Adriaan Pask, Chief Investment Officer at PSG Wealth, shares practical financial priorities for navigating the year ahead

The start of a new year often brings a renewed focus on personal goals. Most New Year’s resolutions tend to centre on health, spirituality or career ambitions, yet financial wellbeing is frequently overlooked. That’s surprising, especially given how much is happening in the markets and how risky the environment remains. If there is one year where South Africans should be paying closer attention to their finances, it’s 2026.

After a strong rally in local markets, with the JSE delivering outsized returns, there is a natural temptation to chase last year’s winners. We see this every year. Investors look at which funds or assets performed best, feel they missed out, and rush to switch into those strategies. At the same time, the start of the year is often accompanied by an increase in credit card debt, as people try to plug the financial gaps left by festive-season spending.

Layered onto that is the ongoing appeal of get-rich-quick schemes. It still surprises me how consistently retail investors are lured by promises of outsized returns, whether through forex bots, crypto schemes or unregulated products that sound too good to be true. Year after year, these end in disappointment.

A sensible financial resolution for 2026 would be a simple one: don’t be lured by anything that seems too good to be true. Building wealth is a long-term process. It doesn’t happen overnight. One practical step investors can take is to verify that anyone they deal with is licensed by checking the Financial Sector Conduct Authority website. It sounds basic, but many investors still don’t do this and end up exposed to unnecessary risk.

The same discipline applies when reviewing investment performance. The fear of missing out plays a significant role in decision-making, particularly after a strong year in the markets. While past performance can sometimes continue, chasing last year’s winners usually ends badly. A better resolution is to identify your needs and goals, select skilled managers or solid businesses, and then give those investments the appropriate time to work in your favour. Impatience is often the enemy of long-term success.

Debt, however, is where many households feel the most immediate pressure at the start of the year. December is typically a long month. Salaries are paid earlier, expenses rise, and by the time January arrives, many people are stretched. School fees, transport costs and everyday obligations don’t wait. Reaching for a credit card can feel like a short-term solution, but it often sets people up for a difficult start to the year, constantly playing catch-up.

The worst thing you can do at this point is to allow credit card balances to spiral. This is the time to be conservative with spending and to start small where you can. Too often, people set unrealistic targets, such as trying to settle all their debt immediately, which is rarely sustainable.

You don’t have to settle all your credit card debt in the next few weeks. Rather, think of it as a year-long project. Start with one card, consolidate your balances where the rates are attractive, and chip away month by month so that by the end of the year, you can hopefully say, “I’ve set myself up not only to be debt-free, but also to start building investments and other savings goals next year.”

Emergency funds remain one of the most overlooked aspects of financial planning in South Africa. Covid was a powerful reminder of how exposed individuals and businesses can be when there is no financial buffer. Emergencies, by definition, are not predictable, yet unexpected expenses are part of life.

For those still paying down debt, building an emergency fund can feel out of reach. That’s why sequencing matters. As you get closer to settling your debts, you move into a much stronger position to build that safety net. A useful exercise is to think back to a previous period of financial strain and ask what amount would have helped. That becomes a realistic goal.

You don’t need to accumulate hundreds of thousands of rands from day one. Start small and build the right habits over time. Once an emergency fund is in place, discipline becomes critical. These funds should be protected and used only for genuine emergencies.

All of this feeds into retirement planning, an area where many South Africans defer action for too long. Retirement planning can’t be done at the last minute. We regularly encounter people who have under-provisioned and underestimated how quickly time passes.

The earlier you start, the easier the journey becomes. Speaking to a wealth manager can help put a clear plan in place and, just as importantly, keep you on track. Discipline and consistency matter more than sporadic action.

In 2026, the priority should be clarity and discipline. Avoid unnecessary risk, manage debt deliberately, build a realistic emergency fund, and put a proper retirement plan in place. These are long-term commitments – and the sooner you start, the more control you gain over your financial future.