My latest: Important Year-End Financial Moves to Make Before December 31
This Week’s Takeaways:
- The Fed cut rates today due to labor market concerns, but may be done for now. Lots of data, including some delayed by the shutdown, will come in before the January meeting which could change their plans.
- Your credit card’s interest rate and HELOC payments should drop. Mortgage rates aren’t directly impacted. New car loans could be cheaper.
- Expect choppier markets ahead, which makes relying on a narrow set of stocks riskier.
- A decent economy and expanding profit margins for companies are expected to turn modest revenue growth into double-digit earnings growth, which should drive stock prices higher.
- If you inherited an IRA in the last few years, it’s time to make sure you know the distribution rules that apply to you in case a distribution is due by year-end and we have an article that walks you through them.
- IRS Tax Changes for 2026
- Things to Do This Weekend in Boston
Fed Cuts Rates Again, Signals It May Be Done for Now by The Wall Street Journal
There were three official dissents when the Fed cut rates today, the first time this happened in six years. They did it due to labor market concerns, but also indicated through language they’ve used before that they may be done with hikes for now.
Within a billing cycle or two, the interest rate on the credit card debt you’re carrying will drop. Your HELOC payments will decrease. Mortgage rates aren’t directly impacted. New car loans could come with lower rates.
2026 Outlook: U.S. Stocks and Economy by Charles Schwab Asset Management
An individual investor should be prepared for more market volatility as shifting inflation trends, changing interest-rate expectations, and uneven economic data create sharp swings in sentiment. This environment raises the risk of relying too heavily on a small group of stocks, making broad diversification more important for managing potential drawdowns. It also means that patience and disciplined rebalancing may play a larger role in capturing long-term returns while avoiding emotional reactions to short-term market moves.
Wall Street’s 2026 outlook for stocks 🔭 by TKer
Sam’s helpful round-up of 2026 market outlooks indicates stock market positivity, but more importantly it highlights certain themes for next year, particularly that a decent economy (not without its challenges) and expanding profit margins for companies are expected to turn modest revenue growth into double-digit earnings growth, which should drive stock prices higher with how high being driven by valuations.
The Clock Is Ticking for IRA Inheritors to Take Distributions by The Wall Street Journal
The Internal Revenue Service issued final guidance last year that requires many people who inherited IRAs in recent years to take their first required minimum distributions by Dec. 31. Under the new rules, most people who inherited accounts in 2020 or later, other than spouses, have to take the money out within 10 years, starting the year after the original IRA owner’s death. Those who inherited from someone who was taking required payouts have to take annual minimum payouts in years one through nine, and empty the account in year 10.
IRS Tax Changes for 2026 by Heritage Financial
The Internal Revenue Service announced its annual inflation-adjusted changes to tax brackets, annual exclusions for gift and estate taxes, FSA limits, and more for 2026. We’ve provided a few highlights of the release and a summary of the financial facts and figures you need to know.
