{"id":791,"date":"2023-01-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qa.simplifimoney.com\/blog\/10-year-end-tips\/"},"modified":"2024-11-18T10:20:26","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T18:20:26","slug":"10-year-end-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/10-year-end-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Checklist: Prep Your Finances for Success in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\tp.quote {\n\t\tfont-family: \"Poppins\";\n\t\tfont-style: italic;\n\t\tfont-size: 105%;\n\t\tcolor: #576073;\n\t\tmargin-right:auto;\n\t\tmargin-left:auto;\n\t\ttext-align:center;\n\t\tpadding-top:10px;\n\t\tpadding-bottom:10px;\n\t\tborder-top: 2px solid #CED0D3;\n\t\tborder-bottom: 2px solid #CED0D3;\n\t}\n\tp.quote span.quote-author {\n\t\tfont-style: normal;\n\t\tfont-family: \"Poppins\";\n\t\ttext-transform: uppercase;\n\t\tfont-size: 90%;\n\t}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to make 2023 your best year yet? Get your finances ready with this top-ten checklist so you can save more money, beat inflation, and live your best life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#5365b7;color:#5365b7\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"free-template\" style=\"display:flex;justify-content:center;\">\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none; border: none; text-align:center;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/19dNQx6kc_Jniv1rIfPzBFNxYGug0M6TICl887NtrZMs\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 52px; padding-right: 12px; margin-left: -8px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Gift-1.png\" alt=\"Quicken Gift\"><br><b>Love checking boxes on an actual checklist? We made this just for you.<\/b> <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#5365b7;color:#5365b7\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 1. Bring your transaction data up to date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to let your financial routine slip during the holidays. If you have a few gaps in your Quicken data, that\u2019s okay. Now is the perfect time to get caught up. Update all your accounts to bring your financial data up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it\u2019s been longer than 3 months, an account update might not be enough, depending on your financial institutions. Fortunately, many financial institutions will let you download older transactions as a file you can then import into Quicken:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Quicken for Windows: <strong>File<\/strong> &gt;<strong> File Import<\/strong> &gt; Web Connect (.QFX) File&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Quicken for Mac: <strong>File <\/strong>&gt;<strong> Import Bank or Brokerage file<\/strong> (.OFX, .QFX)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cI have enjoyed being able to go back and look up things. For example, how old is my refrigerator? I just search Quicken for the receipt.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Barbara, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 2. Reconcile your accounts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once your transactions are up to date, check your online balances to make sure those balances are about what you\u2019d expect. Some people don\u2019t mind a few differences as long as they aren\u2019t very big. Others want to reconcile each individual transaction down to the penny. Quicken lets you handle it however you prefer \u2014 either track down each difference, or accept a balance adjustment and move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, make sure you review the categories for your new transactions, especially if you use Quicken\u2019s reports to get ready for tax season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cI review previous entries and make sure all are assigned to categories.\u201d<br\/>\n\t<span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Marylpn, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 3. Download your tax transcript from the IRS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you get ready for the current tax season, things like W2s, K1s, mortgage interest, and capital gains reports will usually be mailed to you from your employer, partnerships, mortgage holder, brokerages, etc. You can also download your complete tax transcript <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/individuals\/get-transcript\">directly from the IRS<\/a> to see what\u2019s in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For other tax-related items, Quicken\u2019s tax-schedule reports can be extremely helpful: Schedule-A personal expenses, Schedule-C small business expenses, Schedule-E rental income and expenses, and so on. Make sure the transactions related to these reports are listed in categories that map correctly to the IRS reporting requirements \u2014 like Quicken\u2019s predefined \u201cTax Related\u201d categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For 2023, the best way to make next year\u2019s tax season easy is to make Quicken a habit, downloading and reviewing your new transactions regularly. Many Quicken subscribers do this over their morning coffee, for example, or as part of their weekend routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cMake and print reports in all tax categories.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Shaxpur, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 4. Run tax-related reports for your accountant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With your accounts up to date and your transactions properly categorized, you\u2019re ready to run your tax reports. Use Quicken\u2019s <strong>Tax Schedule<\/strong> or <strong>Tax Summary<\/strong> reports to hit the ground running \u2014 you can even export data directly from Quicken into tax prep software like TurboTax.