The year-end peak travel season is here. The out-of-office is on, bags are packed, and our minds are already on that long-awaited holiday.

It’s also the perfect time to clear a few small, high-impact items from the financial to-do list, to start 2026 on a clean slate. We all know how hectic January can be. By the time you're back from the holidays, there’s work to clear, errands to run—all while dealing with post-holiday blues.

Get these to-dos out of the way now, so that you can enjoy your holiday without them sitting at the back of your mind. Here are three important items to strike off your to-do list before you go full holiday mode.

1. Secure your tax reliefs before 31 December

The deadline of 31 December every year applies for tax relief schemes like the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) and CPF cash top-up relief.

For SRS, contributions up to the S$15,300 cap for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, and S$35,700 for foreigners are exempted from income tax. The cut-off date for contributions to qualify for tax relief in the next Year of Assessment is 31 Dec, but note that some banks may have earlier cut-off times on that day itself.

Cash top-ups to CPF can attract tax relief of up to S$8,000 for yourself and an additional S$8,000 for top-ups made to your loved ones’ CPF accounts. Your contribution needs to be received by 31 Dec to be automatically granted tax relief.

Yet, don’t wait until 31 Dec to make your contributions, in case you get the cut-off time wrong or meet with a system disruption. As Murphy Law states, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

To learn more, read our article on CPF and SRS top-ups for tax relief.

2. Calibrate your spending for next year

Starting the year on the right foot can set the tone for the coming months. Overspending by week two can feel like we have derailed from the path to financial goals and be demotivating. 

Use the pre-holiday calm to set a clear plan for 2026, starting with a look back at spending patterns in 2025, accounting for potential big ticket spending ahead—not forgetting your income tax bill—and then determining your budget. 

Take emotions out of your budgeting plan as much as possible. Collect data on your past spending patterns to troubleshoot overspending and areas for improvement. Set up automated recurring transfers to your savings and investment accounts to maintain discipline in your spending. 

Check out the recurring investment feature on the Endowus app—link your eGIRO account for automatic transfers from your bank account to your investment portfolios, without the fuss of QR codes or bank transfers.

3. Take a portfolio pit stop 

Regular reviews of your investment portfolio, such as quarterly, semi-yearly or yearly, is recommended to account for changes in the markets, and also in your needs and goals. 

After a full year of market movements, it’s common for an investment portfolio to drift from its original allocation. For example, if equities had a strong year, a balanced 60/40 equity-bond portfolio might now be closer to 70/30. This could mean your portfolio is holding more risk than you originally intended.

Rebalancing is the simple, disciplined process to fix this. Periodically trimming the overweighted asset classes to return to your target allocation locks in gains and keeps your portfolio aligned with your long-term goals.

The auto-rebalancing feature of Endowus advised portfolios helps you stay aligned—and disciplined—with your target asset allocation without having to actively monitor the markets. 

Be mindful that these regular portfolio reviews and rebalancing are not meant for you to make tactical bets in response to recent market news or events, which tend to be short term in nature. They should have little bearing on your investment goals and strategies. 

Spread the holiday joy to causes close to your heart

The close of the year is a natural time for reflection and sharing. For those looking to share and make a difference, your generosity can be particularly impactful this year.

In celebration of SG60, the SG Gives Matching Grant matches donations made to the Community Chest, President's Challenge, and the Collective for a Stronger Society dollar-for-dollar. This scheme ends this year, so be sure to donate by 31 Dec. You can do so via our Endowus Gives Back initiative, featuring 15 charity partners across a range of causes.

Additionally, if you donate to Institutes of a Public Character (IPC) charities, you can receive tax relief of 250% of your donation. The tax deduction is done automatically so you don’t have to manually claim it.

Lastly, go on do-not-disturb mode 

Put your financial affairs in order, so they don’t sit at the back of your mind while on vacation. 

Investing should not be stressful either—the science of markets has proven time and time again that a passive, long-term approach towards investing usually yields better results than frequent trading.

If you need guidance for your wealth planning, feel free to speak to our MAS-licensed client advisors.

And finally, once you’re all done, switch off the pesky work notifications, market news, or even trade alerts. Happy holidays!

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