What to Do in 2026 Before the Year Does Anything to You

A new year doesn’t fix everything, but it does offer a chance to hit the refresh button. After shaking off the last of 2025, consider a few of these simple steps to set yourself up for a strong, steady 2026.

1. Revisit Your Emergency Fund

Think of your emergency fund as a financial shock absorber: It’s the cash that keeps unexpected events from rattling the rest of your life. Does your emergency reserve still fit your current job situation, housing, and healthcare costs? Do you have family changes or special expenses coming in the next 2–3 years, like a home repair or a down payment?

That money should be set aside in something slow and steady, like FDIC-insured accounts, money market funds, or short-term bond funds. Emergency funds have a way of shrinking when you’re not looking, so if your savings have drifted below your target level, reach out to your Forum advisor to discuss how to rebuild over the next year.

2. Lock the Doors on Your Financial Data

At this point, you may as well figure that your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, hometown, and where you went to elementary school are for sale somewhere on the internet. Your pet’s name and first car? Probably out there, too.

While you can’t prevent identity theft altogether, you can make it hard for the bad guys (“threat actors” in cyberspeak) to impersonate you online. If you make it hard enough, they’re more likely to move on to someone else.

• Use two-factor authentication wherever possible, but particularly on your email, social media, and financial accounts. Email is the most important to lock down. It’s like the front door to your financial life. If the website or app gives you the option, use an authentication app such as Google Authenticator or Authy. Using an authentication app is more secure than getting a numerical code via text message.
• Set up an IRS Identity Protection PIN. If you already have one, you can log in to the IRS website to access a new IP PIN created for the current year.
• Freeze your credit at all three major credit bureaus. You will need to temporarily unfreeze (or “thaw”) your credit file when you plan to borrow or open credit lines, but the minor inconvenience is worth the security.
• Put down roadblocks for anybody but you to open financial accounts in your name. Put freezes on your ChexSystems and LexisNexis files.

After you get your own freezes in place, do the same for minor children, and encourage the rest of your family, too. Be a nudge if you have to. Maybe they’ll even thank you someday.

3. Review Retirement Account Contributions (Especially Catch-Up Contributions if You’re 50+)

Starting in 2026, many higher-earning employees (defined as those with FICA wages of $150,000 or more in 2025) who make catch-up contributions to 401(k) and 403(b) accounts will be required to make those contributions as Roth, not pre-tax. That means these extra contributions will no longer lower your taxable income for the year, and you may see your take-home pay drop a bit compared with prior years.

If you haven’t heard how your employer will handle this, check with payroll or benefits so there are no surprises.

Retirement plan contribution rules are complex and full of exceptions. For example, this new rule does not apply to IRAs. Lean on your Forum advisor to make sense of it.

4. Save Your Charity Receipts in 2026

Among the many new tax laws this year: Beginning in 2026, people who take the standard deduction can deduct up to $1,000 in charitable gifts of cash ($2,000 for married couples). If you donate during the year, hang on to your receipts and gift acknowledgment letters. You’ll be able to report those gifts at tax time.

5. Review Your Homeowners or Renters Insurance

Rebuilding costs have shot up in recent years, and many people don’t realize their coverage hasn’t kept up. Make sure your dwelling coverage is sufficient for what it would cost to rebuild today. A simple way to check: Divide your dwelling coverage amount by your square footage to see how many dollars per square foot you’re insured for. Have a quick conversation with your insurance agent or a local contractor to help you gauge whether you’re on track.

Also, ask your agent if your policy pays replacement cost rather than Actual Cash Value. Replacement cost provides far better protection, but it’s not always included automatically. Actual Cash Value is insurance-speak for “we’ll give you enough to replace it with something from the thrift shop.”

6. Update Beneficiary Designations and Estate Documents

Have you done your estate planning? Bravo! But when was the last time you reviewed your will or trust? Major life changes can make older documents out of date. Review beneficiaries on retirement accounts, insurance policies, and transfer‑on‑death accounts. If it’s been a few years, consider a check‑in with your attorney. Even if you don’t need a redo, consider a partial refresh. Financial institutions (especially banks and insurance companies) can get crabby about accepting Power of Attorney documents more than a few years old.

Start with one or two of these action items and go from there. Consider it the financial version of a closet overhaul, minus the trek to The Container Store. Who’s to say it won’t spark joy?