What High-Net-Worth Households Do Differently in the First 60 Days of the Year
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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It’s barely 2026 and like a lot of people, you might be worried about money already. You know who isn’t worried? The rich. That’s because the start of the new year doesn’t mean resolutions like the rest of us. Rather, it’s a time to plan, strategize and get finances in order for the year to come. Plus, they do it all in about two months time, with a little foresight and prep into the following ten months.
GOBankingRates got in touch with Kristy Kim, the CEO and founder of TomoCredit, below is what she said high-net-worth households do differently in the first 60 days of the year.
Making Swift Decisions
According to Kim, one of the biggest differences between middle-class and high-net-worth households is that high-net-worth households use the first 60 days of the year to make intentional calls about cash flow, taxes and investing.
“Middle-class households tend to ‘ease’ into their financial decisions or save them for last-minute,” Kim explained. “Planning for wealth doesn’t mean you have to make a ton of money, but knowing where you want your money to go and what your annual strategy will be will help set you up for money in the long run.”
When money gets “assigned” its tasks early, it “keeps you from playing on the defense later or scrambling to catch up,” Kim said.
Prepping Taxes Ahead of Due Date
Nobody likes thinking about taxes, even the wealthy. However, Kim highlighted that thinking about taxes early and voluntarily is a lot easier than scrambling to pull funds together by the time April rolls around. At least, that’s what the upper class do.
“Top earners treat tax planning as part of their wealth planning instead of a dreaded chore,” Kim explained. “This means that early in the year, they’re optimizing retirement contributions, timing income and identifying deductions or charitable strategies they can qualify for before the tax window closes.”
Sticking To the Wealth Building Plan
Even when the outlook feels uncertain, top earning families steady the course, through ups, downs and all arounds.
“Wealthy households don’t wait for perfect market conditions — and they know there is no such thing,” Kim said. “If you wait until the grass is knee high and the sun is perfectly high-in-the sky, then you’re missing out on the most important currency when it comes to financial planning: time.”
Kim outlined that high-income earners rebalance after a shift, then deploy excess cash and automate investing early, focusing on long-term positioning rather than short-term headlines. “This gives them more and more financial leverage year after year-leverage that just compounds,” Kim added.
Having Cash Protections
Kim noted how high-net-worth households protect cash or “liquid gold” by having reserves saved up during the first 60 days of the year.
“One of the most overlooked, but most important wealth habits, is optionality,” Kim said. “Top earners build and maintain accessible cash early in the year for flexibility — to invest, pivot or withstand uncertainty without stress.”
Separating Income From Wealth-Building
High earners regularly audit where money is just sitting, what’s compounding and what’s underperforming based on Kim’s professional experience.
“The goal isn’t complexity,” Kim added, “it’s clarity and consistency. High earners know that every dollar should either be growing, protecting the downside or buying flexibility and options.”
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