Don’t forget your other holiday list.
This time of year we’ve all got lists – for gift shopping, party invites, ingredients for Grandma’s famous bread pudding. But it’s worth spending time on another list – your year-end financial checklist. Just a few minutes can help you get your house in order so you’re all ready for 2024.
Spend down your Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
These tax-deferred plans for medical expenses are great – until November rolls around and it’s time to use it or lose it. Check your remaining balance and submit your receipts. If you still have dollars left to spend, take the family to get eyeglasses or dental work.
Make Your Giving Plans.
Your charitable contributions – both cash and donated items – are tax-deductible, but you need to make your gift by December 31st. If you want to write a check to your favorite causes, now is the time. And if you’re looking to clean out your closets or bookshelves, check It’s Deductible or other websites to get the IRS-appropriate value for your donations.
Rebalance Your Portfolio.
Financial advisors stress the importance of balancing your stock portfolio to match your time horizon and risk tolerance. But as your holdings rise and fall over time, you’ll need to rebalance periodically to stay on track. The end of the year is a great time to reset, because if you sell any stocks that have lost value during the year you may be able to claim a tax loss.
Max Out Your 401(k).
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to make sure you’ve put as much as you can into your retirement plan – especially if your employer matches your contributions. Either way, you can contribute the money tax-deferred. It’s a smart move you’ll feel good about once the holidays give way to tax season.
Make a 529 Contribution.
Talk about a win-win! Your child or grandchild gets tax-free money for college and you can write off your contributions.
Update Your Emergency Contacts.
If it’s been a while since you looked at your emergency contacts, take a minute to double-check them. Make sure your contacts have not changed their phone number or other information or no longer live nearby.
Add a Legacy Contact to your iPhone.
If you’re an iPhone user, you can now add a Legacy Contact. This is the easiest, most secure way to give someone you trust access to the data (including photos, messages, notes, files, apps you’ve downloaded, device backups, and more) stored in your Apple account after your death. To set up your Legacy Contact, just do this:
- Go to Settings, then tap your name
- Tap Password & Security, then tap Legacy Contact
- Tap Add Legacy Contact, and enter the name of the person you want to designate
Get a new calendar.
This one is a no-brainer, but as long as you’re getting ready for the New Year, pick up a new calendar and fill in all the recurring appointments, due dates, and other time-sensitive events that you’ll be carrying forward with you for another year.