5 Things Suze Orman Says You Need To Do With Your Money Before 2027
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Dedicate one full day before year-end to reviewing every aspect of your finances and start building up or topping off your emergency savings fund
Kill your high-interest debt before January
Max out your Roth IRA: The 2026 contribution limit is $7,500 (under 50) or $8,600 (50 and older)
Review all insurance policies such as home, rental and life
Every year it happens. As soon as the first leaf falls, your brain switches to cozy season mode and holiday spending takes over. Your financial intentions evaporate and you wake up in January starting from scratch again.
Or as money expert Suze Orman said, "In January we start saving money, getting out of credit card debt, funding our retirement accounts and we're doing wonderful. Then, every single year like clockwork, starting in November, all of you fall into this trap."
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Before you slingshot through fall and spooky season, here are some plays to break the cycle, straight from Orman's end-of-year playbook.
1. 'Make a Date with Your Money'
Rather than a series of spreadsheet exercises, Orman's core end-of-year move is a mindset shift. According to the Suze School podcasts, she wants you to he wants you to "make a date with your money." Whether it's by yourself, with your spouse or partner or with your children, make a date where you'll dedicate the entire day to "dealing with every aspect of your money."
Orman emphasized that it's not so much about what you're invested in, but rather how your finances are organized.
"Is everything in place? Are you protected in case something happens?" she asked.
2. Attack High-Interest Debt Before You Need To Make It a Resolution
Orman draws a hard line at carrying credit card balances into a new year, especially with the average APR sitting at roughly 22% in 2026, per Federal Reserve data (or over 24% according to Forbes real-time tracker). Her tip is to call your issuer now and request a rate reduction.
Competition among card companies is fierce, and issuers will often shave a few points off to keep a good customer. Even a 3% to 4% reduction on a $5,000 balance saves $150 to $200 a year — and the call takes five minutes.
She suggested taking these steps:
Step 1: Write down all your credit cards, the interest rate you're currently paying on each of them, the balance due on each of them and the minimum payment due on each of them.
Step 2: Then, arrange them from the highest interest rate to the lowest interest rate.
Step 3: From there, pay at least $100 per month more than the payment you're making on the highest-interest credit card.
Step 4: Once that card is paid off, roll that monthly payment, plus the additional $100 per month, over to the next highest-interest credit card.
3. Max Out Your Roth IRA Before the Clock Runs Out
Orman is a consistent Roth IRA evangelist, often praising them over other forms of retirement savings, and the numbers for 2026 are worth knowing. The maximum contribution for those under 50 is $7,500, and for those 50 and older it's $8,600 (including the $1,100 catch-up contribution). Orman's advice is not to wait and set up automatic transfers now.
4. Seriously, It’s Time To Build That Emergency Fund Now
The economy can be a bit tough for your average earner right now, and Orman recommends keeping eight to 12 months of expenses in liquid savings, especially with layoffs still a real possibility coming up in the fourth quarter for many companies.
In her true style, Orman remains a realist and advises you not to try to go from two months to eight overnight. Just push yourself to save more before year-end, and park your money in a high-yield savings account that earns you interest.
5. Review Your Insurance Coverage Before the Storm Hits the Fan
When Orman specifically asks you if you have increased your home or rental insurance since property values went up, you better have an answer. Most people set their coverage when they first bought or rented and never revisit it, which means a claim today could leave a meaningful gap between the payout and the actual replacement cost.
Also, as a result of recent natural disasters and the effects of inflation, materials to rebuild homes now cost more than they used to. Does your insurance policy cover all the replacement costs associated with building materials or specifically cover floods? Most homeowners insurance policies don't automatically include this coverage, but it's important to add it on, especially if you live in or near a flood zone.
Pull the policy, check the numbers and call your insurer if the coverage is stale.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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