Opinion: Start 2026 strong: Tuneups for your portfolio, plan

Myles Jackson

By any measure, 2025 was unpredictable. Mega-cap stocks soared. Geopolitical pressures simmered. The Federal Reserve sent mixed signals. And a local standout, O’Reilly Automotive Inc., made headlines with a 15-for-1 stock split. Despite excellent market performance, few things felt certain.

Interest rates, artificial intelligence adoption and market concentration have created a new normal. This environment rewards those who think carefully, act deliberately and position strategically.

Now isn’t the time to coast. It’s time to prepare. Walk into your local O’Reilly and think about what it takes to get a vehicle ready for winter. That checklist holds lessons worth applying to your portfolio and financial plan.

High-cost funds and outdated holdings quietly erode returns. A portfolio that made sense in 2022 may be wrong for 2026. Most people don’t realize how much drag accumulates until they look at actual performance against their goals. A thorough start-of-year review uncovers this. Reducing unnecessary costs and rebalancing with intent keeps a portfolio responsive as conditions shift.

Think of it like Sea Foam clearing engine buildup. You can’t see the deposits, but they’re slowing you down.

Weaknesses in a portfolio and financial plan stay hidden in calm conditions. They surface during volatility or crisis. A market downturn, a life event or an unforeseen expense can expose gaps you didn’t know existed. Even those working with advisers benefit from a second opinion. A fresh set of eyes can spot what’s easy to overlook when you review your own plan.

It’s like worn out wiper blades. They don’t cause problems until the sleet and snow start coming down.

Financial maintenance gets postponed because it doesn’t feel urgent. Things like increasing retirement contributions, updating beneficiaries, replacing outdated insurance policies, refreshing wills and trusts, and reviewing account registrations either compound for you or against you. Staying up to date creates momentum for every other area of life. Real wealth gets built not in the big decisions, but in the consistent small ones done early.

Outdated financial documents create risk. When elements fall out of date, your plan still appears to function, but not as well as it should. Updated details ensure everything works smoothly when you need it.

It’s like replacing old fluids before winter. Fresh fluids keep everything running as it should.

Market downturns happen whether we like it or not. Before they do, confirm cash reserves, project realistic timelines and align investments with clear timelines and goals. When a crisis comes, those who are unprepared are forced into decisions under pressure. A solid system prevents avoidable stress when markets or life take an unexpected turn.

Experienced drivers keep jumper cables handy. You hope not to use them, but when you need them, they’re already at hand.

Most people delay retirement plans because they lack financial clarity. They put off travel, scale back goals or worry unnecessarily about what might not even be at risk. When all the financial pieces fit together, something shifts. You know what’s possible and when. That clarity lets you live your plan instead of deferring it.

It may not happen at your nearest O’Reilly location, but winter tires are an essential consideration. They don’t make headlines but make driving safer and more predictable. They turn uncertainty into confidence. That’s what financial readiness does for your retirement.

Preparing a vehicle for winter isn’t about grand overhauls. It’s about small adjustments. Your portfolio and financial plan deserve the same care. That’s what the professionals at your local O’Reilly would tell you about cars. It’s what your financial adviser should tell you about money.

The question isn’t whether you’ll face winter weather. It always comes. The question is whether you’ll face it prepared or scrambling.

Myles Jackson is a vice president and wealth management adviser at SignalPoint Asset Management LLC in Springfield. He can be reached at mjackson@signalpointinvest.com.