What are the four major categories of financial goals?

The identification of short-term, medium-term, long-term, and retirement goals effectively delineates the timeline and nature of various financial objectives individuals may set.

Short-term goals typically span one year or less and often encompass immediate needs such as emergency funds or minor purchases. Medium-term goals usually range from one to five years and can include expenses like a down payment for a home or funding for a significant vacation. Long-term goals extend beyond five years and often involve significant financial planning, such as saving for a child’s education or planning for major life milestones.

Retirement goals are specifically focused on the financial preparations necessary to sustain one’s lifestyle post-employment. This encompasses saving and investing strategies tailored to ensure individuals have adequate resources to maintain their standard of living during retirement.

The other options introduce terms or categories that do not comprehensively represent the framework of financial goals in a structured manner. For example, philanthropic goals, although important, are considered a subset of financial planning rather than a distinct category. Immediate and annual goals also lack the clarity and structured timeline that the other categories offer, while investment, savings, expenditure, and retirement goals represent more specific activities rather than overarching categories. Each of these elements plays a key role in achieving financial stability but do not fully encompass