One Page Financial Plan for High Earners in 2026

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Dan Pascone

TL;DR Answer Box: A one page financial plan for high earners is a single dashboard that shows what you own, what you owe, what is coming in (including equity compensation), what you are working toward, and what needs attention in the next 90 days. It is not a new app. It is a decision system that reduces guesswork and makes big moves easier to time and execute. Last updated: January 20, 2026

It is the first full business week of 2026. Your work dashboard is crisp. Revenue. Pipeline. Headcount. Every metric you need is right there, clean and current.

Then you think about your personal money.

Five different logins. A tax folder you meant to organize. That spreadsheet you started last year and never updated. Statements scattered across email. RSUs you meant to track. A 529 you think you opened.

You would never run a business this way. But this is how most high-income households run their money.

Why your money feels harder than your job in 2026

High income creates complexity, not clarity

As your income rises, the number of moving parts rises with it. More accounts. More tax decisions. More benefit elections. More equity events. More “should we do this now or later?” moments.

When those decisions are scattered, every big choice feels like a guess. Not because you are careless. Because there is no single source of truth.

The real cost of “no single source of truth”

The cost is not just disorganization. The cost is decision fatigue.

You delay moves that matter because they feel complicated.
You default into whatever your company plan does because it is easiest.
You miss timing windows because you only look at your money when something breaks.

A one page system is how you stop running your financial life in reactive mode.

What a one page financial plan for high earners is (and is not)

One page is a dashboard, not a spreadsheet

One page does not mean one account. It means one place where you can see what you have, what you owe, what is coming in, what you are working toward, and what needs attention this quarter.

This is not a product. It is a framework. Your one page is the dashboard that connects three things:

Your life outcomes: what you are building toward.
Your planning phases: cash flow, tax strategy, retirement, risk management, equity compensation, and estate planning.
Your time horizon: money organized by when you will need it.

What belongs on the page (and what does not)

The one page works because it is intentionally limited. You are building a decision dashboard, not an archive.

Belongs on the page:

Round-number balances by category.
Equity compensation shown separately (vested and unvested).
Time bands (what needs to be safe versus what can be long-term).
Three to five quarterly actions with an owner and month.

Does not belong on the page:

Every holding, every ticker, every lot.
Perfect tracking down to the dollar.
Long notes that you never read again.

If cash flow is the part that always gets messy, this is a strong companion read: Mastering Cash Flow Management & Expense Planning: A Guide to Long-Term Wealth.

Step 1: Anchor the page in life outcomes

The sentence that governs every decision

Before you list a single balance, write down three or four core outcomes for the next ten years. Real life outcomes that matter to you.

Work optional by our early 50s so we can choose projects, not need them.
Kids launch without student debt.
Travel internationally twice a year without guilt.
Build a legacy through giving and family wealth transfer.

Write one human sentence at the top of the page. That sentence becomes your filter for everything else.

Examples you can steal

Dual-income tech couple: “We want work to be optional by 52, help our kids launch without debt, and travel internationally twice a year without worrying about it.”

Corporate executive with older teens: “We want a clear path to phased retirement by 58, college fully funded, and flexibility to support aging parents if needed.”

Business owner thinking about an exit: “We want to sell the business within five years, maintain our lifestyle without working, and create a foundation for causes we care about.”

Everything else on the page flows from that sentence.

Step 2: Map your current money in four boxes

Assets, liabilities, and the two numbers that matter

Use ballpark values and round to the nearest $10,000. You are building a dashboard, not filing taxes.

Copy and paste this template:

1) Cash and short-term reserves: checking, high-yield savings, money market. Total: $___
2) Retirement and long-term accounts: 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, HSA. Total: $___
3) Taxable and equity accounts: brokerage, 529, real estate equity, company stock, RSUs, ESPP, options. Total: $___
4) Debt and obligations: mortgage, HELOC, student loans, other loans. Total: $___

Then show two summary numbers:

Total assets: $___
Net worth (assets minus debt): $___

How to show concentrated stock and equity compensation clearly

This is where high earners get blindsided. Concentration risk can hide inside “net worth” because the number looks big, but the underlying risk is lopsided.

