A lot of people make New Year’s money resolutions. If one of yours is to stay on top of your finances, a calendar can be a big help.
Aside from having the money to pay bills, much of staying organized with your finances means keeping track of dates, so pull out your digital or paper calendar and add these important ones.
As Soon as Possible
If you’re one of the more than 71 million Americans collecting Social Security benefits and/or supplemental Security income (SSI), your Social Security check will go up 3.2% in 2024, a cost-of-living adjustment that’s tied into inflation. On average, Social Security recipients will see their income climb more than $50 a month.
There also may be Medicare changes you’ll want to look into and work into your budget. For instance, starting on Jan. 1, 2024, Medicare is upping its game on mental health care services and will cover intensive outpatient program services provided by hospitals, community mental health centers and other locations.
Jan. 15
Today is the last day to enroll in or change health care plans for 2024 (coverage would start Feb. 1) if you’re getting coverage through the federal health insurance marketplace on HealthCare.gov. After this date, you can enroll or change plans only if you qualify for a special enrollment period.
Jan. 16
This is a day that those who are self-employed need to send the IRS their estimated tax payments for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Jan. 31
The year is 1/12th over already. Have you made progress toward any of your 2024 financial resolutions? If you plan on putting more into your retirement fund or savings account or have promised yourself you’d start an emergency fund, what are you waiting for?
Feb. 1
To save more in 2024, you may want to try a frugal February challenge. Use this month to make some financial sacrifices. Spend a bit less, save a bit more and try to get your money situation more organized.
February 11
Today is the Super Bowl, a day when some sports fans typically spend a fortune throwing big parties, with plenty of drinks and snacks. If you’re really into the Super Bowl, budget for this.
February 14
You may also want to budget for Valentine’s Day if you have a special someone.
March 1
This is a good day to start thinking about and budgeting for the summer, which will be here before you know it. If you have children, you may want to look at the cost of summer camps. Or, you might have a summer vacation you’d like to plan. Planning ahead could make managing your summer finances a little easier.
[READ: Is Summer Camp Tax Deductible?]
March 31
This is the last day of the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.
If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to a plan or to the original Medicare and join a separate Medicare drug plan.
It’s also Easter Sunday, so if you celebrate big, include it in your budget.
April 15
This is the day to file your federal tax return and pay your bill. You have until midnight to apply for an extension, e-file or postmark it.
Keep the following in mind:
— If you can’t make the deadline, use Form 4868 to file a six-month extension. If you want to avoid interest and penalties, however, you must pay any taxes due on or before April 15.
— April 15 is also the last day to make a 2023 IRA contribution. If you’re under 50, that’s $6,500 you can contribute; if you’re over 50, that figure is $7,500.
— If you’re self-employed, your first quarter 2023 estimated tax payments are due today.
— If you have a health savings account, this is the last day to make a 2023 HSA contribution. The limits are $3,850 for individuals and $7,750 for families. If you’re 55 or older, you can contribute an extra $1,000.
April 25
If you have kids, consider marking this date “Teach Children to Save Day.” Sponsored by the American Bankers Association and historically held on the fourth Thursday of April, the program’s goal is to help young people develop savings habits.
Mary Alice Hughes, co-owner of Insurance Advantage & LMA Financial Services in Jacksonville, Arkansas, suggests decorating three mason jars and using them as follows:
“One jar for charitable giving, one for saving and one for spending,” Hughes says. “A great rule of thumb for saving that you can teach your kids is give 10% to charity, save 10% for things they want down the road and spend or live on the remaining 80%.”
May 12
It’s Mother’s Day today. If you have a mother in your life, you may want to put some money aside for flowers, a nice card or perhaps brunch.
[READ: Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mom This Year.]
May 27
Today is Memorial Day, and while it’s a day for mourning and remembering American military personnel who died while serving, it’s also a big time for sales. If you’re looking for a deal on appliances, mattresses or even a car, Memorial Day weekend can be a good time to find steep discounts.
June 16
Today is Father’s Day, so you may want to put some money aside for a gift, card, flowers or lunch. You can also celebrate with a free activity, like a nature hike.
June 17
Self-employed taxpayers should make their 2023 estimated tax payments for the second quarter of the year. Typically, it would be June 15, but that falls on a Saturday, and so for 2024 it’s June 17.
July 1
If your child in college plans on filing for federal financial assistance, FAFSA applications can be submitted as early as July 1, 2024.
“Make sure you have all of your financial information before starting the application,” Hughes says. “There is also a FAFSA app that you can use on your phone and other devices.”
This is also a great time to conduct a midyear financial checkup. Review what progress you’ve made since January and make plans for the rest of the year to reach your goals.
[READ: How to Perform a Midyear Financial Checkup]
July 4
If you’re big on summer vacations or fireworks and celebrating Independence Day, you’ll want to save for this occasion. Also, there will likely be a lot of Fourth of July sales days going on.
July 15
Amazon Prime Day often occurs in mid-July. It hasn’t been announced for 2024 yet, at the time of this writing, but if you’re an avid Amazon shopper, you may want to look for deals — and start putting money away so you can get them.
Aug. 2
This is the start of Missouri’s annual “back to school” tax holiday. From Aug. 2 to 4, you can buy school supplies and clothes — and computers — and not pay sales tax.
Search online for your state’s tax holiday to take advantage of tax-free weekend sales. Most states hold them in August, although some are in July. Not every state has a tax-free weekend but many do.
Sept. 4
It’s Labor Day, another good day for big sales at major retailers. It’s also a good idea to start thinking about budgeting for holiday shopping — and checking in on your progress regarding financial goals.
If you’ve resolved to cut costs, you might want to comparison shop for a new insurance plan or apply for a balance transfer credit card so you can finally eliminate revolving debt.
Sept. 16
This is the day to make third-quarter estimated tax payments for 2023 if you’re self-employed (September 15, when it traditionally would be, is a Sunday).
Oct. 15
Medicare open enrollment begins today and lasts until Dec. 7, 2024. Now is the time to make any changes to your 2025 coverage.
Oct. 16
Did you file an extension for your federal taxes? Usually, Oct. 15 is the last day to file, but since that falls on a Sunday this year, Oct. 16 is the deadline for completing and submitting those tax forms.
“There are serious consequences for not paying your taxes on time. The IRS website lists the penalties and charges you may be faced with if you don’t file on time,” Hughes says.
[READ: What Happens if You Don’t Pay Your Taxes?]
Oct. 31
It’s Halloween. Last year, according to the National Retail Federation, Americans’ spending was estimated to reach $12.2 billion on the holiday. If you’re a big Halloween fan, budget for it.
Nov. 1
Today is the opening day of the federal health insurance marketplace enrollment for 2024 health insurance coverage and it ends on Jan. 15, 2025.
Nov. 28
It’s Thanksgiving. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average total cost for a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is $64.05. At any rate, you may want to be thinking ahead about how much this occasion could cost you.
Nov. 29
Black Friday is today, followed by Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30) and Cyber Monday (Dec. 2). This is the week to get your wallet out and take advantage of the holiday sales.
Dec. 31
Before 2025 arrives, you’ll want to think about how financial decisions you make before year-end might affect your taxes next year.
For instance, do you want to make one more 401(k) contribution? Or donate anything to charity to get another tax deduction? Or, maybe it’s just time to relax and watch a New Year’s Eve special, secure in knowing that for the last 12 months you finally were on top of your finances.
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Important Dates to Mark on Your Financial Calendar originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/03/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
