If you’re looking to level up your finances in the new year, we're here to help. Think about any goals you had the past 12 months and what you’d like to achieve in 2026. (If you need some help figuring it out, take our New Year’s financial resolution quiz.) While you’ll work toward the goals below throughout the year, the start of the year is a great time to set (or reset) your financial foundation.
1. Create a budget
Having a budget can help you prioritize your spending, track your progress and take control of your finances. If you’re new to budgeting, the 50/30/20 plan is a great place to start. This approach divides all your expenses into three categories: needs, wants, and savings or debt. If you'd like to explore other budgeting styles, take our budgeting style quiz to find the method that may work best for you.
You also can leverage digital tools to help with your financial goals. Ally Bank’s Spending and Savings Accounts offer tools that work together to help you build better budgets while balancing your saving and spending.
2. Build an emergency fund and boost your savings
Whether it's a medical event, job loss or another unexpected bump in the road, an emergency fund can be a financial cushion during tough times. To determine what goal may be feasible for you, start with this savings by age guide to see how much you should save.
There are a variety of accounts that could work for you depending on your goals and needs. Look for a high-yield savings account like an Ally Bank Savings Account, or you can consider a Money Market Account or Certificate of Deposit (CD). When choosing an account, compare annual percentage yield (APY) to get an idea of how much interest you can earn in a year and be sure to look for monthly maintenance fees and minimum deposit requirements.
Ally Bank’s Spending and Savings Accounts offer tools that work together to help you build better budgets while balancing your saving and spending.
3. Check your credit score
If you're planning to buy a house or car in 2026, a strong credit score may help. In the new year, take a close look at your credit report. With Ally Bank, you can access your free FICO credit score online at any time. If you want to boost your score, take these steps to improve it.
4. Manage your debt
“Debt can feel overwhelming,” says Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness at Ally. “But talking about it can relieve some of the stress we keep to ourselves and help us gain the confidence in our own abilities to pay it off.” According to Howard, it’s possible to prioritize your debt payments without hurting your other goals. Whether you opt for the snowball method or another approach, you can take steps to pay off credit cards, student loans and other types of debt over time.
5. Review your long-term goals and investment portfolio
New year, new opportunities to invest in your financial future — literally. If you're new to the market, use our quiz to explore which Ally Invest account could be right for you.
If you’re already investing, now is a good time to check on your investment performance and asset allocation strategy. Consider rebalancing your portfolio in the new year to better align with your plan and reflect the risk you’re currently willing to take.
The new year is also a good time to check on your retirement funds. Map out your retirement goals, and either open an account or see if there are opportunities to improve your current approach. Are you on track? Or maybe, after making your 2026 budget, you found extra money to contribute toward retirement.
6. Get ready for tax time
Start early to make tax season less stressful. Getting your documents together at the start of the year is one way to make filing your taxes easier. If you itemize deductions, take time now to find the information you’ll need, such as charitable contributions you made in 2025 and interest paid on your mortgage. Keep in mind, interest paid on student loans can be claimed without needing to itemize your deductions if you fall within the income guidelines set by the IRS.
Make your financial resolutions count
“The new year is the perfect time to challenge yourself to optimize your financial future,” says Howard. “Push yourself to set new goals, review your risk tolerance and make it your best financial year yet.”
