Taxes, fines, bank accounts, mobile subscriptions, loans - what else needs to be checked before the New Year so as not to lose money and not overpay for air.

December checklist: 7 financial things to do before the end of the year

The last month of the year is a difficult test. Workaholics close their "tails" at work, housewives buy food for the New Year's table, shopaholics run through sales. But there are things that concern everyone - financial. And it is also better to deal with them before December 31st. In order not to forget anything, make a list and cross off what is completed. Our checklist is here to help.


1. Pay your taxes

To check if you have debts and unpaid bills, go to your personal account on the website of the Federal Tax Service (nalog.gov.ru). First of all, it concerns property tax and transport tax. Their payment deadline is December 1st. Then penalties begin to accrue - for each day of delay. And if you forgot to pay, the sooner you do it, the less you overpay.


2. Pay the fines

First of all, find out if you have any traffic tickets. This can be done on the official website of the traffic police or on the State Services. In addition, administrative fines may be assessed. This information can be obtained on the website of the FSSP (Federal Bailiff Service) and on the State Services portal .


3. Optimize deposits

Check with your bank if there are any pre-holiday promotions. As a rule, before the New Year, all financial institutions try to attract customers and offer to open "thematic" accounts with a favorable percentage. If you do not feel confident in this area, do not risk transferring money yourself through an online bank. It is better to go to the branch and consult with a specialist.


4. Close unnecessary cards and accounts

Log into your banking app and sort out your accounts and cards. Perhaps some of them have not been used for a long time and hang just like that, while eating your money "for maintenance". If you changed jobs this year, check if you still have an unnecessary salary card. At the same time, check if the bank has imposed any unnecessary paid services on you.


5. Pay off your debts

This, of course, should be done whenever possible. But, in any case, it is worth checking if there are any overdue payments on loans. As well as personal debts - relatives, friends. New Year's Eve is the best time to shed this burden and start from scratch.


6. Deal with subscriptions

Take some time and dig into your smartphone . It is quite possible that you will find that you signed up for a free trial period at some online movie theater or other entertainment service a long time ago, and then forgot to uncheck it. And now you are automatically charged for the subscription. It may not be noticeable, but over time a decent amount accumulates.


7. Estimate the budget for next year

Do it on paper, with a calculator in hand. Already now you can guess how much you need to save for a vacation, when and how much money will be needed for school shopping, etc. This means understanding how much you can spend and how much you have to save monthly. If everything is planned and calculated, you will be able to look more confidently into the future.