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t need to export directly into TurboTax and you\u2019re using a tax-related system of your own design, you can customize any Quicken report to include only the categories you need. Once you\u2019ve set up your custom report, be sure to save it so you can use it again next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cI print out my tax deductible categories. Once I reconcile each account, I change to \u2018This Year\u2019 to clean up each register.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Dominick T, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 5. Run a net worth report for yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best things about Quicken is how easily you can track your net worth: the total of all your assets minus your liabilities. Quicken displays your current net worth at the bottom of your account list, but it\u2019s the trend line of your net worth, not the number itself, that\u2019s arguably the best measure of your overall financial position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To track your net worth accurately, make sure you\u2019ve added all your accounts in Quicken: both your assets and your liabilities. For example, if you add your mortgage and forget to add the underlying value of your home as an asset, your net worth will look lower than it really is!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your assets also include any savings accounts and investments you might own, including retirement accounts (401(k), SEP, IRA, etc.), savings bonds, mutual funds, partnerships, and so on. Quicken will track just about any publicly traded investments automatically, and you can even add your own private investments, from stamp collections to multi-family investment properties. Simply add a new asset account, name it, and enter its value to include it in your net worth calculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once all your accounts are in Quicken, visit the reports tab and run a net worth report to see how it\u2019s trending. No matter what that picture tells you, information is power. If you\u2019re not happy with the trend, you can use that information to adjust your budget for the coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cI also check my net worth at the start of each year which is the value of my asset accounts like cash, checking, savings, minus the liabilities like credit card outstanding balances.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Barry G, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 6. Review your budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you get ready to start the new year, it\u2019s also a good time to review last year\u2019s budget and make any adjustments. Review your recent spending to see what you might want to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t necessarily about tightening your budget. Sometimes it\u2019s more about finding better ways to do the things you want to do. For example, you might want to spend less in one place so you can spend more somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want your net worth to grow more quickly, you can also use budget adjustments to find places where you can save money. Making several small changes to your monthly budget can really add up by the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you aren\u2019t using Quicken\u2019s budgets, you can still review your annual spending. Run a spending report by month to see your spending trends throughout 2022 \u2014 no budget required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cI look at the year\u2019s cash flow report and go through the categories to see if my budget was similar to what I spent, then check up on our savings and budget.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Purplemitch11, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 7. Identify major expenses and plan ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we move into the new year, plan ahead for major expenses like property taxes or holiday funds so you can save up each month along the way. The more money you can save, the less you\u2019ll have to put on credit cards, which are notorious for high interest rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, create a plan to build your emergency fund if you haven\u2019t already. Ideally, you\u2019ll want to save up enough to afford 3 to 6 months\u2019 worth of expenses, but you can build up to that over time. Even saving enough to cover things like surprise car repairs can keep you from having to put those on a credit card \u2014 or having to take out a personal loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cIt is so important to plan and save for big purchases. I just bought my retirement home a few months ago. I planned and saved thru so many avenues, but I also didn&#8217;t stop saving in my work 401k. I used the tools on Quicken to save in a diversified manner, both long-term for retirement, but also in a money market for the short-term expenses of the home. It was a long process, but very worth it!