With the new year approaching, your resolutions for 2026 are likely at the top of your mind. Besides hitting the gym, learning Mandarin, and getting your Crumble cookie habit in line, consider making a financial resolution part of your goals for the new year.

Financial new year’s resolutions don’t have to be complicated or impossible to attain. Whether it’s saving up for a new car, restocking your emergency fund, or finally paying off your student loans, here are the top money goals you should set for yourself this year.

#Why set financial resolutions?

According to the Pew Research Center, 61% of new news resolutions made in 2024 were centered around finances. Making money resolutions can give you an actionable goal to work toward throughout 2026 and help you make steady progress over a long period of time.

Even if you feel you’re in a good place with your finances, it’s always a good idea to have something to work on. According to a Bankrate survey, nearly three in four Americans have a financial regret they carry, including not saving for retirement early, having too much debt, and not saving more. Having a money resolution for the new year can help you avoid these regrets and improve your financial well being for the new year and beyond.

Here are the top financial goals for 2026, and how you can make them happen.

#Top 6 financial resolutions for 2026

#Make a budget

Budgeting is one of the key factors for financial success. Knowing how much money you’re bringing in, how much you’re spending, and where it’s going, will guide you for your other goals, help you save more money, and empower you to take control of your long-term financial planning.

When building out your budget, start by logging all your income, expenses, savings, investments, and debts. From there, you see how much you’re bringing in each month, how much you’re spending and what your total net worth is.

Your budget should be detailed and accurate to your spending habits. Start out by categorizing your expenses into Needs, Wants, and Savings/Investments. From there, you can further categorize your spending so you get a more detailed look as to where your money is going.

Using a budgeting app like Monarch will give you a more accurate picture of your budget than trying to track expenses manually. Monarch logs your transactions and categorizes them in real time while tracking them against your savings and investment accounts, giving you a real-time picture of your cash flow. It also allows you to set alerts for spending and personalize your budgeting structure.

Afterward, stick to your budget. Keep on top of your spending plan and practice good financial management by cutting unnecessary expenses, being mindful of your limits, and staying on top of your savings goals.

#Get your emergency fund set up

An emergency fund is a vital lifeline for when you face an unexpected expense or loss of income.

According to a survey by Bankrate, only 41% of Americans are able to pay for an unexpected $1,000 expense from their savings. Having an emergency fund can keep you from relying on personal loans or credit card debt when times get tough, saving you hundreds on interest and late fees.

Your emergency fund should have about three to nine month’s worth of essential expenses, which generally includes housing, utilities, insurance, and basic groceries/household needs. You can adjust how much you save based on your wants and comfort levels.

Once you’ve figured out how much you need to save, set a financial goal for yourself and establish how much you want to save each month or pay period. You can set up an automatic deposit directly from your paycheck into a separate savings account, which can take some of the headache out of having to transfer money from your primary account.

On that note, it’s important to keep your emergency in a quickly-accessible form as opposed to stock or bonds. A high-yield savings account can help you keep your money available while giving you a decent interest rate on your savings.

#Get your retirement on track

With over half of Gen X (born 1965 to 1980) feels that they don’t have enough saved for retirement, saving for your golden years should be a top priority.

By the time you’re 30, you should have the equivalent of one year’s salary in your retirement accounts. By the time you’re 40, it should be three years’ worth, and approximately six years’ by the age of 50. Missing out on saving early on can cost you thousands or even millions in lost potential interest.

If you’re falling behind, you’ll want to up your contributions. Max out any 401(k) matching your employer offers and increase how much you’re taking out of your paycheck. Your investment firm may offer individual counseling from experts who can best advise you on how to catch up.

#Pay off debt

The average American carried $6,735 in credit card debt in 2025, according to Experian. Consumer debt can quickly rack up interest and bog down your credit score, making it an especially high priority if you want to achieve financial freedom and increase your disposable income.

There are a couple of ways you can effectively tackle your debt repayment.

