December is busy enough without trying to audit your entire financial life between white elephant parties and taste testing cookie recipes. So, instead, I put together a list of small, high-impact money tasks you can knock out in less time than it takes to reheat leftovers. These quick check-ins help you close out the year on a confident note and give you time for another cozy movie night.
Here are five year-end moves that take under 10 minutes each but can set you up for a stronger, smoother start to 2026.
- Check Your HSA or FSA Balance
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), now’s the time to log in and see what’s left.
- HSAs roll over indefinitely, but you may still want to use remaining funds for eligible expenses before prices change in January.
- FSAs, depending on your plan, may be “use it or lose it.” Some employers offer a small rollover or grace period, but not all.
If you have money to spend, consider stocking up on eligible purchases: contacts, prescriptions, SPF, first-aid items, cold meds, or that ankle brace you keep meaning to buy.
Time spent:
2 minutes
Potential savings preserved:
hundreds of dollars.
- Review Your 401(k) or IRA Contributions
A quick glance at your retirement dashboard can show whether you’re on track to max out your contributions, take advantage of employer matching, or bump things up before the December 31 deadline (for workplace plans).
You don’t need to overhaul anything, just confirm your percentage and adjust if you want to increase contributions by a percentage or two. Even tiny bumps compound over time.
Time spent:
3 minutes
Potential impact:
more tax-advantaged savings for the year.
- Audit Your Subscriptions
Subscriptions are sneaky. They slip in quietly and show up loudly on your statements.
Do a fast scroll through your last month of transactions and look for:
- streaming platforms you forgot about
- apps you don’t use
- annual renewals coming up in January
- free trials that are… not free anymore
Canceling even one or two can bring down monthly spending heading into the new year.
Time spent:
5 minutes
Potential impact:
lower fixed expenses and fewer surprise renewals.
- Check Any Remaining Employer Benefits
Many workplace benefits expire at year-end. Things to check:
- wellness or lifestyle stipends
- commuter benefits
- professional development funds
- vision or dental allowances
- unused PTO that doesn't roll over
A quick email to HR or your benefits portal can tell you what’s still available. You’ve earned these benefits — don’t leave them behind.
Time spent:
4 minutes
Potential impact:
recapturing value you might have forgotten about.
- Look at Your Withholdings
Not the most thrilling task, but a quick peek at your paystub can tell you whether your tax withholdings are set correctly, especially if something changed this year (new job, raise, side income).
This helps reduce the chance of surprise taxes in April or an unexpectedly large refund (aka an interest-free loan to the IRS).
Time spent:
3 minutes
Potential impact:
a smoother tax season.
If you want to start 2026 on steady footing, these quick tasks are an easy win. None require a full financial overhaul, just a few minutes of attention. And if you’re unsure how a certain account works or what changes make sense for your situation, consider reviewing your benefits, retirement plan, and tax setup with a financial professional who can walk through the details with you.