to be related to money. Whether it’s as simple as saving more or spending less, or as complex as researching new investment opportunities or delving into real estate, setting financial goals at the start of the year is a smart way to start or improve your current financial journey.
If you haven’t yet settled on what you’d like to achieve with your money in 2025, consider the following eight goals recommended by the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective. Below, they discuss the goals they think more people should set for 2025, and how doing so might impact their future success.
Learn about investing in stock market alternatives
“The start of a new year is a good time to explore your financial options. For that reason, I encourage people to learn about the array of opportunities they have to invest outside of the stock market, and particularly how alternatives can be a smart addition to their financial strategy. Assets like real estate, private equity and crypto offer diversification and the potential for steady growth.” — Scott Harrigan, Alto
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Save more money toward long-term goals
“Investors should consider making a New Year’s resolution to save more money for goals such as retirement in 2025. Small increases in savings today can lead to significant long-term portfolio growth, increasing the likelihood of you achieving your financial goals.” — Daniel Kern, Nixon Peabody Trust Company
Focus on what you can control and not what you can’t
“One goal or New Year’s resolution that more people should have heading into the rest of the year is to control what they can control and not worry about what they can’t. For example, you can’t control your investment returns; however, you can control your rate of savings, which has the highest degree of direct correlation to your success probability of living a happy retired life!” — Ian Klinger, Liberty Point Advisors
Kiplinger Advisor Collective is the premier criteria-based professional organization for personal finance advisors, managers, and executives. Learn more >
Create a monthly household budget
“It sounds boring, but you need to create a monthly household budget. Think of it this way: You can’t lose weight if you don’t watch what you eat. Well, you can’t save money if you don’t watch what you spend. And just like with the best diet plans, there are numerous apps that make this otherwise boring activity easy. Your bank or credit union might even offer online tools that do the math for you.” — Howard Dvorkin, Debt.com
Read new and insightful books and publications
“In this age of information overload, the ability to read and comprehend quickly has become a valuable skill. If you can master speed reading, you will have more time to read different books and publications that might give you new insights. That can be your edge over other people who are simply reacting to trends without being able to connect the dots.” — Zain Jaffer, Zain Ventures
Build up an emergency fund
“Set a goal to build an emergency fund covering three to six months of expenses. This financial cushion provides security against unexpected events like job loss or medical emergencies. By reducing reliance on debt in tough times, you promote long-term stability, peace of mind and the ability to focus on future financial goals.” — Stephen Nalley, Black Briar Advisors
Prioritize mobility and the ability to travel
“For 2025, prioritize mobility and cultivate the ability to live, work and play in different countries. In an unpredictable world, this enhances adaptability, diversifies opportunities and broadens horizons. It also mitigates risks tied to economic or political shifts in a single location, fostering long-term resilience and success in an increasingly globalized economy.” — Dr. Clemen Chiang, Spiking
Plan to minimize estate and property tax upon your death
“Implement a plan to minimize the 40% estate tax upon your death and, in states like California, to minimize or avoid property tax increases upon your death. If you have no taxable estate, plan to avoid probate and property tax increases and to maximize basis step-up at death to protect your kids from capital gains. We all believe there is more time later, but procrastination is the silent killer of estate plans.” — John Goralka, The Goralka Law Firm
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The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
