Ben Gran, The Motley Fool
6 min read
The end of 2026 is fast approaching. At the end of each year, it’s a good chance to take stock of your financial life and figure out what changes you might want to make for the new year ahead.
This doesn’t mean you have to make massive changes like selling all your stocks. It doesn’t mean you should try risky strategies like market timing. Instead, your year-end portfolio moves might be smaller and simpler.
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But whether you are preparing for volatility or giving your portfolio a checkup, the end of the year can be a smart time to reassess how your money is working for you — and make sure that your investment choices are still a good fit for your long-term needs.
Here are three low-effort, high-impact portfolio moves that you might want to think about making before the end of 2026.
1. Check on your asset allocation
Many investors try to stick to a targeted asset allocation based on their age, risk tolerance, and long-term financial goals. For example, someone who is still in their early 30s, with 30 or more years left to work and invest, might want to put 100% of their long-term investment assets into stocks, while someone who is in their 50s and getting closer to retirement might want to shift a higher percentage of their money into bonds.
If your stocks have had a banner year, your portfolio might have gotten out of balance. For example, if you want a mix of 80% stocks and 20% bonds, but your stocks have gained value to the point that your portfolio’s value is now 90% stocks and 10% bonds, you might want to sell 10% of your stock holdings and put that money into bonds to rebalance your portfolio.
Even if you don’t make any changes, this year-end portfolio move is a good chance to reacquaint yourself with where your investments are held. It’s also an opportunity to diversify in response to changing market conditions.
2. Take advantage of tax-advantaged accounts
There’s some debate in the financial planning world about whether it’s always a good idea to max out a 401(k) or other tax-advantaged retirement account at work. It depends on how you feel about the investment choices (and fees) offered by your 401(k) plan and how generous the employer match is at your job. Some people might prefer to contribute just enough to get their employer’s 401(k) match, and put additional money into a taxable brokerage account to preserve their flexibility.