&#8221;<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 CJ, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 8. Run through your list of recurring bills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know the average American pays about $237 every month for subscription services? Fifteen dollars here and ten dollars there can really add up. Use Quicken Bill Manager to review your recurring bills and subscriptions to make sure you\u2019re not spending money on things you don\u2019t need or use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you\u2019re at it, add any new bills that aren\u2019t in there yet. When all your recurring bills are in Quicken, you can use projected balances to make sure your accounts won\u2019t drop below minimum balance levels or incur overdraft fees. At the same time, add your regular income as a recurring inflow so Quicken can help you project those balances accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using Quicken Premier or Quicken Home &amp; Business, you can even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/personal-finance\/bills\">pay your bills<\/a> from inside Quicken itself with just a few clicks. Be sure to set up Check Pay and Bill Pay to make managing and paying your bills easier than ever in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201cPrint reports on medical insurance, add a new year place for back ups &#038; change income after getting a raise.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Karen E, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 9. Review your investments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use <strong>Complete Investing<\/strong> in Quicken to track the tax implications of your investments and trades, make sure all your transactions are up to date and classified correctly. If they are, your realized gains and investing income, like dividends, will be included automatically in your tax-schedule reports. This is also a great time to take stock of your portfolio, making sure your allocations are hitting your targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t use Quicken to track tax implications and you don\u2019t like getting into investing details like mutual fund holdings and allocations, consider trying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/quicken-simple-investing-beta\/\"><strong>Simple Investing<\/strong><\/a> for 2023 to get the bird\u2019s-eye view you want without the information you don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"quote\">\n\t<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><svg height=\"48px\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\" width=\"48px\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><title\/><desc\/><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" id=\"Page-1\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\"><g id=\"Artboard-Copy\" transform=\"translate(-407.000000, -9.000000)\"><path d=\"M448.6211,37.1646 C448.3691,36.3886 447.9321,35.6776 447.3241,35.0346 C446.6871,34.3626 445.8501,33.8426 444.8121,33.4666 C443.7731,33.0936 442.4391,32.9046 440.7951,32.9046 L438.5641,32.9046 C438.8301,30.1586 439.8081,27.8216 441.5001,25.8896 C443.1891,23.9636 445.5311,22.2686 448.5251,20.8146 L446.7091,18.0006 C442.7671,19.6796 439.3941,22.1356 436.5921,25.3796 C433.7911,28.6266 432.3961,31.8436 432.3961,35.0346 C432.3961,38.4626 433.2051,41.1516 434.8361,43.0926 C436.4671,45.0336 438.8031,46.0006 441.8401,46.0006 C443.7671,46.0006 445.4411,45.3576 446.8651,44.0726 C448.2871,42.7896 449.0001,41.2866 449.0001,39.5726 C449.0001,38.7456 448.8751,37.9406 448.6211,37.1646 M428.2251,37.1646 C427.9711,36.3886 427.5351,35.6776 426.9261,35.0346 C426.2911,34.3626 425.4531,33.8426 424.4141,33.4666 C423.3771,33.0936 422.0431,32.9046 420.3981,32.9046 L418.1661,32.9046 C418.4331,30.1586 419.4101,27.8216 421.1011,25.8896 C422.7911,23.9636 425.1351,22.2686 428.1271,20.8146 L426.3121,18.0006 C422.3691,19.6796 418.9981,22.1356 416.1951,25.3796 C413.3941,28.6266 412.0001,31.8436 412.0001,35.0346 C412.0001,38.4626 412.8071,41.1516 414.4391,43.0926 C416.0681,45.0336 418.4041,46.0006 421.4431,46.0006 C423.3691,46.0006 425.0451,45.3576 426.4691,44.0726 C427.8911,42.7896 428.6031,41.2866 428.6031,39.5726 C428.6031,38.7456 428.4761,37.9406 428.2251,37.1646\" fill=\"#CED0D3\" id=\"quote2\"\/><g id=\"slices\" transform=\"translate(47.000000, 9.000000)\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br\/>\n\t\u201c1) Run a report to see how money was spent over the last year compared to other years. 2) View investment performance to see if there needs to be any adjustments. 3) Forecast the next year\u2019s inflow and outgo.\u201d<br\/><span class=\"quote-author\">\u2014 Johnny M, Quicken Member<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 10. Make a plan to save more &amp; make more in 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, to make your finances go even further in 2023, check out these recent blog posts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/14-best-ways-to-save-money\/\">14 Ways to Save Money and Live Your Best Life<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/how-to-make-more-money\/\">How to Make More Money in 2023<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/23-ways-to-make-quick-money-in-one-day\/\">23 Ways to Make Quick Money in One Day<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to make 2023 your best year yet? Get your finances ready with this top-ten checklist so you can save more money, beat inflation, and live your best life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":5344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"69","_seopress_titles_title":"Top 10 Checklist: Prep Your Finances for Success in 2023 | Quicken","_seopress_titles_desc":"Want to make 2023 your best year yet? Get your finances ready with this top-ten checklist so you can save more money, beat inflation, and live your best life.","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-finance"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/checklist-vector.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5355,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/5355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}