Preventive health is something that is discussed quite often when it comes to our physical and mental health. Eat a healthy diet, be physically active, get adequate hours of sleep and keep stress levels low. We can physically and mentally feel when we are starting to feel a little drained and that a quick nap may be a positive thing for our health. We protect our future selves by brushing our teeth regularly, washing our hands, wearing our seatbelts or getting routine vaccines. These reminders are present in our life from both internal and external factors. 

What about our financial health? Depending on where we are in our careers, the focus we have on our finances may be different. When we first start out, it may be focusing on getting established, creating a budget or focusing on saving. As we progress in our careers, we may focus more on what retirement is going to look like. Similar to the other aspects of our health, financial health benefits us in the long run when we look at it early and often to achieve long-term benefits. 

As a University of Arizona employee, one of the many benefits available to you is the ability to meet with a financial advisor to discuss your financial health and focus on the goals you want to achieve. So, what are a few key pieces of advice that some of our financial experts can offer? Check out my conversations with CJ Olsen from Fidelity Investments and Sabrina McGurr from CAPTRUST to learn from their insights. 

Conversation with CJ Olsen (Fidelity Investments):

What is the first step you would advise someone to take when wanting to focus on their financial health?

One of the best first steps is simply getting a clear picture of where you are today. At Fidelity, we often encourage people to start with a financial wellness checkup, looking at income, expenses, savings, debt, and workplace benefits all in one place. You don’t need a perfect plan right away; awareness alone can be incredibly powerful.

From there, focus on the fundamentals by building a spending plan, creating an emergency savings foundation, and making sure you are taking full advantage of UA benefits. This may include the voluntary 403(b) plan, in addition to the required ORP or ASRS retirement plans, if applicable.

It is recommended to exercise most days of the week, get 7+ hours of sleep each night, etc. How often should someone be focused on or taking steps regarding their financial health?

Financial health, like physical health, works best when it is maintained regularly, not just addressed during stressful moments. We encourage people to check in lightly with their finances at least on a monthly basis, such as reviewing spending or savings progress, and then do a more comprehensive review at least once a year. For some people, it may be helpful to review spending more frequently, such as with each paycheck. The key is staying present and engaged with your finances.

An annual financial checkup is a great opportunity to revisit goals, review retirement contributions, adjust for life changes, and make sure everything is still aligned. And just like with health, it is especially important to revisit your finances when something changes, such as starting a new job, getting a raise, or experiencing a major life event.

My role as a Workplace Financial Consultant with Fidelity is to meet with UA employees to help them do just that. I am available to meet virtually, by phone, or on campus.

Are there certain actions someone should take depending on where they are at in their career?

Absolutely. We see this often when working with University of Arizona employees whose roles, career paths, and benefits can vary. For someone early in their career, such as a newer staff or faculty member, the emphasis is usually on building strong financial fundamentals. This includes establishing a budget, managing student loan debt, building emergency savings, and contributing to the voluntary 403(b) plan in addition to their mandatory ASRS or ORP retirement plan.

I have had many one‑on‑one appointments where an employee has mentioned that they had no idea they could save beyond their required ASRS or ORP contributions. Many also express that they wish they had learned about the voluntary 403(b) option earlier, since it can be an effective way to increase long‑term retirement savings.

Mid-career employees, including long-tenured staff or faculty moving into leadership roles, often shift their focus toward increasing retirement contributions, balancing multiple financial goals, and making more intentional investment decisions. For employees later in their careers, conversations increasingly center on retirement readiness, including understanding income needs, healthcare considerations, and how a transition into retirement might look.

What is the one thing people are overthinking regarding their finances, and hat is the one thing that people are underthinking?

One area people often overthink is trying to time the market or waiting for the “perfect” moment to get started. We see UA employees delay saving or investing because they are waiting for a raise or for life to feel more settled. In reality, consistency over time tends to matter more than perfect timing.

On the other hand, people often underthink how powerful small actions can be. Increasing a retirement contribution by even one percent, setting up automatic savings, or meeting annually with a financial professional may not feel dramatic, but over time these habits can help improve financial confidence and long-term outcomes.

To schedule an appointment, visit www.fidelity.com/schedule and enter Arizona University System as the employer name. If you are more of a do-it-yourself type, you can also use Fidelity’s online tools at www.netbenefits.com/aus.

Conversation with Sabrina McGurr (CAPTRUST):

What is the first step you would advise someone to take when wanting to focus on their financial health?

Start with a snapshot and a 90-day cash flow baseline. Until you know where money is coming from,
where it’s going, and what you own vs. owe, every other move is guesswork. From there, you can work to prioritize your various financial goals and create actionable steps.

1. Snapshot: Review your net worth (assets minus liabilities), emergency fund status, outstanding debts and interest rates, current savings rates, and your top three financial goals with target dates.
2. 90-day cash flow baseline: Categorize spending over the past 90 days, then identify a few opportunities to redirect money toward your goals (for example, increasing retirement contributions by 1-2 percent to retirement or eliminating unused subscriptions).
3. Automate the basics: Set up automatic payments for bills, savings, and investment contributions so progress happens even on busy weeks.

From here, you can work to prioritize your financial goals and build clear, actionable next steps.

It is recommended to exercise most days of the week, get seven plus hours of sleep a night, etc. How often should someone be focused on or taking steps regarding their financial health?

Think of financial health like fitness: small, consistent reps usually beat occasional sprints.

