2026 MONEY CALENDAR

These key dates and tips will help you make the most of your money in the new year.

- BY ELLA VINCENT

JANUARY

1 Key provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect, including an increase in the standard deduction, higher limits for the gift and estate tax exemption, and new rules on deducting charitable contributions.

Today is also the first day of Medicare Advantage open enrollment. If you're a member of an Advantage plan, during this period you can switch to a different plan or return to original Medicare (and, if you do, you can also join a Part D Medicare drug plan). Several providers, including CVS Health, Humana and United HealthCare, are reducing Medicare Advantage offerings in some areas or dropping some perks, so it's especially important to shop around. You can compare plans at medicare.gov/plan-compare.

2 On the first trading day of 2026, check out Kiplinger's top stock picks for the year ahead on page 32.

14 The first Social Security benefit checks of the year go out with a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment in place for 2026, up slightly from 2.5% in 2025. For tips on how to stretch this year's COLA, see page 9.

15 If you need to buy health insurance through Health care.gov, this is the last day to sign up for coverage for 2026. After today, you can enroll in or change your plan only if you lose coverage, get married, have a baby or experience another life event that qualifies you for a special enrollment period.

Today is also the last day for the final installment of estimated taxes for 2025.

28 The year's first Federal Reserve meeting, which is likely to set the tone for the direction of interest rates in 2026, takes place today. If, as widely expected, the central bank continues to cut rates modestly, consumer lending and savings rates will likely drop as well.

FEBRUARY