How much have you been saving? Are you pretty good about putting away 10-15% from each paycheck? Are you saving on a regular basis (think: automation)? And can you beef up that emergency fund at all? Just something to think about.
After all, if something does go wrong and you suddenly face unexpected expenses, you don’t want to put those on a high-interest credit card.
Retirement
Are you in a company-sponsored plan? And are you contributing enough to this plan? Could you bump up those contributions a notch or two?
To see where you’re at, how your investments are performing, and how much you’re paying in fees (which could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars in lost earnings by the time you retire) take a look at your most recent statement and then consider making changes if you think you can do better.
Credit
If you haven’t checked your credit in a while, there’s no time like the present. You’re entitled to this report once a year, for free. Get yours now, on freecreditscore.com. Once you do, be sure to look things over carefully as errors can and do occur, possibly resulting in you being denied credit altogether.
Investment
The good news is that the broad market is up again this year — continuing a bull run that has tripled your equity stake since 2009. The problem is, investment success often brings with it a growing exposure to risk. Is this risk too much for you to tolerate?
Review your portfolio and consider making adjustments if you think your exposure to certain assets has grown uncomfortably high.
Taxes
It’s never too soon to start planning for next tax year. Waiting until the last minute to get your paperwork together (receipts, records, etc.) often ends up costing you, particularly if you miss out on money-saving credits or deductions.
Also, you can easily track any charitable donations you make now with the TurboTax ItsDeductible online and mobile app, which will help you take advantage of deductions and credits come tax time. Now is also a good time to review your withholding to make sure you’re having the proper amount withheld.
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