Money Matters: 7 Things to Check Before Year End

by CLINT GHARIB, AIF®, CFEd®

December has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute it’s summer, then suddenly we’re talking about Christmas plans, football playoffs and wondering where the year went.

Before 2026 disappears completely, here are seven financial things worth checking. None are complicated. Most take just a few minutes. A few could save money—or prevent a much bigger headache later.

1. Check your beneficiaries.
   Retirement accounts and life insurance generally pass according to the beneficiary form on file. If life has changed—marriage, divorce, death, children, grandchildren—make sure those forms still reflect what you actually want.
2. Look for forgotten retirement accounts.
   People change jobs and sometimes leave 401(k)s, pensions or other benefits behind. Check old employers and use the Department of Labor’s Retirement Savings Lost and Found database. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation also has a search tool for certain missing pension benefits.
3. Check your credit reports.
   Identity theft often shows up there before anywhere else. Review your reports for accounts or activity you don’t recognize. You can also consider freezing your credit, which can make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name.
4. Review recurring charges.
   Take one bank statement and one credit-card statement and look for subscriptions, memberships or services you no longer use. Ten dollars here and twenty dollars there can add up surprisingly fast.

Death by $9.99 a month is still death.

5. Make sure someone knows where everything is.
   If you were unexpectedly unavailable tomorrow, would your spouse or family know where to find your insurance policies, estate documents, financial accounts and professional contacts?

They don’t necessarily need passwords. They do need a roadmap.

6. Ask whether your estate documents still fit your life.
   Have you moved? Married? Divorced? Added grandchildren? Sold property? Has your executor, trustee or power of attorney changed?

You may not need to change anything, but outdated documents are worth finding before they become a problem.

7. Take a financial snapshot.
   Once a year, write down what you own, what you owe, where accounts are held and who your key contacts are. Keep it somewhere secure and update it each December.

Think of it as your financial family photo. You hope nobody needs it unexpectedly, but if they do, you’ll be glad it exists.

You may not uncover $1,200 waiting for you like I did with unclaimed property (Sept issue), but spending an hour on these seven checks  may be worth far more than an hour spent trying to predict next year’s hottest stock.

Sometimes the best financial move isn’t finding something new.

It’s making sure what you already have is organized, protected and doing what you intended.

If the current market environment—or the changing policy landscape—has left you questioning whether your portfolio is positioned appropriately for what comes next, it may be worthwhile to get a second opinion. A thoughtful review can often uncover opportunities—and risks—that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Opinions expressed are that of the author and are not endorsed by the named broker/dealer or its affiliates. All information herein has been prepared solely for informational purposes and should not be considered legal or tax advice. It is not an offer to buy, sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument to participate in any particular trading strategy and is not intended to provide, & should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax professional regarding your specific situation. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Certain statements contained within are forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Oxford Retirement Advisors is an independent firm with Securities and Advisory services offered through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC (“MAS”), member FINRA/SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor. Oxford Retirement Advisors and MAS are not affiliated entities