When it comes to life's biggest moments, you probably had a plan. Your family vacation, for example, followed a timeline, a budget—and some compromise and conversation. Creating a personalized financial plan follows the same logic.

Not everyone is at the same stage in their financial journey. Perhaps you’ve mastered the art of building an emergency savings fund and paying down debt. Or maybe you’ve never even thought about a budget, much less a financial plan. The information, steps, and links below take you through the foundation of a financial plan, all the way through more complex goals and priorities.

From the groceries you need to the retirement you want and the car repair bill that’s looming, th ese ideas can help you balance long-term dreams with short-term wants and unexpected events. Plus, it’s adaptable—because the best financial plans evolve through job changes and life’s challenges. Figure out where you are on this list, and get started.

Set financial goals

Before calculating how you’ll accomplish something, you need to decide why you want to do it in the first place—your goal. The same is true with a financial plan: You need to identify what you want to achieve financially and why. They may be highly specific or kind of generic, such as:

• Saving a 20% down payment on a new home
• Establishing a college education fund for your children
• Paying down or minimizing debt
• Launching a small business