Add two lines under your “Taxable and equity accounts” section:

Company stock (vested): $___ and ___% of net worth
RSUs (unvested, next 12 months): $___ estimated value

Keep it simple. You are not trying to predict stock price. You are trying to make the concentration visible so you can make intentional decisions.

If you want a structured way to diversify while dealing with trading windows and compliance constraints, a 10b5-1 plan may be part of the conversation, depending on eligibility and your company policy. Start here: 10b5-1 Plans for RSUs: From Legal Protection to Long-Term Diversification.

Step 3: Connect money to time (your real risk control)

Risk is not volatility. Risk is not having money when you need it.

Your one page system should connect money to time so you are not forced to sell long-term assets to fund near-term needs.

The four time bands

Band 1 (next 1 to 2 years): emergency fund, known expenses, tax payments you can see coming. Target: $___
Band 2 (next 3 to 7 years): college starting soon, home renovation, planned move, sabbatical. Target: $___
Band 3 (next 8 to 15 years): work-optional transition, phased retirement, business reinvention. Target: $___
Band 4 (15+ years): long-term retirement, legacy, long-horizon giving. Target: $___

Where RSUs, options, and 529s fit

Equity compensation is not “extra.” For many executives, it is the main wealth engine. So it should be assigned roles just like every other dollar.

RSUs and company stock: assign an intended purpose for expected sales (taxes, near-term goals, diversification, long-term investing). Keep the rule simple and revisit quarterly.
Options: track key dates (expiration, vesting schedule) and the decision window that matters. The one page should capture the next decision point, not every detail.
529 plans: assign them to the time band when the first tuition bill is expected, then invest and fund accordingly.

If 529 planning is a priority in 2026, this is a helpful guide: Beyond Saving for College: 529 Plans as Strategic Legacy Planning Tools for High Earners.

Quick diagnostic questions that reveal misalignment

Is money you need in the next two years exposed to meaningful market swings?
Is your “college money” accidentally invested like your “retirement money”?
Is your company stock percentage rising without a plan?
Do you have a clear bridge from “today” to “work optional”?

If you want one simple win, start by making the next two years safe. That single move can eliminate a lot of anxiety and prevent forced selling.

Step 4: Build quarterly actions that actually move the needle

The 3 to 5 action rule

A good one page dashboard always ends with clear actions for the next 90 days. Limit this to three to five moves.

Each action should have a month and an owner. If it does not, it will drift.

A Q1 2026 example action list

January (You): Set 401(k) deferral to hit the 2026 limit, if cash flow supports it. The IRS announced the elective deferral limit is $24,500 for 2026, subject to plan rules and eligibility.
February (You and tax pro): Review withholding and estimated taxes based on bonus and equity events expected this year.
February (You and counsel, if applicable): Evaluate whether a 10b5-1 plan is appropriate for systematic diversification, subject to company policy.
March (Partner): Confirm 529 account setup and an automatic monthly contribution.
March (Both): Review beneficiaries across retirement accounts and insurance policies.

If tax-smart giving is part of your plan this year, donor-advised funds can be useful in the right situation, subject to eligibility and your tax picture. Here is a practical overview: Donor-Advised Funds: The Tax-Smart Way to Give.

Step 5: Keep it alive with a light cadence

Monthly, quarterly, annually

Monthly (10 minutes): update major changes, check progress on quarterly actions.
Quarterly (60 minutes): refresh rounded balances, review equity concentration, set the next 3 to 5 actions.
Annually (half day): re-check life outcomes, recalibrate targets, plan the year ahead.

The couple’s money meeting script

If you are partnered, make this a recurring money meeting. Start with the one page and ask:

What changed since last month?
What did we complete?
What is the next decision window (bonus, vest, tax payment)?
What do we want the next 90 days to accomplish?

Ten minutes with a clear dashboard beats two hours of vague stress.

Common mistakes

Turning the one page into a junk drawer

If your one page becomes a place where you dump every financial detail, it stops being useful. The job is clarity. Keep it tight and scannable.

