2026 New Year Goals – Retire by 40

Happy New Year!!! 2026 is here, and it’s time for a fresh start! Isn’t it awesome to have this chance every year? Last year wasn’t a great year for the RB40 household, but I’m optimistic for 2026. This year will be better.

First off, I can’t believe I’m 52. Several friends told me I look the same, but I disagree. I feel way older and creakier than even 5 years ago. Oh well, that’s life. I want to take longer trips and have more adventures, but RB40Jr is a freshman in high school. We are tied down to the school schedule for a few more years. Once he goes off to college, Mrs. RB40 will travel a lot more. We’ll hunker down for a few more years. Stability is important for kids.

Meanwhile, we still have plenty to do. Let’s set some goals for 2026. These will be my roadmap for the year. The key is to track the goals on a spreadsheet and update the status monthly. That way, I would know which goals I need to work on. Today, I’ll share some tips on goal setting and my 2026 goals. Check them out below.

Setting goals

In previous years, I had moderate expectations and set goals accordingly. This worked well for me because I was able to accomplish most of the things on my list. I find that setting high expectations doesn’t work for me. I can’t achieve them, and I became discouraged. My style is to go slow and steady. Shooting for the moon is probably better for younger folks, though.

Here is my approach to New Year’s Goals.

• Set achievable goals – Don’t shoot for the moon unless you have a sterling record of high achievement. Most of us will become discouraged and give up.
• Make specific and measurable goals – New Year goals need to be very specific. Don’t make vague goals like saving more or eating healthier. You can’t keep track of it, and you’ll forget about them by April. A better goal would be maxing out your 401(k). That’s measurable. You also need to figure out a way to get there. Will you increase your 401(k) contribution right away? You need a plan, or it’ll be much harder to achieve these goals.
• Write them down and track your progress– Write down your goals and put them where you will see them. The refrigerator door is a good spot for many people. Personally, I put my goals here on Retire by 40 and update the spreadsheet monthly. This worked very well over the last 15 years. Everyone gives me the motivation to improve. I have made tremendous progress with our finances and personal life since I started blogging. It’s fantastic.
• Academic scale – These days, I grade my New Year goals on an academic scale. It works out well. 90% is still an A-. It’s motivating, and I feel good about the result.

2026 New Year Goals

Here is my goal sheet. It’s simple and helpful. I can see my progress at a glance, and it’s easy to update every month.

Financial Goals

Sell Rentals

My main goal for 2026 is to sell our rental condo. Our tenant broke the lease and moved earlier than expected. That’s okay with me because I want to sell this unit. I already fixed up a few issues and touched up the paint. Next week, I’ll call a realtor and put it on the market. I’m optimistic this year because the interest rate is a bit lower than last year. If it doesn’t sell by spring, I’ll lower the price.

Part 2 of this goal is to prep our duplex for sale in 2029. There is a bunch of stuff to fix here. I’ll get the realtor over so they can give us an idea of what to do first. Also, I plan to ask our tenant to move out in 2027. RB40Jr is older now, and he needs more space. I believe converting the duplex into our primary residence will also help optimize taxes when we sell.

Optimize withdrawal and taxes

2026 will be the first year of full retirement for Mrs. RB40. Our earned income will be very low. However, we will have income from our investments. There will be profit from the rental condo, dividend income, stock sales, pension income, and real estate crowdfunding. I should sell some stocks to take advantage of the long-term capital gain bracket. The tax rate would be 0% if our taxable income is under $98,900.

This topic is pretty complicated. I need to work on it more. There are many moving pieces.

Help Mrs. RB40’s mom file for Social Security Benefits

I think Mrs. RB40’s mom qualifies for a spousal benefit. Her dad has Social Security Benefits, and they were married for 18 years. Her mom met with the Social Security office about 15 years ago, but they said she doesn’t have any benefits. This seems wrong to me. I need to drag her to the Social Security office and apply for benefits. It won’t be much, but she should get something. She is 75 years old. She was a teacher and has a pension. Her job didn’t pay into Social Security.

Net worth +10%

I’ve been tracking our net worth since 2006. It’s great to see the progress over the years. This year, I’d like to see 10% gains. At this point, it’s all dependent on the stock market, and there isn’t much I can do to influence this goal. I’ll track it and keep my fingers crossed.

I’m somewhat optimistic for 2026. The AI revolution is still underway. Who knows how it will turn out? We might have another good year before the bubble bursts.

Health Goals

Lower my triglyceride level

On the last annual physical, my triglyceride was 486 mg/dL. That’s very high. I had this problem for a long time, but the medication helped keep it under control. My new primary care physician told me to go on a low-carb diet, and we’ll see what happens next time. My goal is to reduce it to around 150.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to minimize carbs. I need to do some research. Here are a few things to start with.

• Stop buying chips and chocolate. Choose unsweetened trail mixes and nuts instead…
• Replace rice and bread with other options. Quinoa for everyone…
• Take a walk daily. This one is impossible…

Help move Mrs. RB40’s dad

We need to move Mrs. RB40’s dad into an assisted living facility. Mrs. RB40 is doing most of the work. I’ll provide moral support for this goal. Mrs. RB40 will spend a lot of time in California working on this transition. I’ll be in Portland with RB40Jr most of the year.

My dad also has some health issues recently. He is working with the doctors on a treatment plan. I’ll go to Thailand this summer to see if I can help with anything.

Fun Goals

Pottery profitable

Last year, I made about $600 from pottery. That’s enough to trigger a 1099. I might as well treat pottery as a business so I can write off the expenses. FYI, I spent more than $600 on classes and materials. In 2026, the goal is to be profitable! (That’s what the IRS needs to see if I want to write off the expenses.) It’s a business, not a hobby.

Meandering toward full retirement

This year, I plan to retire more and work less. This means less blogging and delivery driving.

Last year, I had a hard time writing a new blog post every week. I’ve been blogging for 15 years, and it’s almost time to move on. Blogging isn’t as fun as it used to be. The blog traffic continues to decrease due to AI and Google. However, I’m not ready to stop blogging completely. This year, I’ll commit to writing a new post at least once per month. I may write more if I have something to share. Thank you for your support over the years. I really appreciate it.

Also, I plan to spend a lot more time in Thailand once our son goes off to college. This summer, I’ll start the process while I’m there. I’ll see an optometrist to get new glasses, get my teeth cleaned, and maybe get a physical. This is to establish a baseline health record in Thailand.

Happiness level > 8

I’m a naturally happy guy so this should be easy. Life has been great over the last few years, mostly.

On to 2026!

Alright! These are my goals for 2026. I’ll update the spreadsheet once per month. This is the key. If you don’t track your goals, you’ll forget about them. This is a roadmap of what I’d like to accomplish this year. Good luck everyone!

What are your goals for 2026? Happy New Year and good luck!

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Joe started Retire by 40 in 2010 to figure out how to retire early. After 16 years of investing and saving, he achieved financial independence and retired at 38.

Joe recommends Empower for DIY investors. They have many useful tools that will help you reach financial independence.