The article is devoted to the consideration of the stages of strategic targeting based on the SWOT analysis. The article discusses the shortcomings of the classical matrix and coordinate approaches to conducting a SWOT analysis. The author proposes the introduction of a targeted approach to increase the practical value of this type of analysis.

Within the modern economic environment, Russia has faced a number of problems. In this regard, it becomes important for state authorities to focus on the issues of ensuring the state’s financial security. The article aims to define the method of as-sessing the state’s financial security level. The following scientific research methods are used in the paper: the deductive method is used to comprehend the general theories, the essence and the meaning of the state’s financial security; the method of analysis is used to describe the theory and practice of the state’s financial security; and the method of synthesis is used to obtain the summarized results of the research, to formulate conclusions and general statements regarding the problems of the state’s financial security and the methods of its assessment. The scientific justification of the identified problems and the development of the theory and method-ology is carried out based on the principles of the system approach. The system of financial security indicators that reflects the criti-cal points of the financial system and the financial relations in the Russian Federation must comprise the security indicators of the budget and tax system, the banking and credit system, and the currency and monetary system. It should be noted that in order to determine threats and destabilizing factors in advance, a comprehensive system of financial security indicators should be formed and adequate threshold limit values for those should be calculated. It should be emphasized that implicit usage of other authors’ methods to calculate the financial security level, as well as adhering to benchmarks only are not sufficient to conduct a comprehensive analy-sis of the state’s financial security.