Happy New Year Reader!

There aren't too many tax moves you can make once it's 2026 but one thing to remember is that if you haven't maxxed out your Roth IRA, you can do so up until tax day.

When you make a contribution, make sure you indicate what year it's for. If you don't, most places default to 2026.

Any big plans for 2026?

💲 Best Bank Rates (as of 1/5/2026):

• High Yield Savings - 4.31% APY from Axos Bank​
• Certificates of Deposit (see rates on CD Valet)
  • Best: ​4.15% from TPO Bank (6mo)
  • 3 months: 4.11% from OMB Bank
  • 6 months: ​4.15% from TPO Bank
  • 12 months: 4.10% from Morgan Stanley Private Bank (E*Trade)
• Bank Bonuses - $450 US Bank, $400 BMO, $325 Wells Fargo, $200 Barclays & more​

​(View this email as a webpage)​

📀 Who is CD Valet?

You may have noticed a new section above where I list certificate of deposit rates as found through CD Valet.

You may be wondering - who is CD Valet?​

They're a CD rate site created through Seattle Bank and they collect data from banks and credit unions across the U.S.

I break down who they are, what they do (they just list rates, you don't open an account with them), and how best to use them to help boost your savings:

​👉 CD Valet Review​

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3️⃣ 3 Things to Do Before Travel Abroad

If you're planning any international travel, make sure you do these three things (my short Instagram video).

1. Photograph the bar code of your passport (then hide the photo)
2. Enroll in the State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program in case something crazy happens
3. Save the phone number of the US Embassy in the country or countries you’ll be visiting.

​📺 Watch my Instagram video about this​

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📜 Free tax filing options

The Trump Administration shut down the IRS Direct File program but there are still ways for you to file your taxes for free.

I updated our guide to this with the updated details of the IRS Free File program as well as other discounted programs.

You can't file until the 29th (and you should wait until you get all your forms), but good to be prepared!

​👉 How to file your income taxes for free​

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What did you think of today's email?​
✅ I Loved It! 🟨 It Was Okay ❌ Not My Favorite​

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Talk to you soon!

Jim

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PS. Would you be interested in beta-testing a free short email course about building an emergency fund? If so, click here.​

​(see archive of previous emails)​