Between the holidays, travel, and time with family, the final weeks of the year often come with a full calendar. However, it's also a good time to take a quick look at your finances and see whether a few thoughtful adjustments could benefit you now and into the year ahead.
Revisit Your Health Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
If you contribute to a Flexible Spending Account, remember that these funds are generally use-it-or-lose-it. Any remaining balance typically needs to be spent by year-end. Reviewing your account now can help ensure you don’t leave money on the table. Eligible expenses may include medical, dental, vision, or certain over-the-counter items.
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
If you’re enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, an HSA can be a powerful long-term planning tool. Families can contribute up to $8,550 this year, and contributions are tax-deductible. Unlike an FSA, HSA funds roll over from year to year, allowing unused dollars to grow over time. This can be especially valuable as healthcare costs often increase later in life.
Look for Year-End Tax Planning Opportunities
Tax-Loss Harvesting
If you have investments that declined in value, year-end may be an opportunity to review whether those losses can be used strategically. In some cases, investment losses may help offset future capital gains or a portion of your ordinary income. This may also be a chance to discard investments that no longer align with your long-term goals and replace them with alternatives that better fit your strategy.
Funding Tax-Advantaged Accounts
Contributing to tax-advantaged accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), or HSA can potentially reduce your taxable income while strengthening your long-term savings. Reviewing your contributions before year-end can help ensure you’re making the most of this year’s limits.
Review Beneficiary Designations
Life changes, and your accounts should reflect that. Events such as marriage, divorce, children reaching adulthood, the passing of a loved one, or updated estate documents are all reasons to review beneficiary designations. This applies to retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and employer-provided benefits. These designations often override wills, making it especially important to keep them current.
Make Sure Your Estate Documents Still Fit Your Life
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives are not “set it and forget it” documents. A move to a new state, changes in assets, or evolving family dynamics may all warrant an update. Year-end is a good time to confirm your documents still reflect your wishes and provide clarity for those you care about most.
Commit to Learning One New Thing
Finally, not everything has to be about dollars and spreadsheets. Committing to learn something new, whether it’s related to personal finance or not, keeps life interesting and encourages growth. Cooking, fitness, art, or learning a new language can all spark new energy going into the new year.
Closing thoughts
A little planning now can go a long way. Year-end doesn’t have to mean overhauling your finances. Sometimes, it’s just about making sure the basics are in place and aligned with where you’re headed next.
