With a new year underway, there is no better time to hit the refresh button and create a path towards financial wellness.
Yet if you try to put everything on one to-do list, it may feel overwhelming, said Amy Richardson, a certified financial planner with Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium.
That's why she came up with a 12-month calendar that outlines essential money moves.
"By mapping it out this way, it is a very easy way to help people chip away at their financial wellness," Richardson said. "It is a great way to hold yourself accountable."
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The first thing to do is to do a financial year in review. Once you see where you stand, you can plot out how you achieve your goals.
Yet if you are still in survival mode and don't feel ready to tackle your finances, give yourself some grace, said Berna Anat, a financial literacy educator and creator of financial education website Hey Berna.
Instead, your No. 1 focus should be earning money.
"Cash flow is your oxygen," she said. "Once you can breathe better, you can plan better."
With that in mind, here is Richardson's financial planning essentials calendar (see below).
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