There's no single financial checklist that fits everyone — your circumstances, income and goals matter far more than your age. But certain questions are worth revisiting at particular life stages, simply because that's when the consequences of ignoring them tend to compound. Think of the ages below as prompts to check in, not targets you've failed to hit if your numbers look different.

Your twenties: building habits, not wealth

In your twenties, the goal isn't to have a large pension pot — it's to build habits that make saving automatic. Worth reviewing:

  • Are you in a workplace pension, and are you contributing at least enough to get the full employer match? Turning that down is turning down free money.
  • Do you have even a small emergency fund — enough to cover an unexpected bill or a month without income — so a setback doesn't become a high-interest debt?
  • Do you know your student loan plan type and how repayments actually work (see our guide on student loan overpayments), so you're not making decisions based on how it "feels" like a normal debt?
  • Is your credit file starting to build a track record — a phone contract, a low-limit credit card used lightly and repaid in full — so you're not a credit "unknown" by your thirties?

Your thirties: bigger commitments arrive

This is often when mortgages, children, and higher earning potential arrive together. Worth reviewing:

  • If you have a mortgage, do you understand when your current deal ends and what you'll do about the next one? Missing a remortgage deadline can mean defaulting onto a lender's standard variable rate.
  • If you have children, have you checked what you're entitled to — Child Benefit, tax-free childcare, or employer schemes — and whether claiming Child Benefit affects your income near the higher-income threshold?
  • Have you nominated beneficiaries on your pension and checked you have basic life insurance if others depend on your income? A pension normally sits outside your estate, so the nomination form is what actually directs it.
  • Is your pension contribution rate still just the minimum, or has it risen with your salary?

Your forties and fifties: the squeeze, and the check-in

This stage often brings the highest outgoings — mortgage, children, sometimes ageing parents — alongside the best chance to catch up on saving. Worth reviewing:

  • Do you have a rough idea of your total pension pots (workplace and personal) and what income they might realistically provide? The government's Pension Tracing Service can help find old workplace pensions from previous employers.
  • Have you checked your State Pension forecast and National Insurance record for gaps? Gaps from time abroad, self-employment, or years out of work can sometimes be filled voluntarily.
  • If you're supporting both children and parents, have you thought about power of attorney arrangements before they're needed, rather than in a crisis?
  • Is your will up to date, and does it reflect your current family situation — remarriage, stepchildren, or a change in what you own?

Your sixties and beyond: turning savings into income

The focus shifts from accumulating to drawing down sustainably. Worth reviewing:

  • Do you know your State Pension age and, if you're still working, whether deferring makes sense for you?
  • Have you compared the ways to take a pension — annuity, drawdown, or a mix — rather than defaulting into whatever your provider offers first?
  • Have you reviewed how much tax-free cash you might take and in what order you'll draw from different pots, since this affects how long your money lasts and your tax bill each year?
  • Is your will, and any lasting power of attorney, still current?

A common mistake: comparing yourself to a stranger's number

Generic "you should have £X saved by 30" figures circulate widely and are almost always unhelpful — they ignore your salary, region, health, and whether you own property. A more useful exercise is comparing your own trajectory year to year: is your net worth trending up, is your pension contribution rate keeping pace with your income, and are you clearing debt rather than adding to it?

What to do next

Pick one item from your current age bracket that you genuinely don't know the answer to, and resolve it this month — check your pension forecast, find your old pension pots, or update your will. MoneyHelper offers free, impartial guidance sessions if you want to talk through where you stand without being sold a product.