Year-End Money Moves: What Experts Like Humphrey Yang Say You Can't Miss Before December 31

As 2025 approaches its final weeks, financial strategists including thought leaders like Humphrey Yang are urging individuals to lock in several high-impact decisions that could reshape your 2026 outlook. The window for tax-advantaged moves is closing fast, and procrastination could cost you thousands in missed savings and tax inefficiency.

Unlock Employer Contributions Before the Clock Strikes Midnight

The most straightforward wealth-building opportunity many people overlook is maximizing employer 401(k) matching. If your paycheck feeds into a 401(k), the IRS permits contributions up to $23,500 in 2025—or $34,750 if you’re 50 or older. But here’s the reality: you don’t need to hit the ceiling to win big.

What matters most is capturing every dollar your employer will match. “This isn’t a complex strategy,” financial advisors note. “Your company is essentially handing you free money as long as you contribute enough to trigger it.” The return on investment is virtually guaranteed because you’re doubling down on your contributions without spending additional capital.

If a traditional 401(k) isn’t part of your compensation package, IRAs offer another tax-deferred route. A Roth or traditional IRA allows you to stash $7,000 annually if you’re under 50, or $8,000 if you’ve crossed that threshold in 2025. Beyond the contribution limits, don’t sleep on the saver’s credit—a tax benefit worth up to $1,000 for individual filers or $2,000 for couples, provided your income stays below IRS thresholds.

Play Offense With Tax Loss Harvesting Before Year-End

Here’s a tactic many retail investors don’t think about until tax season arrives: strategic loss harvesting. If you hold investments in taxable accounts that have declined in value, you have a narrow window to weaponize those losses.

The mechanics are simple yet powerful. Suppose your portfolio includes stocks that gained $8,000 this year from sales you executed. You can counterbalance this realized gain by liquidating other positions currently trading at a loss. By offsetting winners with losers, you reduce the taxable income you’ll report for 2025.

The deadline is Dec. 31, 2025—meaning you have weeks, not months, to execute this. Should your losses outweigh your gains, the IRS permits you to deduct up to $3,000 of excess losses against your regular income, with the option to carry unused losses into future years. For sophisticated strategies, working with a tax advisor can uncover additional optimization opportunities you might otherwise miss.

Stress-Test Your Cash Position and Emergency Reserves

The final critical move Humphrey Yang and other experts highlight is auditing your liquid assets across all accounts. This isn’t about moving money recklessly—it’s about diagnosis.

According to recent Federal Reserve data, 45% of American adults lack sufficient cash reserves to weather even three months of unexpected expenses. That’s a vulnerability waiting to collapse. The consensus recommendation is maintaining three to six months’ worth of living expenses in accessible accounts—whether that’s high-yield savings, money market funds, or other liquid vehicles.

Start by calculating your actual monthly burn rate. Factor in recurring costs like insurance premiums, groceries, utilities, and transportation. Then cross-check whether your current reserves align with that number. If 2026 brings anticipated expenses—property taxes, medical deductibles, vehicle maintenance—build those into your calculation now.

If you’re coming up short, you have two levers: cut discretionary spending or generate incremental income before the year ends. The peace of mind from knowing you’re prepared for 2026’s surprises is often worth the effort.

The Bottom Line: Time Is Running Out

The difference between planning and procrastination is measured in lost tax breaks and unnecessary risk exposure. Whether you’re capturing employer match, harvesting losses, or fortifying your reserves, every action you take before December 31 shapes your financial resilience entering the new year.