Mariel Segarra

But it can help to lump it in with the other financial stuff that you need to do annually.

For instance, taxes.

In mid-April, tax returns are due for most individuals.

Unless you choose to file based on a fiscal year or you're self-employed and making estimated payments, those happen quarterly.

We're not going to go super in-depth on taxes here, but mark the important dates on your calendar and check out our other episodes on this topic.

There's also open enrollment, which tends to start in November.

And that's a window when you can get a new health insurance plan on government-run exchanges.

And if you have an employer, that's when they'll say, OK, time to pick your health insurance for the year.

Brent says a lot of people just let last year's benefits roll over.

Don't do that.

And make sure you're happy with your other insurance plans.

Also, check on your retirement plan contributions and make sure your beneficiaries are up to date.

Those are the people who get a life insurance payout or the money in your retirement account when you die.

You can also use this moment to see if there are any benefits you're missing at work, like a gym reimbursement or an employer 401k match.

And to check on your subscriptions.

Make sure you're not paying for things you don't use.

Also, look at your credit card benefits.

Like, maybe you'll realize that one of your cards offers extended warranties on big purchases, and you want to use that in the future.

Another annual task is to check on your investment accounts.

Maybe that's a 401k or a Roth IRA or a brokerage account.