• The snowball method involves aggressively focusing extra payments onto your lowest-balance debt, and, once it’s paid off, rolling those payments into the next-lowest debt, continuing until all your debts are paid off.
• The avalanche method works similarly, but instead focuses payments on the highest-interest debts first.

Use a debt payoff calculator to see which method will save you the most interest. Then, once you have a plan in place, stick to it. If you get any extra cash throughout the year from bonuses, gifts, or otherwise, put it toward your debt repayment and see your debt paid off faster.

#Improve your credit score

Your credit score plays an important role in your financial life, acting as the key to loan approvals, lower interest rates, credit card approvals, and even better car insurance options. The better your credit score, the more options you have.

Your credit score, which ranges from Exceptional (800 to 850), Very Good (740 to 799), Good (670 to 739), Fair (580 to 669) and Poor (300 and lower), is based on several different factors, including the average age of your debt accounts, your revolving credit balance, recent inquiries, and your repayment history.

To get a look at what’s going into your score, you can request a free annual credit report from the three credit bureaus once a year through annualcreditreport.com. Your credit report should give you a comprehensive look at your payment history, balances, and other factors used to calculate your score.

Once you have that information, there are a few things you can do to boost your credit score in the long term.

• Make payments on your loans and debt balances on time. Payment history accounts for about 35% of your credit score balance, making it a weighty category. Stay on top of your payments using automatic bill payments and setting reminders for your payments.
• Keep your credit card balance low. The closer you get to the limit on your credit card, the more negatively your score will be impacted.
• Report your utility bill and rent payments. Some credit reporting companies allow you to add your utility company payments to your credit history for a positive boost, as long as they’ve been made on time.
• Avoid applying for new loans or credit cards. Too many new inquiries close together will lower your credit score.
• Dispute false claims on your credit report. If you see any inaccurate claims on your report, you can submit a dispute to the credit reporting company. If the entry is wrong, the company will either correct it or remove it from the report.

#Save up for a big-ticket purchase

Whether it’s saving up for a house, or funding your next vacation, it’s good financial planning to have a savings goal in mind throughout the year.

When deceiving what and how to save for your purchase, it’s a good idea to use the SMART strategy. SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound, which will give you a solid framework for your savings goal.

Here’s an example of a SMART financial goal.

Keeping track of your savings with a financial goal app, or by setting a goal in your budgeting app, you can keep track of your savings meter and motivate yourself with your progress.

#Tips to stick to your financial resolutions

Did you know that only 9% of Americans who make new year’s resolutions stick to them throughout the year? Staying with your financial goals takes dedication and persistence. Here are a few tips to help you stick to your goals.

• Focus on one or two goals at a time. Trying to save for an emergency fund, max out your retirement, and pay down debt all at once will spread you too thin. Instead, choose a couple of things to focus on, such as establishing a budget and emergency fund, and focus fire on them.
• Keep track of your journey. Using a planner or logging your goal on a regular basis will help you form habits and keep you accountable. Financial apps like Monarch can also help you log your journey on your goals and let you see your progress over time.
• Get yourself through the month of January. One in 4 (23%) of new year's resolutions fail by the end of the first month. If you can make it to February, not only will you have beat the crowd, but you’ll also have the habit and momentum to keep you going.
• Celebrate your wins. Saving up, spending wisely, and sticking to your goals isn’t always easy. When you hit one of your goals, be sure to celebrate your win and share it with your loved ones. It will help you reinforce your dedication and make everything you’re going through worth it in the long run.

#Make 2026 your financial turning point

Whether you’re saving up for a big expense, or trying to get your emergency fund going, making 2026 a financial success doesn’t have to be complicated.

By focusing on one goal at a time, prioritizing your financial benchmarks, and using tools like Monarch to track your spending, savings, and your goals all in one place, you can tackle your financial resolutions for the new year head-on, and empower yourself to achieve financial freedom in 2026.

#Related Monarch resources

Saving For Our Dream House Sounded Stressful. Then We Found Monarch.

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