Now is the sweet spot, after the elections and before the year-end holiday crunch, to do some financial planning and organization. This is the quiet time for accountants and financial advisors, so you can easily get their attention. And late fall weekends are the perfect time to do that since most of the exciting sports playoffs are behind us — or far ahead. You have no excuses!

Here’s a checklist:

—Take your 2026 RMD.

Did you take your required minimum distribution from your retirement account(s) during the year? Remember, it was calculated based on the value of all your retirement accounts at the end of last year, 2025. Don’t wait for the last minute to contact your retirement account custodian. Remember, RMDs from old 401(k)s must be taken separately from your IRAs. IRA withdrawals can be made from one or more accounts, as long as the required total is met. (The exception: If you’re over 73 but still working for the company, you don’t have to take an RMD from that 401(k) plan.)

—Double-check your tax withholdings.

Did you have income taxes withheld from your RMDs? If not, you may owe a hefty tax bill — and face a penalty — if you don’t do some calculations and make an estimated tax payment now. RMDs, Roth conversions, and even your Social Security may move your income into a required estimated tax payment. Your accountant likely has free time, so this is the moment to figure out the bill — instead of waiting until next April. At the same time, you can do some planning for quarterly estimates in 2027.

—Make charitable contributions.

In the next few weeks, you’ll receive solicitations from many charities. Now is the time to make a list so your money goes to qualified institutions, not those with heartbreaking pleas but high expenses. Do a bit of research on CharityNavigator.org to find well-run, good causes.

And if you’re subject to an RMD but really don’t need the money to live on, you can ask your custodian to send a contribution to a recognized charity directly from your IRA. That will reduce your RMD and help the charity. But don’t wait until the last minute when the custodians are jammed with requests.

—Check your beneficiaries.

If you have several IRAs or other retirement accounts, as well as life insurance policies, this is the time to double check that you’ve named the correct beneficiaries. All kinds of life situations change over the years. Grandchildren might be adults by now, and be deserving recipients. Older beneficiaries might no longer need the money, or might not be capable of managing it. You can change beneficiaries on the custodian’s website in a matter of minutes.

—Update your revocable living trust.

If you have a RLT or a traditional will, this is the time to make updates. It’s easier and less expensive to make changes to a RLT, but your new instructions will still have to be witnessed and notarized. So plan ahead to review your old documents and get the process started. Similarly, you’ll want to update your healthcare power of attorney if your trusted friend has aged or moved away.

Still don’t have an estate plan? You know they say the only sure things are “death and taxes.” And death is surer! If you don’t have an estate planning attorney, go to www.search-attorneys.com or NAELA.org (the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys). Both websites have search features so you can find a qualified professional in your state of residence.

—Check your homeowners and auto insurance.

Are you receiving all the discounts to which you’re entitled — especially if you’ve moved into the “senior” category? It’s worth asking. And if you insure your car separately from your home or condo, this is the time to shop around and make sure you’re getting the best deal by bundling them. When comparing annual costs, be sure you’re comparing the same “deductible” amount. Raising your deductible can save you money — but leave you more exposed in case of a loss.

—Check your health insurance for the year ahead.

Seniors already know about the responsibilities of Open Enrollment. (See the articles at TerrySavage.com.) But if you are covered at work, this is the time to make decisions about contributions to a health savings account — or perhaps spending the money in a flex spending account before it goes away at year-end. Corporations are facing big premium increases, so your coverage is likely to change. Stay on top of any important decisions for the new year.

If you’re under 65 and your company doesn’t provide health insurance, you’ve likely been impacted by cutbacks to subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Those cutbacks priced health insurance out of reach for many working families. It’s still worth checking 2027 options at Healthcare.gov. If you apply, and meet qualifications, they might send you to register for your state’s Medicaid program.

And if you work for a small business that can’t afford a health insurance plan, check out my recent column on a new opportunity for small biz to provide great health plans at no cost to the company. Deadline is December 15.

You know the busy holiday season is coming quickly, so don’t procrastinate on these important tasks. Time flies. And that’s The Savage Truth.

©2026 Terry Savage. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.