More than half of Americans plan to reduce debt and increase savings in 2012, according to a survey by  TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. To help consumers along, the company came up with its top five financial strategies for the new year.

The first is that investors should keep an eye on their investment portfolios and make adjustments as necessary. The company recommends investors reallocate one-third of their money in January, another third in February and the final third in March. Then continue this pattern of reviewing and/or reallocating one-third of their portfolio each month.

"This strategy helps long-term investors develop good investing habits and avoids the 'set it and forget it' mentality by keeping them constantly engaged in their portfolio," said JJ Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist, TD Ameritrade. "Rather than adjusting their entire portfolio at once, they can adjust one-third of it at a time – so it's still a long-term portfolio that benefits from short-term changes."