The holiday season can be stressful. You’ve made it through most of the year tackling goals, building on successes, and moving toward your long-term vision. Then the holidays come. Driven by overcommitments, overspending and overstimulation, our long-term plans derail as we enter survival mode. Year after year, we tell ourselves next year will be different. We’ll have a better plan and we’ll stick to it. Sadly, another year goes by and we fail to gain control. If this sounds like you, the good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. And it shouldn’t. These short-term derailments are having an impact on our health and our wealth. 

You don’t have to wait for your New Year’s resolution to gain control of your financial health. If you’re ready to take control, there’s no better time than the present. Having a partner who is required to always work in your best interests is your first step toward creating peace of mind. This relationship is required when working with a fiduciary financial advisor. At Allegiant Private Advisors, we have a team of professionals working collaboratively with clients and their families to help them gain control of their future. 

Our advisors often serve as thinking partners, helping guide clients through a variety of decision-making paths and navigating complex systems to work in their favor. Over the holidays, perhaps you’ll be discussing if it’s time to downsize or begin planning a home addition to welcome aging parents or your growing family. Of course, it’s also an easy time of year to get carried away and overspend, no matter what you can afford.

Here are some easy tips to help you survive and thrive during the holidays.

Have a budget. Gifts for loved ones, thank-you gifts for important people in our lives, constant entertaining and hostess gifts can add up. Knowing how much you should spend on these extras will help you maintain long-term goals.

Make a plan. Understanding what you want to accomplish during the holiday season will help you say “no” to things that are not important. It will help you focus your time, money and energy on things that provide happiness. But even more, understanding how it all integrates and supports your long-term plan will help you along your path to success.

Plan for the unexpected. Not everything can be anticipated. However, part of your plan should include how to deal with unexpected outcomes. Taking the emotion out of difficult decisions can lead to more impactful plans.

Don’t go it alone. Having a trusted partner help define and stick to your plan is important. This can be a family member, a friend or a trusted professional. The important thing is to have someone who can help you before, during and after your important decisions.

Enjoy!  Remember, this is a special time of year to gather with family and friends to celebrate all the things you are grateful for. Don’t let the financial stress of the season take away from the joy of your relationships and experiences.

Over the holidays and throughout life, one thing is certain: uncertainly. That’s why Allegiant advisors help clients plan for all types of uncertainly—and why the team connects with clients regularly as circumstances and goals change over time.

As an independent financial advisory firm, Allegiant Private Advisors’ role as a fiduciary means that our clients’ interests come first—always. With no hidden fees, no commissions on investments, and an agenda driven solely by your goals, we can be your trusted partner to plan for and navigate every season of life. Customized wealth solutions are developed for each client, based on our independent thinking, proprietary research, and a team structure that considers every angle. 

We understand clients are busy with their own lives, businesses and families. It’s our job to bring together a million little things to set and keep you on the right path. We provide the highest caliber of comprehensive financial planning, investment management and thoughtful strategies to preserve and grow your wealth so you can enjoy life to its fullest with the ones you love.

We wish you the happiest of holidays. (And encourage you to set and stick to your holiday budget!)

Allegiant Private Advisors is located at 240 South Pineapple Ave., Suite 200, Sarasota, FL 34236. For more information, call 941-365-3745 or visit allegiantpa.com. Advisory Services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Adviser.