Financial Success Isn't Just About What You Save, But Who You Trust: Who's in Your Driver's Seat?

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As a new year gets underway, we tend to think about what we want to do differently with our money: Save more, spend less, invest smarter, retire sooner.

This year, consider thinking about your plans differently. Think not only about what — but who. Who are the people you've invited into your financial life?

Start by naming them.

• Who has access to your accounts?
• Who gives you advice — welcome or not?
• Who pressures, encourages or second-guesses your decisions?

These are the people who have enough power to make — or break — even your best financial plans.

Now here's the real question: What do you expect from each of them? It's a huge factor hiding in plain sight — yet it's rarely talked about.

Think back to 2025.

• Did someone help you stay on track — or interfere?
• Did someone's opinion make you feel more confident — or more anxious?
• Did you find yourself making financial choices to appease someone else?

Whether you like it or not, major money decisions rarely happen in a vacuum. The people around you shape how you feel, what you prioritize and the choices you make next.

So as you look ahead, it's worth asking: Who's really in the driver's seat — and does anything need to change?

Who's helping — or hindering — your progress?

When I talk about the people involved in your financial life, I'm not talking about titles or formal roles. I'm talking about access and influence — the people who see your numbers, shape your thinking or help define what feels "possible" when it comes to money.

That might include a spouse or partner, children, aging parents, a workplace 401(k) plan representative, an accountant, a financial adviser you pay for actual guidance and, of course, you.

Each of these relationships already has built-in expectations, even if you've never said them out loud. And because these dynamics feel so familiar, most of us don't question them. But how much are you willing to hand off?

As you think about your goals this year, ask yourself:

• Whose opinions do I defer to — consciously or unconsciously?
• Where am I relying on guidance without realizing they have limitations or hidden biases?

These questions aren't about blame. They're about awareness — and intentionally recognizing who's in the room with you when you're making financial choices.

Once you see the web of people who influence your financial world, the next questions become:

• What do you actually expect from each of them?
• Are you willing to hold yourself — and the people you trust — accountable for those expectations?

If the person influencing your decisions is a spouse or partner — your financial co-pilot — clarity means defining roles and communicating better around shared decisions. That might mean coordinating retirement investments across separate accounts, dividing up research or committing to more regular conversations about money.

If it's your children, no matter their age, clarity means setting expectations around spending, credit and saving. These are essential life skills, and when they're missing, the impact can show up in how much you're able to save for your own future.

A child who leans too heavily on the "Bank of Mom" can derail even the strongest retirement plan.

And if it's a financial adviser relationship — one you're paying for — clarity becomes nonnegotiable.

• How often will you communicate?
• What should meetings accomplish?
• How accessible do you expect your adviser to be?

How will you measure whether your plan is truly working — in fees, cash flow, tax and investment strategy, retirement withdrawals and confidence you won't outlive your money?

Just as important: How much are you paying for advice? A fee-only registered investment adviser is the only type of adviser legally required to be fully transparent about fees and expenses, because they are held to the fiduciary standard at all times.

An adviser's real value lies in guidance across your entire financial life, including family dynamics, and the confidence that comes with a strong plan. You shouldn't settle for less.

When expectations go unspoken

In my years working with individuals and families — and co-hosting a national television series covering real financial stories — I've noticed a pattern. Most financial frustration doesn't come from one bad decision. It comes from misaligned expectations, unspoken assumptions and people not realizing who is truly responsible for what.

Someone hires a financial adviser expecting help with major decisions, but they never talk about how success will be measured. Then the market hits a rough patch, nerves spike and disappointment creeps in.

A couple decide they want to "spend less" or "invest more tax-efficiently," but they never define what those goals look like in practice. So small exceptions turn into habits, and suddenly they feel off course without knowing exactly when it happened.

Or consider the common workplace scenario: A 401(k) representative recommends an annuity. You may assume you're receiving objective, personalized financial advice — all for free — without realizing that plan representatives are limited to a narrow range of options and often operate with built-in conflicts.

Questions worth asking this year

• What am I expecting of myself?
• What am I most worried about — and who needs to know that?
• Where do I genuinely need someone else's help?
• What do I expect others to contribute?
• Are these expectations realistic?
• And who, exactly, is accountable for the success or failure?

These questions shift the focus from wish lists to accountability and responsibility — and ultimately that's what turns intentions into action.

Sometimes, doing better financially doesn't mean doing more. It means taking a closer look and being honest about what you're expecting from all the people in your financial life, including yourself.

Once your expectations are clear, the mechanics of planning, saving and investing tend to align more naturally. Decisions feel less reactive, and momentum starts building.

And in my experience, that's when real progress begins. Not just progress you can chart on a spreadsheet, but progress you can actually feel — steady, intentional and fully your own.

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.