Hiding equity risk in “total net worth”

Many high earners feel fine because their net worth number is large, but they do not realize one stock is driving the majority of outcomes.

Make company stock visible. Show it as a percent of net worth. Then decide what “too much” means for your household.

Confusing activity with progress

More accounts, more apps, more spreadsheets is not progress. Progress is a short list of actions that move you toward the life sentence at the top of your page.

Action steps

Build your first draft in 30 minutes

Write your one-sentence life outcome for the next ten years.
Fill out the four boxes with rounded numbers.
Add the time bands and assign rough targets.
Choose three to five actions for the next 90 days with a month and owner.

Upgrade it into a professional-grade system

The reason most high earners do not maintain this is not intelligence. It is bandwidth.

Professional-grade planning connects the dashboard to projections: cash flow modeling, multi-year tax views, equity strategy, and scenario testing for career shifts, exits, and early work-optional timelines.

If you want the mindset behind control-first planning, this is a good next read: Reduce Financial Stress with a Control-First Playbook.

Key Takeaways

A one page financial plan for high earners is a decision dashboard, not a detailed spreadsheet.
Start with life outcomes, then map assets, liabilities, time bands, and quarterly actions.
Make equity compensation and company stock visible so concentration risk cannot hide.
Use a 90-day action list to turn clarity into execution.
Keep it alive with a light cadence, not a perfection standard.

Facts/FAQ

What should be on a one page financial plan for high earners?

At minimum: a one-sentence life outcome, four boxes (cash, retirement, taxable and equity, debt), time bands (1 to 2, 3 to 7, 8 to 15, 15+ years), and a short list of quarterly actions. Use rounded numbers so the page stays easy to maintain.

How do I include RSUs and company stock without overcomplicating it?

List vested company stock as a separate line with an approximate value and a percent of net worth. List unvested RSUs as an estimated next 12-month value. Then add a simple rule for what happens at each vest (for example: taxes first, goals next, diversification next), subject to trading restrictions and eligibility.

How often should I update my one page financial dashboard?

Monthly is enough for most households. The goal is to catch meaningful changes and stay ahead of decision windows. Do a deeper review quarterly, especially if you have equity events, large bonuses, or upcoming tax payments.

What is the difference between tracking net worth and having a financial operating system?

Net worth tracking tells you a number. An operating system tells you what the numbers mean, how they connect to time, and what to do next. The action list is the difference between information and execution.

Where do I start if I have 20+ accounts?

Start with the one page, not consolidation. Get the categories and the big numbers in place first. Once you have clarity, you can decide which accounts to simplify. At Tailored Wealth, we often use automation and coordinated planning to keep the dashboard current so it stays useful even when life gets busy.

Internal Links

Mastering Cash Flow Management & Expense Planning: Helps you stabilize the cash flow box so the page stays accurate.
10b5-1 Plans for RSUs: A deeper dive on systematic diversification, subject to eligibility and policy constraints.
529 Plans as Strategic Legacy Planning Tools: Connects education funding to the right time band.
Donor-Advised Funds: The Tax-Smart Way to Give: If giving is part of your plan, this supports quarterly action planning.
Reduce Financial Stress with a Control-First Playbook: Reinforces the mindset that reduces anxiety and improves follow-through.

External Links

CTA

If you want clarity in 2026, do not add another app. Build one clear view.

Do this today: take 30 minutes and create your first draft using the template above. Then schedule a 60-minute quarterly review on your calendar right now, before the year gets away from you.

If you want help building a professional-grade one page financial operating system (and keeping it updated through equity events, tax planning, and major life changes), Tailored Wealth can be the partner in the middle. A good next step is to read this and decide whether DIY or a coordinated advisor relationship fits your situation: DIY vs. Financial Advisor: Which Wealth Strategy Works for You in 2025?.

The portfolio is not the plan. The portfolio serves the plan. And the plan serves the life you are building.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and is not individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Any strategies discussed may not be appropriate for your situation and may depend on eligibility, timing, and your full financial and tax picture.