If you have been scrolling on social media lately, you may have noticed that people are looking back 10 years to 2016.
Back then, Work by Rihanna was on repeat, you could fill up your tank for around $1.14 a litre, and conversations were dominated by La La Land and the Oscars.
Ten years ago, many of us were also at a very different stage of life. Careers were earlier. Families were younger. Financial decisions often felt simpler, and retirement felt a long way off.
Looking back a decade shows how much can change in a relatively short period of time and how important it is that your financial strategy continues to evolve with your life.
With that in mind, here are five considered ways to tune up your finances this year and ensure your strategy reflects where you are now, not where you were a decade ago.
1. Take stock of where you are today
As wealth grows, finances naturally become more complex. What once fitted neatly into a spreadsheet can evolve into multiple accounts, investments, structures, and obligations.
This is a good time to step back and assess the full picture. Are your cash flows working efficiently? Is your strategy still aligned with your goals, or has it simply continued on autopilot? Complexity without clarity can quietly erode progress over time.
A regular review helps ensure your strategy remains intentional, not accidental.
2. Be deliberate with surplus cash
Extra money can appear in many forms. A higher income, improved cash flow as debts reduce, investment income, or lower interest costs.
While lifestyle upgrades have their place, surplus cash is also an opportunity to strengthen your overall position. For many, this means balancing enjoyment today with longer-term outcomes such as:
- Reducing non-deductible debt or strengthening an offset position
- Making strategic super contributions with tax effectiveness in mind
- Building investment capacity for future opportunities
- Setting aside capital for children’s education or intergenerational planning
The key is intentionality. Decisions made consistently over time tend to have the greatest impact.
3. Review debt strategically, not emotionally
Not all debt is created equal. Some forms of debt can support wealth creation, while others quietly work against it.
A review should focus on understanding which debts remain appropriate for your goals, which may benefit from restructuring, and which should be prioritised for reduction. Interest rates, tax treatment, flexibility, and cash flow impact all matter here.
As circumstances change, the role of debt in your strategy should be reassessed rather than assumed.
4. Protect what you have built
As wealth grows, so does the importance of protecting it.
Insurance arrangements that were suitable years ago may no longer reflect your current position. Underinsurance can expose you to unnecessary risk, while overinsurance can quietly drain cash flow.
This is also a natural point to revisit estate planning. Life events such as marriage, separation, children, or business changes should be reflected in your will and related structures. Ensuring your intentions are clearly documented helps provide certainty for those you care about and reduces the risk of unintended outcomes.
5. Seek advice as complexity increases
Over time, higher incomes, growing portfolios, business interests, and family considerations can make financial decisions more nuanced.
Professional advice is not about outsourcing decisions. It is about gaining clarity, identifying blind spots, and ensuring your strategy remains aligned with both your goals and the regulatory environment.
A trusted adviser can help you optimise outcomes, manage risk, and keep your strategy focused on what matters most to you.
Source: This article was originally published on Advisely with the title “5 ways to tune-up your finances this year” on 14 January 2026.
Looking ahead
The next ten years will pass just as quickly as the last.
While none of us can predict exactly what life will look like in a decade, taking time to review and refine your financial strategy now can make a meaningful difference to how confidently you move through the years ahead.
If you would like support reviewing any of the areas above, contact us today.
This information provided in this article is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your own objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a financial decision based on this advice, you must consider whether it is appropriate in light of your own needs, objectives, and financial circumstances, and where relevant, obtain personal financial, taxation or legal advice. Where a financial product has been mentioned, you should obtain and read a copy of the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) prior to making any decisions about whether to acquire a product.