1. Weekly (10–15 minutes):
   1. Review cash balances and upcoming bills.
   2. Confirm automated transfers posted correctly (savings, investing, debt payments).
2. Monthly (30–45 minutes):
   1. Categorize spending, adjust targets, and redirect any excess cash.
   2. Check progress toward a few short-term goals (for example, a trip fund or an upcoming vehicle purchase).
3. Quarterly (60–90 minutes):
   1. Review investments and rebalance if allocations are off target.
   2. Complete a tax tune-up (withholding or estimated payments), review employer benefits, and reassess savings rates.
4. Annually (2–3 hours):
   1. Refresh the full plan: goals, risk (insurance), estate documents, major purchases, and retirement projections.
   2. Address key decision windows such as open enrollment, bonus allocation, and salary deferral elections.

If there is a major life change, such as a new job, liquidity event, or significant purchase, consider adding an extra rep that week. Otherwise, let your automations do most of the work.

Are there certain actions someone should take depending on where they are in their career?

1. Early Career (0–7 years):
   1. Understand cash flow and identify a monthly surplus.
   2. Build an emergency fund equal to three to six months of expenses and eliminate high-interest debt.
   3. Capture the full employer match and aim for a total retirement savings rate of at 10-15 percent to start.
   4. Choose Roth vs. pretax contributions based on tax bracket and cash flow; once the match and emergency fund are in place, consider opening a taxable brokerage
      account.
   5. Explore additional tax-advantaged accounts, such as a health savings account (HAS), if eligible.
   6. Establish good credit habits and automate saving and investing.
2. Mid-Career (8–20 years):
   1. Increase total savings toward 15-25 percent across all accounts.
   2. Maximize tax-advantaged options (401(k), HSA, and backdoor Roth, if appropriate).
   3. Optimize equity compensation (grants, RSUs, ISOs), tax planning, and salary deferral elections across multiple years to smooth taxes and cash flow.
   4. Align investments with time horizons for major purchases (for example, a car, RV, or home upgrades) to avoid selling long-term assets at inopportune times.
3. Peak Earnings or Pre-Retirement (last 5–10 years):
   1. Stress-test your planned retirement date against different market scenarios and healthcare or long-term care needs.
   2. Manage sequence-of-returns risk by setting aside a few years of cash or short-term bonds for early retirement withdrawals.
   3. Optimize Social Security, pensions decisions, and withdrawal sequencing.
   4. Update estate plans, beneficiary designations, and charitable strategies, if applicable.
4. Retirement or Work-Optional:
   1. Transition from accumulation to a rules-based paycheck approach with structured withdrawals and guardrails.
   2. Manage required minimum distributions Roth conversions based on tax brackets.
   3. Continue monitoring key risks, including inflation, longevity, and healthcare.

The through-line: automate contributions early, then become increasingly tax- and risk-aware as financial complexity grows.

What is the one thing people are overthinking regarding their finances and what is the one thing that people are underthinking regarding their finances?

Overthinking:

• Market timing and micro-optimizations. Many people fixate on finding the perfect entry point, fund, or portfolio tweak. In reality, long-term outcomes are driven far more by time in market, savings rate, and staying invested. Over-customizing portfolios beyond what goals actually require can also create decision fatigue.

Underthinking:

• Cash flow design and decision calendars. People often underestimate the power of a simple cash system—clear spending, saving, and investing buckets—paired with a predictable decision rhythm (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually).
• Tax location and elections. Where assets are held (taxable, tax-deferred, or Roth) and when elections are made (for example, deferring compensation to 2028 vs. 2031) can create meaningful after-tax differences over time.
• Risk transfer. Insurance gaps, such as disability, umbrella, or long-term care coverage frequently go unaddressed until coverage is costly or no longer available.
• Behavioral guardrails. Automations, default settings, and pre-commitments help prevent off-track decisions during periods of stress or market volatility.

Now that you have an insight into what these financial experts can guide you on, take that next step and set up a one-on-one session with them and start focusing on your financial health now to benefit you in the future. You can also attend out the Live Q&A sessions I hold with these financial experts throughout the year. 

Financial Advisor Bios:

CJ Olsen, a Fidelity Workplace Financial Consultant, has more than 11 years with the company. He was previously a guidance consultant for Fidelity's Personal Investing Tax-Exempt Market. Mr. Olsen promoted financial wellness for plan participants through one-on-one planning and educational events. A Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor SM, investment advisor representative, registered securities representative, and licensed insurance representative, CJ holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Western Governors University. Investment advisor representatives are licensed with Strategic Advisers LLC (Strategic Advisors), a registered investment adviser, and registered with Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS), a registered broker-dealer. Whether a Fidelity representative provides advisory services through Strategic Advisers for a fee or brokerage services through FBS will depend on the products and services you choose. 

Sabrina McGurr is a wealth management financial advisor based in Bellevue, WA. Sabrina joined CAPTRUST in 2023 from Trutina Financial, where she worked for more than a decade. She now serves as a vice president, financial advisor, helping clients identify and prioritize their financial goals, optimize their investments, and create detailed roadmaps for retirement income. Sabrina makes complex topics, like tax planning and required minimum distributions, easy to understand.

Sabrina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from the University of Washington. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two children, Axel and Avery. She loves to travel and to be outside, especially when snowboarding, hiking, or playing water sports.

Disclosures

CAPTRUST Disclosures:

This content is provided for educational purposes only, and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to sell or an offer to buy securities, investment products, or investment advisory services. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. Nothing contained herein constitutes financial, legal, tax, or other advice. Consult your tax and legal professional for details on your situation.

Investment advisory services offered by CapFinancial Partners, LLC (“CAPTRUST” or "CAPTRUST Financial Advisors”), an investment advisor registered under The Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Fidelity Disclosures:

Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. 

Views expressed are as of the date indicated, based on the information available at that time, and may change based on market or other conditions. Unless otherwise noted, the opinions provided are those of the speaker or author and not necessarily those of Fidelity Investments or its affiliates. Fidelity does not assume any duty to update any of the information. 

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