When it’s time to file your taxes, many people start getting anxious about whether they’re following the correct tax strategy for financial planning. It is possible to pay less in taxes, but in a way that doesn’t support your long-term goals. If you find yourself wondering whether paying less taxes now is going to result in more financial losses for you in the long run, then it might be time for you to take a closer look at your tax management.

However, do keep in mind that anxiety is simply a state of mind. It’s the “what if” monster rearing its head, even if things are completely in hand. There are times when the “what if” monster may be right, and you’ll need to make some adjustments to your strategy. However, at other times, a closer look at your tax management will reveal that you’re actually doing everything right. So it’s best to approach things rationally; even if there is a mismatch between your tax planning and your long-term goals, it can be rectified.

Is Your Tax Strategy Aligned With Your Financial Plan?

If the “what if” monster has reared its head, then your first step will be to evaluate your strategic tax decisions. Here are some signs that your tax planning is not aligned with your financial goals:

• Money Is Locked Up: Maybe your financial plan involves buying a house in a few years. However, you’ve locked up all your money in investments to help you pay less tax. When you want to buy the house, you’ll have to pay a penalty to get your down payment.
• You Keep Deferring Taxes: This can be done with retirement plans, IRAs, health savings accounts, etc. You end up paying less in taxes through these deferrals, but if you plan to retire early, you might end up paying more later.
• You Minimize Taxes in Every Possible Way: There’s no reason why you shouldn’t use every possible deduction or credit. However, if you’re worried about whether you’re doing it right and whether you’re really entitled to those deductions/credits, then you might have to take another look at your tax strategy for financial planning.
• You Make High-Risk Investments: These might help you save on taxes, but if the risk doesn’t pay off, you end up losing money.
• Your Heirs End Up Paying Your Taxes: Many people save as much money on taxes as they can by investing in IRAs or 401(k)s. However, when your heirs inherit your money, they’re going to have to end up paying the taxes you deferred.

How to Align Your Tax Planning With Your Financial Plan

Your tax strategy should be a part of your financial plan; it should support all the things that you want to do in life, rather than the other way around. Here are a few steps you can take to make sure that the two are aligned:

1. Make Sure You Have a Financial Plan: This is the first step toward securing the money you need to reach your financial goals. Once you know why and when you need money, your fiscal strategy falls into place.
2. Consider the Future: Is paying less in taxes today going to result in paying more later? This may be something you need to discuss with your financial advisor.
3. Consider Cash Flow: Ensure none of your money is invested in tax-saving strategies at the expense of cash flow. After all, you need cash for your day-to-day expenses.
4. Consider Your Risk Profile: This means you shouldn’t invest just to avoid taxes. Invest in high-risk investments only if that’s something you really want to do.
5. Consider Succession Goals: Is your tax planning going to result in your heirs paying taxes later? Just another thing to consider, along with the help of your financial advisor.

Take Control of Your Tax Strategy for Financial Planning Today

Keep in mind that your comprehensive tax plan may also need to change as your life situation changes. It’s not something that you set and forget. So if your “what if” monster has reared its head and you’re wondering whether your financial goals and your tax strategy are aligned, contact us for more information about evaluating and realigning the two. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Dale Crossley and Evan Shear and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Please note, changes in tax laws may occur at any time and could have a substantial impact upon each person’s situation. While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

If you were sure that your 2025 economic objectives and priorities were rock solid, realizing that they may no longer work for you this year can certainly keep you up at night. However, there is nothing wrong with adjusting them as needed to better align with your current financial situation. In fact, being honest with yourself about adjustments you might need to make is the responsible way to handle changes to your personal financial situation or concerns about how an unstable economy might impact it. Here are some of the most critical steps to take when working with CrossleyShear to re-evaluate your financial priorities and adjust your 2026 financial goals to better align with your current needs.

Focus on Your Budget

While you may have no control over a volatile economy, adjusting your personal budget to better manage changing conditions remains one of your most important financial responsibilities. If you feel that you may no longer be capable of meeting previous targets, or if you need to set new ones that you hadn’t previously considered, it’s necessary to take action. In such cases, you will likely need to decrease your spending or increase your income. This will help you maintain an appropriate balance moving forward. Always prioritize meeting your immediate obligations before pursuing more ambitious 2026 financial goals. It’s acceptable to scale back investments or other long-term objectives if you need to spend more on essentials like rent, medical bills, or a reliable vehicle.

