January - Pay

down your debt

If you've run

up large credit card bills during the holiday season, your first financial

resolution for 2001 should focus on paying down your debt. Review the

interest rate and terms on outstanding loans and credit cards to identify

opportunities to restructure debt at more favorable terms. Then, work

out a realistic repayment plan and stick to it.

February -

Set long-term financial goals and save for them

Whether establishing

a college fund for your children or planning the vacation of a lifetime,

concrete objectives form a solid foundation for achieving your goals.

Prioritize your list of goals and assign your top goals a dollar value

and a target date. Use an online calculator to determine how much you

need to save each month to achieve your goals and devise a specific plan

for doing so.

March - Get

ready to file your taxes

To avoid last-minute

income tax-filing panic, begin gathering tax-related receipts and documents

now, and make an appointment with your CPA or a tax adviser to help minimize

your tax liability.

April -

Fund your retirement

April is a

great time to think about the tax benefits of retirement plans. You can

make your Individual Retirement Account contribution for 2000 by April

15 and those who qualify can claim a deduction on their 2000 return. Qualification

for the deduction depends on the adjusted gross income of you and your

spouse, if married, and whether or not your company offers a retirement

savings plan. If your company has a retirement savings plan and

-more-

you're not

a participant, sign up now, so you can start to benefit from tax-deferred

savings.

May - Automate

your savings

Now that Uncle

Sam has been taken care of, it's time to pay yourself in savings that

is. When you sign up with an automatic savings plan through your payroll

department, the dollar amount you choose is deducted from your paycheck

and sent to the mutual fund or other investment destination of your choice.

If your employer doesn't offer this service, you can usually arrange for

your bank to make automatic deposits to your investment account.

June -

Learn more about personal finance

June is a great

month to sit in the sun and read books and magazines about personal finance.

If you stick to reputable sources, you can also find excellent financial

advice sites on the Internet.

July - Review

your investment portfolio

It's mid-year

and an opportune time to check on your asset allocation. Changes in the

performance of your investments could mean you need to rebalance your

investments in line with your goals and tolerance for risk.

August -

Check insurance coverage

Check out your

home, health, car, life, and disability policies to determine whether

there are any gaps in coverage. Talk to your agent to see if you may be

able to obtain more effective coverage by increasing or reducing deductible

amounts on your policy. Also inquire about any discounts that may be available

for taking special safety precautions such as adding an alarm system to

your home or car.

September

- Get organized