6 Retirement Moves To Make Before the End of 2026
The end of the year is a natural time to take stock of your retirement plan — but that means more than simply checking your account balance. From maximizing contributions to reviewing taxes and required withdrawals, several moves may be easier or more valuable if you make them before 2026 ends.
The key is to consider those decisions together rather than tackling each one in isolation. Here are six retirement moves financial experts suggest putting on your year-end checklist.
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1. Check Whether You’re Still on Track
Start with the big picture before making individual tax or investment moves. Review whether your current savings, investments and expected retirement income still support your goals, particularly if your income, expenses or retirement timeline changed during 2026.
Andy Evans, a certified financial planner (CFP) at Edward Jones, recommends focusing on three areas as the year ends: “Making sure their plans still reflect their goals, identifying savings gaps and taking advantage of year-end tax opportunities.”
Christina Mehltretter, a certified public accountant (CPA), financial advisor and COO at Carolinas Financial and Retirement Planning, cautioned against considering each financial move separately.
“Retirees and pre-retires may want to not only ask, ‘What can I do before Dec. 31,’ and also ask, ‘How do these decisions work together within my broader retirement plan?’”
2. Max Out Retirement Contributions If You Can
Check your year-to-date workplace retirement contributions while there’s still time to increase payroll deferrals. For 2026, workers can contribute up to $24,500 to most 401(k), 403(b) and governmental 457 plans, according to the IRS.
Those age 50 and older can generally contribute another $8,000, while workers ages 60 through 63 have a higher $11,250 catch-up limit. The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500, with an additional $1,100 available to those 50 and older.
For plans subject to the SECURE 2.0 Roth catch-up rule, workers whose 2025 wages from the sponsoring employer exceeded $150,000 generally must make 2026 catch-up contributions on a Roth basis, per Fidelity.
Evans suggested directing a portion of future raises or bonuses toward retirement savings “before that extra income becomes part of their regular spending habits.”
Workplace salary deferrals generally need to go through payroll by Dec. 31, while IRA contributions can generally be made by the tax filing deadline, he noted.
3. Rebalance Your Portfolio — With Taxes in Mind
When some investments rise sharply or perform very differently from others, your portfolio can shift away from the mix you originally intended. Before 2027, Evans recommended confirming that the allocation still matches the investor’s risk tolerance and long-term objectives, then consider whether rebalancing is necessary.
He also suggested reviewing possible tax-harvesting opportunities before year-end. That could include selling investments that have declined in value to offset taxable gains elsewhere in the portfolio, or strategically realizing gains in a year when an investor is in a lower tax bracket.
Mehltretter also pointed out that people approaching retirement should think about when they’ll need different portions of their portfolio. Money needed relatively soon may call for a different allocation than assets intended to remain invested another 20 years.
4. Decide Whether a Roth Conversion Makes Sense
Before Dec. 31, consider whether converting some traditional retirement money to a Roth account fits your long-term tax plan. A Roth conversion can be worth evaluating during a relatively low-income year or during the window after retirement but before required minimum distributions (RMDs) begin.
Evans said “the decision often comes down to balancing today's tax cost against future tax flexibility and potential long-term tax savings.” But conversions add taxable income in the year they’re made, so bonuses, investment income and other income sources need to be considered before choosing an amount.
5. Make a Plan for Your RMDs
Retirees shouldn’t wait until the final days of December to determine what they still need to withdraw, Evans said. Check how much you’re required to take, how much you’ve already withdrawn and what you intend to do with the money.
Mehltretter said her firm aims to complete clients’ required minimum distribution (RMD) planning before Thanksgiving rather than leaving it until late December.
For charitably inclined retirees, this is also a good time to explore qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). A QCD is generally a direct transfer from an IRA to an eligible charity for an IRA owner age 70½ or older and it can count toward all or part of an RMD. Evans said these could reduce taxable income for retirees who already plan to give to charity.
6. Build Your 2027 Retirement Income Picture
Finally, consider how your assets will eventually become retirement income. For people five to 10 years from retirement, list expected income sources such as Social Security, pensions, 401(k) accounts, IRAs, Roth accounts, and taxable investments, then look for potential gaps.
“The goal is to think about how these assets may eventually turn into income that you will live on in retirement,” Mehltretter said.
People nearing retirement should also consider how their income choices could interact with Social Security taxation, earnings limits and Medicare income-related surcharges, according to Evans.
Evans offers one final recommendation that isn't directly about money: “Reflect on the experiences and events that brought you joy and those that created stress this year.” The next step, he said, is to ask “whether your money and your time are aligned with what's most important to you and where a few intentional changes could make the coming year more fulfilling.”
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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