Happy New Year! ! ! 2026 has arrived and it’s time to start over! Aren’t you happy to have this opportunity every year? Last year wasn't a great year for RB40 families, but I'm optimistic about 2026. This year will be better.
First of all, I can't believe I'm 52 years old. A few friends have told me that I look the same as before, but I disagree. I feel much older and frailer than I did five years ago. Oh well, that's life. I want to travel further and have more adventures, but RB40Jr is a freshman in high school. We’re still bound to school schedules for a few more years. Once he leaves for college, the RB40 Lady will travel even more. We'll be squatting for a few more years. Stability is important for children.
In the meantime, we still have a lot to do. Let's set some goals for 2026. These will be my roadmap for this year. The key is to track your goals on a spreadsheet and update your status monthly. That way, I'll know what goals I need to work toward. Today I’m going to share some tips on goal setting and 2026 goals. Check it out below.
set goals
In previous years, I had modest expectations and set goals accordingly. This worked well for me as I was able to accomplish most of the things on the list. I find that setting expectations that are too high doesn’t work for me. I couldn't achieve these goals and I became discouraged. My style is slow and steady. For younger people, though, it might be better to photograph the moon.
Here’s how I achieve my New Year’s resolutions.
- Set achievable goals – Don’t dream big unless you have a great track record of achievement. Most of us get discouraged and give up.
- Set specific and measurable goals – New Year’s resolutions need to be very specific. Don't set vague goals like saving more or eating healthier. You can’t keep track of them and by April you’ll have forgotten about them. A better goal is to maximize your 401(k). This can be measured. You also need to find a way to get there. Would you increase your 401(k) contributions immediately? You need a plan or it will be much more difficult to achieve these goals.
- Write them down and track your progress– Write down your goals and put them somewhere you can see them. The refrigerator door is a great place for many people. Personally, my goal is to retire before age 40 and update my spreadsheet every month. This has worked very well over the past 15 years. Everyone gives me motivation to improve. I have made huge improvements in my financial and personal life since I started blogging. marvelous.
- academic scale – These days, I rate my New Year’s resolutions on an academic level. It works great. 90% still an A-. It was motivating and I feel good about the results.
New Year’s Goals for 2026
This is my target table. It's simple and useful. My progress is clear at a glance, and it’s easy to update every month.
financial goals
sale for rent
My main goal for 2026 is to sell our rental apartment. Our tenant violated the lease and moved earlier than expected. That's no problem for me because I want to sell the unit. I have fixed some issues and touched up the paint. Next week I'll be calling a real estate agent and putting it on the market. I'm optimistic this year because interest rates are a little lower than last year. If it doesn't sell by spring, I will lower the price.
The second part of this goal is to prepare our duplex for sale in 2029. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed here. I would have the real estate agent come over and let them tell us what to do first. Additionally, I plan to require our tenants to move out in 2027. RB40Jr is older now and needs more space. I believe converting the duplex to our primary residence will also help optimize our taxes when we sell.
Optimize withdrawals and taxes
2026 will be the first year of full retirement for the RB40 ladies. Our income will be very low. However, we will receive income from the investment. Profit is generated from rental apartments, dividend income, stock sales, pension income and real estate crowdfunding. I should sell some stocks to take advantage of long-term capital gains. If our taxable income is less than $98,900, the tax rate will be 0%.
This topic is quite complex. I need to work harder. There are a lot of moving parts.
Helping RB40 woman’s mother apply for social security benefits
I think Ms. RB40's mother is eligible for spousal benefits. Her father receives Social Security benefits and they have been married for 18 years. About 15 years ago, her mom met with the Social Security office, but they said she didn't have any benefits. This seems wrong to me. I need to drag her to the Social Security office to apply for benefits. Not much, but she deserves something. She is 75 years old. She is a teacher and has a pension. Her job paid no Social Security benefits.
Net worth +10%
I have been tracking our net worth since 2006. It's great to see the progress over the years. This year, I'd like to see a 10% increase. At this point, it all depends on the stock market and there's nothing I can do to influence that goal. I will track it and pray.
I'm optimistic about 2026. The AI revolution is still underway. Who knows what the outcome will be? We may be in for another good year before the bubble bursts.
health goals
Lower my triglyceride levels
At my last annual physical, my triglycerides were 486 mg/dL. That's very high. I have had this problem for a long time but medication has helped me control it. My new primary care doctor told me to go on a low carb diet and we'll see what happens next time. My goal is to get down to around 150.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to minimize carbs. I need to do some research. Here are some things to start with.
- Stop buying chips and chocolate. Choose unsweetened assorted dried fruits and nuts instead…
- Replace rice and bread with other options. Quinoa is for everyone…
- Take a walk every day. it's out of the question……
Father helping move Mrs. RB40
We need to move Ms. RB40's father into an assisted living facility. The RB40 ladies are doing most of the work. I will provide moral support for this goal. The RB40 ladies will spend a lot of time in California working on this transition. I spend most of the year in Portland with RB40Jr.
My father has also had some health issues recently. He is working with doctors to develop a treatment plan. I will go to Thailand this summer to see if there is anything I can do to help.
interesting goals
Pottery profit
Last year, I made about $600 from pottery. This is enough to trigger a 1099. I might as well treat pottery as a business so I can write off the expenses. FYI, I spent over $600 on the course and materials. In 2026, the goal is profitability! (The IRS needs to see this information if I want to write off the expense.) This is a business, not a hobby.
Towards full retirement
This year, I plan to retire more and work less. This means less blogging and delivery driven.
Last year, I struggled to write a new blog post every week. I've been blogging for 15 years and it's time to move on. Blogging isn’t as fun as it once was. Blog traffic continues to decrease due to AI and Google. However, I’m not ready to stop blogging completely. This year I will commit to writing at least one new article per month. If I had anything to share, I might write more. Thank you for your support over the years. I'm really grateful.
Also, I plan to spend more time in Thailand once our son goes to college. I will start the process there this summer. I'll see the optometrist, get new glasses, get my teeth cleaned, and maybe get a physical. This is to establish baseline health records in Thailand.
Happiness>8
I'm a naturally happy person so this should be easy. Life has been pretty good for the last few years for the most part.
Towards 2026!
All right! These are my goals for 2026. I will update the spreadsheet once a month. This is the key. If you don't track your goals, you'll forget about them. This is a road map of what I want to accomplish this year. Good luck to everyone!
What are your goals for 2026? Happy New Year and all the best!
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