Stock Market Opens the Year Strong And 2026 Tax Updates
Thu Jan 29 2026
In this episode of the Planned Solutions Podcast, the US stock market has started the year strong with the S&P 500 returning nearly 1.4% in just 11 trading days. However, the US large-cap index has underperformed foreign stocks, which led major index returns in 2025, and small- and mid-sized stocks, which lagged in 2025 but started 2026 strong with an 8.0% rate of return. The strong returns in the foreign market may be a sign of a continued trend favoring non-US investments, while the strong returns in small/midcap returns may be a sign of a healthy stock market rally in the US.
Tax season is not just a time to look backward to the prior tax year, but also a good opportunity to look forward to planning for the current tax year. This may include changing tax withholdings for 2026 to either cover any projected shortfall or to reduce tax withholdings if a large refund is expected. This may be especially important this tax season, as several changes to the tax law may result in larger projected refunds than in the past.
Additionally, the new tax law provisions offer tax benefits for some employees who receive tip income and/or who work overtime. However, the reporting requirements for this income do not go into effect until the 2026 tax year. Therefore, employees who believe they may qualify may need to prove their deductions by referencing their pay stubs for the year in addition to their Form W-2.
Plus, a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board -
The new year is a good time for review and renewal. In that spirit, Planned Solutions held an all-hands offsite meeting to discuss our core values and what is important to us going forward.
Shannon recently reached an impressive milestone. He has been working with Planned Solutions for 25 years! Needless to say, during his tenure, Shannon has had a big impact on Planned Solutions and is a big reason for the company’s success over that time.
To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast), please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com
Planned Solutions, Inc.ADDRESS: 1130 Iron Point Road, Suite 170, Folsom, CA 95630 PHONE: (916) 361-0100 or (800) 750-2111E-MAIL: Shannon@PlannedSolutions.comWEBSITE:www.PlannedSolutions.com
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In this episode of the Planned Solutions Podcast, the US stock market has started the year strong with the S&P 500 returning nearly 1.4% in just 11 trading days. However, the US large-cap index has underperformed foreign stocks, which led major index returns in 2025, and small- and mid-sized stocks, which lagged in 2025 but started 2026 strong with an 8.0% rate of return. The strong returns in the foreign market may be a sign of a continued trend favoring non-US investments, while the strong returns in small/midcap returns may be a sign of a healthy stock market rally in the US. Tax season is not just a time to look backward to the prior tax year, but also a good opportunity to look forward to planning for the current tax year. This may include changing tax withholdings for 2026 to either cover any projected shortfall or to reduce tax withholdings if a large refund is expected. This may be especially important this tax season, as several changes to the tax law may result in larger projected refunds than in the past. Additionally, the new tax law provisions offer tax benefits for some employees who receive tip income and/or who work overtime. However, the reporting requirements for this income do not go into effect until the 2026 tax year. Therefore, employees who believe they may qualify may need to prove their deductions by referencing their pay stubs for the year in addition to their Form W-2. Plus, a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - The new year is a good time for review and renewal. In that spirit, Planned Solutions held an all-hands offsite meeting to discuss our core values and what is important to us going forward. Shannon recently reached an impressive milestone. He has been working with Planned Solutions for 25 years! Needless to say, during his tenure, Shannon has had a big impact on Planned Solutions and is a big reason for the company’s success over that time. To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast), please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com Planned Solutions, Inc.ADDRESS: 1130 Iron Point Road, Suite 170, Folsom, CA 95630 PHONE: (916) 361-0100 or (800) 750-2111E-MAIL: Shannon@PlannedSolutions.comWEBSITE:www.PlannedSolutions.com