James R. Karberg, CFP®, Principal and Practice Leader of REDW Wealth LLC — the SEC-registered investment advisory subsidiary of REDW Advisors & CPAs — recently joined AZ Family for a segment on holiday financial planning. Below is guidance for preparing for the season: building a budget before spending starts, avoiding credit card debt, and using the fall months to close out year-end financial items.
Karberg’s guidance breaks down into four parts: setting a budget before the shopping starts, keeping spending off credit cards, using the fall to handle year-end financial items, and keeping the season’s actual priorities in view.
1. Start With a Budget, Not a Shopping List
Before any spending begins, build a full list: everyone being shopped for, paired with a reasonable dollar amount for each person. The list should extend beyond gifts — travel, plane tickets, and holiday gatherings all belong on it too. Setting the total ahead of time, then tracking against it as the season goes, keeps spending intentional rather than reactive.
2. Keep Holiday Spending Off the Credit Card
Credit cards make it easy to spend more than planned, with the real cost showing up when the January statement arrives. Cash, debit, or a dedicated holiday savings account set aside ahead of time keeps spending contained to what’s actually been budgeted, rather than deferred to next month.
3. Treat the Fall as Year-End Checklist Season
The weeks before the holidays double as a natural deadline for several financial items: retirement contributions, charitable giving (which can also affect taxes), and a review of estate plans or beneficiary designations after a life change like a marriage, divorce, or new child. Setting aside time now, while the calendar still allows it, beats treating these as year-end scrambles.
4. Measure the Season by What’s Remembered, Not What’s Spent
The moments people remember rarely come down to how much was spent. A hosted dinner, a family outing, or an evening spent together tends to outlast a bigger price tag. Planning ahead financially frees up room to focus on that instead of the spending itself.
A little planning in September changes how the season feels in December — and how January looks once the bills arrive. A clear budget, a plan for how to pay for it, and a short list of year-end items handled early leave more room for the part of the holidays that actually sticks: the time spent, not the money.
About REDW Wealth LLC
Founded in 1997, REDW Wealth LLC is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm subsidiary of REDW LLC. With offices in Albuquerque and Phoenix, the REDW Wealth team provides financial planning, investment management and consulting, and estate planning services to individuals, families, businesses, institutions, and Tribal entities and has more than $869 million in assets under management. For more about REDW Wealth, visit REDW Wealth online at redw.com/wealth, or connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/redw-wealth-llc.
© 2026 REDW Wealth, LLC. This content is intended for informational and market commentary purposes only. The information contained has been prepared without regard to any investor’s objectives, financial situation, or needs. Accordingly, investors should not act on any recommendation (express or implied) or information in this material without obtaining specific advice from the financial professional(s) of their choosing and should not rely on information herein as the primary or sole basis for their investment decisions.
Information contained herein is based on data obtained from recognized statistical services, issuer reports or communications, or other sources believed to be reliable. However, such information has not been verified, and the firm makes no representations or warranties or takes any responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of any recommendation or information contained herein. Any statements nonfactual in nature constitute only current opinions, as of the date of publication, which are subject to change without notice. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed shall constitute an offer of investment advisory services, an offer to sell or a solicitation or an offer to buy any securities, commodities or exchange traded products, or an offer to participate in any trading strategy. This document does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, commodities, markets, or developments to which reference is made.
Advisory, Assurance, and Tax services offered through REDW, LLC. Wealth Management and Investment Advisory services offered through REDW Wealth, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investing entails risk, including risk of loss.
