As many of your New Year’s Resolutions are off to a great start, don’t forget to include a plan to ensure you are also fiscally fit in 2019, follow us through the seasons for tips in every season. The following has market closures, important dates, and tips to ensuring that 2019 is your best year yet. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
WINTER 2019
A plan for all seasons
THE APPEAL OF A CLEAN SLATE
The momentum of a fresh start makes the new year an ideal time to get things in order in your life and your finances. Schedule some time to check in on your accounts, organize tax documents, automate bill paying and go paperless to simplify things and set yourself up for success.
WINTER 2019: MARKET CLOSURES
- Tuesday, January 1: New Year’s Day
- Monday, January 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Monday, February 18: Presidents Day
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
☐ Tuesday, January 15: Fourth quarter estimated payments are due, if required.
☐ Thursday, January 31: Raymond James mails year-end retirement tax forms for 1099-R and 5498, if applicable.
☐ Friday, February 15: Raymond James begins mailing 1099 tax statements.
☐ Thursday, February 28: Raymond James mails amended 1099s and those delayed due to specific holdings and/or income reallocation. March 15 is the final day to mail any original 1099s and continued amended 1099s as needed.
PLANNING TO-DO’S
☐ Consolidate and cut clutter: Sign up for Client Access to view your account online and go paperless. Then, organize your personal and financial documents by uploading them to Vault, our secure online file-sharing platform.
☐ Revisit retirement: Confirm that employer retirement plan contributions take advantage of any available employer match. Maximize IRA contributions early in the year so they have more time to potentially generate tax-deferred gains; you have until mid-April to do so for the previous year. If you are 50 or older, ask your advisor about catch-up contributions.
☐ Optimize health spending: If you participate in a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), review your contribution levels to take full advantage – without exceeding applicable limits. If you have an FSA, use available funds before your plan’s use-it-or-lose-it deadline if there is one.
☐ Do a budget gut-check: Have new expenses that must be factored into your financial plan? Conduct a cash flow and liquidity analysis to make sure you’re in good shape. Then prioritize how you’ll apply available savings, whether it’s to pay down high-interest debt, build or maintain an emergency fund, or increase retirement savings.
☐ Prepare for fuss-free filing: Keep your tax documents organized as they arrive so you’re prepared to file. Talk to your advisor about coordinating with your tax professional to ensure everything is in order.