The Situation

What Perfectionism Costs in Finance

Financial perfectionism manifests as: waiting for the 'right time' to invest, researching the optimal fund until months pass, delaying the estate plan until the documentation is complete, starting the budget after a better month. Each delay has a real cost that is difficult to see in the moment and impossible to recover later.

In financial decisions, the cost of waiting for perfect is almost always higher than the cost of starting with good enough today.

— Worthune Decision Framework

• You've been planning to start investing, open a 529, create a will, or address a specific financial issue for more than 6 months without acting
• You've researched a financial decision extensively but haven't implemented it
• You feel that the conditions need to be right before you can begin working toward a financial goal