10 Things To Do Before 2018!
During the holidays time flies, and soon we’ll be ringing in a new year. Since many of us will be on Christmas break soon this is actually a great time to wrap things up and start new tasks. And there are also a number of things that have to be done by the end of the year. Get these things done to start 2018 fresh.
1. Spend Your FSA
Make sure you’ve spent the money in your Flexible Spending Account, because it will expire by the end of the month. You may be allowed to file an extension if you haven’t used up all your FSA dollars, but you need to check your company policy to see if it allows that.
Here are some last-minute ideas to use your FSA money:
- Over-the-counter items: We’re not allowed to spend our FSA dollars on over-the-counter medicines without prescriptions but there are plenty of nonmedical products that we can still use the FSA money for. For example, band aids, crutches, first aid kits, reading glasses, sunscreen, and wound are all covered under the FSA.
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture is covered by your FSA, so if you have a condition such as pain, consider acupuncture.
- Chiropractic: Your FSA also covers chiropractic visits, so now may be the time to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor.
- Birth control: Many contraceptives are now covered by insurance, but your preferred brand may not be. Use your FSA if your insurance doesn’t cover it.
- Glasses and contact lens: Schedule a vision exam and use your FSA dollars to buy a new pair of glasses or supplies of contact lenses.
- Prescription medicine: Buy prescription medicine if it makes sense for you to do so. Most insurance policies will only let you buy a month’s supply at a time, so you can’t exactly stock up on medicine.
- Copayment: Your FSA will cover the copay for your prescription medicine, doctor’s visit, dental visit, and vision visit. So try to go before the end of the year to spend your FSA dollars on copays.
- Laser eye surgery and Lasik: If you’ve been meaning to get your vision corrected with laser surgery, it’s worth considering using your FSA account to do so.
- Medical monitoring and testing devices: If you need a gadget to measure and monitor your blood pressure or ovulation, perhaps it’s time to buy one now. Pregnancy and glucose test kits also qualify.
- Therapy. FSA covers therapy if it’s for treatment of a medical disorder.
- Massage. Your FSA may cover massage if it’s for a treatment of a medical condition, so check with the FSA administrators to see if you qualify.
2. Get Your Free Credit Report
We’re all entitled to one free credit report every year. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, make sure you get it by the end of the year! It doesn’t include your credit score but is basically a copy of your credit history.
3. Visit the Dentist, Doctor, and Optometrist
Get a dental cleaning, health visit, and eye checkup before year end.
4. Get Your Taxes Ready
Make the upcoming tax season easier on yourself by organizing your bills, receipts, pay stubs, and files.
5. Make Your Donations
Donate to your favorite nonprofit before the end of the year so you can claim your contributions as a 2017 tax deduction and help lower your tax bill. This doesn’t just include monetary donations but also items you donate to places like Goodwill.
6. Up Your Retirement Contributions
Now is the time to sneak in extra contributions before the year is over. If you haven’t contributed enough to your 401(k) to receive the full employer match and you have some extra cash, change your contribution amount before you get your last paychecks of the year. If you have IRA accounts, make sure you’ve contributed as much as possible — up to the annual maximum, which is $5,500.
7. File Your Claims
File any claims this year that you have yet to file, or take the time to dispute any rejections of claims.
8. Donate, Sell, Use Up, or Trash Clutter
When you’re done giving your place a cleaning makeover, take the items that you no longer want or need and sell, donate, use up, or trash them. Make way for 2018!
9. Finish 3 Things You Said You’d Get Done This Year but Never Got Around To
Remember some of the promises you made at home, at work, or with friends that you never got around to keeping? Tackle at least three of them by the end of the year.
10. Free Up Data Space
Delete old emails, documents, and photos you no longer need on your computer, cell phone, and cloud. Free up data space to prep for the coming year. Remember to also clear up your DVR recordings and camera photos.
