3 Key Financial Deadlines Homeowners Can’t Afford To Miss in Early 2026

by Dina Sartore-Bodo

One of the cornerstones of homeownership is managing finances, whether that means saving for a down payment, paying off property taxes, or monitoring home equity.

But at the start of every year, there are a few money moves smart homeowners should take advantage of to ensure they head into the next 12 months in a good place.

Whether you’re a retiree prepping your financial spending or hoping to get the most out of your taxes, these four financial deadlines should be on your radar if you want to start out 2026 in good financial shape.

Taking your Required Minimum Distribution

If you are 73 or older, you are required to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from qualified retirement plans like traditional IRAs or 401(k)s.

Failure to take the necessary RMD results in a substantial penalty of 25% of the RMD amount, so don’t skip this step. This money is ideal for tackling any upcoming home maintenance projects or even paying off final mortgage payments to take that off your plate.

If you turned 73 in 2025, your deadline for the first RMD is April 1, 2026. However, remember you must also take the RMD for 2026 this year as well. Delaying your first withdrawal means you will be required to take two RMDs in the same year, and you will have to pay taxes on both distributions concurrently.

Contribute to tax-advantaged accounts

The official launch of tax season is Monday, January 26th. As you start to look over your contributions for last year, note that if you haven’t met your saving goals, there’s still time to catch up.

Tax-advantaged accounts like IRAs and HSAs typically can be added to up until the tax deadline. This year, it falls on April 15, 2026. Homeowners rely on these accounts down the line to make make up for the shortfall of funds once they retire. Ensuring they are well funded is a safety net to pay for medical bills and other life necessities, leaving your other income streams open to put towards housing.

If you’re saving for your kid’s college education with a 529 plan and your plan offers state tax benefits, you can typically also make a catchup contribution by Wednesday, April 15, as well.

States that allow this include Georgia, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

Charitable donations

When you donate money or investments to a charity, the government provides a tax benefit by allowing you to deduct a portion of that contribution from your taxable income. The deadline is the same as with your tax-advantaged accounts—April 15.

Keep in mind that there are restrictions. If you donate cash (like writing a check or using a credit card), you can deduct up to 60% of your AGI, or adjusted gross income. If you donate appreciated securities instead of selling them, you can deduct up to 30% of your AGI.

However, all of this only applies if you itemize deductions instead of taking the standard deduction. But if you are a homeowner, chances are you'll be using an itemized deduction come tax season anyway.

A game plan for tax season and some upcoming changes

Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, is the opening day for America’s 2025 filing season and taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to file their 2025 tax returns and pay any tax due.

Due to several new tax law provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill becoming effective this past year, homeowners could be seeing a bigger return this year.

One of the most significant tax changes is the increase to the SALT (State and Local Taxes) deduction. Before, homeowners could only deduct up to $10,000, but the cap has now been raised to $40,000 for most households. If you live in a high-tax state like New Jersey, this could mean thousands of dollars back in your return.

Additionally, homeowners with a mortgage are likely familiar with the mortgage interest deduction, which allows for the itemization of interest paid on loans up to $750,000

This deduction is now a permanent fixture of the tax code and guarantees homeowners can reliably factor in this itemized deduction for paid interest.

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