It’s Time to Take Stock of the People in Your Financial Life
No matter how independent you are, none of us makes money decisions in a vacuum.
I’ve been thinking about something a little different as we head into this year.
As much as I find it helpful to think about how I can set some goals for 2026 and break those big financial intentions into smaller, doable steps — and that does matter — there’s something else that’s been on my mind.
It’s about the people allowed into your financial life. The people closest to it. Because no matter how independent you are, none of us makes money decisions in a vacuum. There are always people in the picture — sometimes by choice, sometimes not.
You might have a spouse or partner. You might have kids in the mix. Or aging parents who influence your decisions. Or both. You might have asked a financial advisor for planning advice, to think through tax strategies, or help manage investments. Everyone plays some kind of role. Or perhaps you’re doing all of this entirely on your own.
But even if it’s just you making every financial decision, there’s an important question underneath it all. Because this only works if you’re willing to hold yourself — and the people you trust — accountable.
What do you expect of the people — including yourself — who have influence over your financial life this year?
Not what you expect the economy to do. Not what AI stocks might do this year.
But what you’re expecting from you — and from anyone you’ve given a seat at that table.
That question matters more than most people realize, because money isn’t just numbers — it’s mostly behavior, whether you’re managing it alone or with others. In fact, many experts say that personal finance success is roughly 80% behavior and only 20% knowledge, which is exactly why expectations and accountability matter so much when you’re talking about your money and who you’re counting on to help you manage it.
I see this play out all the time in the messages people send me. When someone reaches out because something feels off — especially in a relationship with an advisor — it’s rarely because they chose the “wrong” investment. It’s almost always because expectations were never clearly set, and accountability was never part of the conversation.
Just recently, someone wrote to me saying, “We’ve been working with an advisor for a few years, but I still don’t really know what our plan is supposed to do — are we trying to lower taxes, invest and get better returns, protect our savings — or just feel more secure?” That question alone told me this isn’t about the portfolio.
It’s also why I built Wealthramp to tease out expectations upfront instead of hiring an advisor blindly and then crossing fingers it works out. It’s important to identify what someone actually wants help with, how they’ll recognize progress, and what kind of relationship they’re looking for.
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When things don’t come to fruition or turn out the way we thought, we get frustrated, disappointed, and sometimes scared. So the first place I’m starting this year is by asking:
What am I expecting I’ll be able to accomplish by myself in 2026?
What am I most worried about?
What am I asking for help for – and what am I expecting others to do?
And are these expectations likely to be met?
Who am I holding accountable?
This year, I want to do better — so I’m paying closer attention to who’s in the room, and what I’m really asking of them, and of myself.
In my experience, that’s where real progress starts.
Happy New Year!
Pam