Identify Exactly Why You Are Changing Your Financial Goals

Wanting to spend less money in the coming year is a good decision for many people. Still, it is not specific enough to be sustainable. Reflecting on your overall financial situation and identifying specific reasons for setting new financial goals can clarify your motives and help you stay committed to necessary lifestyle changes. Some common reasons for changing your 2026 financial goals include:

• Losing a job or starting a new one with a significantly higher or lower salary
• Getting married
• Having a child
• Purchasing a new home or moving to a new city with substantially higher rent than you are used to
• A child is starting college or an expensive private school
• Significant medical expenses

Set SMART Goals

Pinpointing exactly why you want to set new 2026 financial goals is an essential first step. Then, make sure those goals are specific to help you achieve them. Goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound offer a structured approach to making changes. Using small, clear steps leads to better results than vague goals without a plan.

Prioritize Annual Reviews

Your annual reviews are valuable for understanding your current financial situation and how national and global economic changes may influence it. They also help identify beneficial adjustments for the coming year. Regularly scheduled checkpoints allow you to reflect on your income, spending habits, investments, and overall portfolio. They help identify areas for improvement for your next review.

Choose CrosselyShear to Reach Your 2026 Financial Goals

At CrossleyShear, we are here to help you understand every detail of your current financial situation. Our goal is to use that information to choose realistic priorities for this year onward. Setting new plans can feel intimidating, especially if what you thought was the perfect solution one or more years ago no longer works for you. However, identifying older financial goals that are no longer a good fit for you and being realistic about why is a smart money move that helps you make better use of every dollar. Instead of ignoring changes to your financial situation or the economy and hoping they resolve on their own, we’re here to help you reassess older decisions that may no longer be sustainable in 2026 and adjust them to align with current conditions. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of working with us to maximize your financial goals this year or to get started. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Dale Crossley and Evan Shear and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

It’s been a tough year for many people. A lot of us haven’t met our annual financial goals. The holiday lights go up, your calendar fills with celebrations and parties, and everyone expects you to be “merry”, which can feel particularly depressing.

If you’re thinking back to January and realizing you didn’t save more, invest better, tackle that estate plan, or accomplish what you had in mind, you’re not alone. The “what if” mentality can easily overshadow your enjoyable holiday season.

A Year-End Reality Check (Without the Shame)

There’s no shame in not meeting your annual financial goals. You may not have had complete control over your plans if they relied on investments or other sources of income. Also, life happens. There’s a chance that additional factors, possibly more than one, interfered. Instead of wallowing in guilt, ask yourself these questions:

1. Did you set the right objectives? Do they reflect your actual priorities? If you don’t reach a target, it may not have been the right one for you.
2. Did your financial or family circumstances change this year? Maybe you lost your job, or your business didn’t make as much money as last year. Maybe one of your children got married and needed some help paying for the wedding? Or perhaps you have just had a stressful situation, like a sick relative, that distracted you from what you needed to do.
3. What did you do right this year? Even if it’s just not doing anything wrong, there will be something.

You can find something worth celebrating. The life event may have been meaningful, or the realization that your desires and needs have shifted might be an achievement by itself.

Resetting Your Financial Compass

The New Year is still a great time to do a financial reset, especially if you didn’t meet your goals.

Start by listing your objectives and asking yourself why you made them in the first place. You may want to give up on it if it no longer makes sense or if you feel you’ve been pursuing it without truly considering it. Generic financial advice often leads people to set plans that aren’t meaningful, aren’t achievable in their current economic situation, or both.

Adjust the timeline. If you’re close to achieving a goal, it may only require a few more months, or you may need to carry it forward to next year. It’s acceptable for some objectives to take longer to achieve. If your income decreased, you might need to extend the time horizon for a savings target. Or if you needed to use that money for an unforeseen cost, like fixing a broken roof.

Then refocus on your strategy. You might not be able to do this on your own. Now is a great time to schedule a review with your financial advisor. Yes, we can still help you in December. To end the year on a high note, schedule an appointment with CrossleyShear.

Use December as a Launchpad

December is a natural time for reflection and change. If you have a target you are close to, you still have time to make a last-minute contribution to your retirement or savings accounts.

Review your upcoming fiscal year’s budget. Compare it to your actual spending. Do you need to make a resolution to spend less? Or do you have to accept that certain fixed expenses, such as your mortgage, have actually increased?

Then set your annual financial goals for next year. Make sure they are realistic and achievable. If you have set yourself up and you couldn’t meet, learn from that and lower your expectations. This year’s failures can easily inform next year’s successes.

You don’t have to do it alone; let us guide you without judgment. We’re here to help, not tell you what you should have done.

Progress, Not Perfection

Really essential? Don’t expect perfection. Your financial journey is not a marathon; it’s an ultramarathon. Just because your time isn’t great right now doesn’t mean you won’t finish where you need to.

So, if the “What If” mentality is telling you how short you fell this year, remind it that in the long run, it doesn’t matter. Take what you’ve learned, and make this coming year your best yet.

