How we build this checklist
When you're running on no sleep, you need to trust that a deadline is real before you act on it. Here's how the checklist gets made, so you can decide how much to trust it.
Where the facts come from
Deadlines, dollar limits, and eligibility rules come from official sources first:
- IRS — tax credits, FSA and HSA limits, withholding, the kiddie tax
- Social Security Administration — getting your baby's Social Security number
- HealthCare.gov — enrollment windows for marketplace health plans
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit reports, credit freezes, and consumer protections
Many checklist items link straight to the official page behind them, so you can check the details yourself. Rules and limits change, often every tax year, and we update the checklist when they do.
How items are sorted
Hard deadlines are the few tasks with a real cutoff, where waiting can cost you coverage or money. First month items don't have a legal deadline, but they protect your family and most people do them early. Everything after that is ordered by when it usually starts to matter.
What this isn't
This is general information, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Your plan, your state, and your income can change the details, so check the specifics for your situation. There are no paid placements, and right now no links on the site earn a commission (see the disclosure).
Spotted a mistake?
Tell me at [email protected]. Corrections get fixed fast, because a wrong deadline is the worst thing this site could get wrong.
Checklist last updated September 22, 2026. Written by Shamus.