If you need help achieving your annual financial goals, contact CrossleyShear today to schedule a conversation with our team about your objectives and how we can help you move forward.

 

Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Dale Crossley and Evan Shear and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

 

Ingredients

For Mulled Wine Version
• 1 bottle red wine (750 ml; something fruity like Merlot or Cabernet)
• 1 orange, sliced
• ½ cup fresh cranberries
• 2–3 cinnamon sticks
• 3–4 star anise pods
• 6–8 whole cloves
• 2–4 tablespoons honey or sugar (to taste)
• ¼ cup brandy (optional for extra warmth)

For a Non-Alcoholic Mulled Cider Version
• Replace wine with 1.5 liters of apple cider or cranberry-apple juice
• Everything else stays the same
________________________________________
Instructions

1. Combine ingredients
Add wine (or cider/juice), orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves to a saucepan.
2. Heat gently
Warm on low heat for 20–30 minutes.
Do not boil — boiling cooks off alcohol and can turn the flavors bitter.
3. Sweeten to taste
Stir in honey or sugar until dissolved.
4. Optional: Add brandy
Add just before serving for extra depth and warmth.
5. Serve warm
Ladle into mugs and garnish with:
o a cinnamon stick
o an orange slice
o a few cranberries
o a star anise pod
________________________________________
Flavor Tips

• Add a few cardamom pods for a more complex aroma.
• Use blood oranges for a deeper color and citrusy punch.
• For a sweeter drink, add a splash of cranberry juice.

 

 

Any opinions are those of Dale Crossley and Evan Shear and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

What are some effective donation strategies? As the holidays approach, the desire to give back becomes powerful. You’re thinking about gratitude and want to help the people who need it. But wanting to give doesn’t mean you know the best way to do so. You might be asking yourself questions like:

• Am I giving effectively?
• Am I missing any tax-smart strategies?
• Will my gift actually make a difference?

If you find yourself feeling that tug-of-war between wanting to give but not knowing how to do it, you aren’t alone. The good news is that there are several innovative, intentional, and effective donation strategies, regardless of your financial goals or income level.

Let’s calm the “What If Monster” together and explore how you can give back using both heart and strategy.

Knowing Why You’re Giving

Before you start exploring effective donation strategies, it’s essential to understand why you want to give. Ask yourself these questions:

• What matters to me?
• Do I want to provide consistently or on a one-time basis?
• Do I want to make an immediate impact or one that lasts beyond my lifetime?

Once you have clarity on your ‘why,’ you can figure out your ‘how’ without feeling overwhelmed.

Charitable Giving Strategies to Consider

There are many ways to give. Let’s discuss some strategies to consider.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

If you are 70 and a half years or older, a QCD allows you to donate straight from your IRA to a qualified charity. Here’s some important info on that:

• You can donate up to $100,000 annually.
• It can help reduce your overall tax liability while supporting a cause that’s important to you.
• The donation counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) but isn’t included in taxable income.
• They are ideal if you don’t need your RMD to meet living expenses and want to avoid upping your tax bracket.

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

Do you want to give now and decide later? Then a DAF could be the right choice for you.

• You give cash or appreciated assets (like stock) into a fund.
• You get an immediate tax deduction.
• Then, you decide what to support over time.

It can be a helpful strategy in years when you have a higher-than-normal income and want to offset it by giving a charitable deduction.

Gifting Appreciated Assets

Another option is to donate stock or other appreciated investments. This can be more tax-efficient than giving cash. You avoid paying capital gains taxes and get a charitable deduction for the full fair market value. It benefits both you and the charity, helping to keep more dollars working for good.

Bunching Donations

If you find that the standard deduction is higher than your itemized deductions, consider “bunching” multiple years of charitable giving into one tax year to maximize your deduction. You can do this in tandem with a DAF.

Legacy Giving

Do you want your generosity to live on? Here are some options:

• Naming a charity as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or life insurance.
• Including charitable gifts in your will or trust.

These can create long-term impact while offering potential estate tax benefits.

You Don’t Have to Navigate Giving Alone

Giving should feel rewarding, not confusing. At CrossleyShear, we help our clients align their charitable giving with their financial goals, values, and tax strategy. Whether you’re considering a QCD, exploring a Donor-Advised Fund, or just want to know your options, we’re here to help.

The Bottom Line for Effective Donation Strategies

You don’t need to be a millionaire to make an impact. When you implement the proper strategies, your generosity can go further, benefit causes you care about, and potentially reduce your tax bill.

Let’s calm the “What If Monster” today. Contact us to get started.

Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Dale Crossley and Evan Shear and not necessarily those of Raymond James.