The New Currency of 2026: Reclaiming Your “Time Assets”
Rather than claiming the usual resolutions about gym memberships, cleaner diets, and stricter budgets, why not reclaim more of your most valuable asset – your time.
When we view our savings not just as “wealth,” but as Time Assets, our financial strategy takes on a new, optimistic purpose. Your accounts becomes a reservoir of potential hours, days, and years that you can “buy back” to spend on what truly matters.
How to Buy Back Your Time in 2026
Reclaiming your time requires an intentional shift in how you deploy your resources. Here are three ways to look at your “Time Assets” this year:
- The Power of “No”: Having a solid financial buffer (your “Mindful Margin”) gives you the incredible power to say no to projects, overtime, or commitments that don’t align with your values. It’s the “freedom fund” that allows you to prioritize your peace of mind over a paycheck. Emergency savings takes on a whole new meaning when you think of it in this way.
- Micro-Moments and Outsourcing: Many of us are “time poor” because we spend our weekends on chores we dislike. In 2026, consider the Return on Investment (ROI) of outsourcing. If paying for a grocery delivery service or a lawn crew gives you four hours back each week to spend with your children or pursuing a hobby, that is a high-yield investment in your quality of life.
- The “Semi-Retirement” Mindset: We are seeing more clients use their assets to transition into “consultancy” or part-time roles earlier than traditional retirement age. By leveraging your savings to cover the gap, you can enjoy the “Active Years” of your life while you still have the health and energy to do so.
Invest in Memories, Not Just Markets
The beauty of focusing on Time Assets is that the “dividends” are paid out in memories. Whether it’s taking a sabbatical to travel, finishing work at 3:00 PM to catch a soccer game, or simply having a slow morning with a cup of coffee, these are the moments that define a life well-lived.
Talk with one of our advisors on how to use your investments to live a life that is rich in time.
Happy New Year—may 2026 be your most intentional year yet.
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
– Albert Einstein
THE MONTH IN BRIEF
U.S. Markets
December 2025 capped off a strong year for Wall Street with the Dow and Nasdaq reaching new heights before a minor late-month pullback. While the S&P 500 saw its record-breaking multi-month winning streak come to a narrow end with a marginal monthly loss of -0.05%, it still finished the year with a robust year-to-date return of 16.39%. The Nasdaq Composite Index also experienced a slight dip of -0.53% for the month, yet it remained the year’s top performer among the three major indices with a total 20.36% return for 2025. Conversely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the month-end cooling trend to post its eighth consecutive month of gains, adding 0.73% in December and bringing its final year-to-date return to 12.97%.1
1. https://www.morningstar.com/markets/indexe
Advisory Services offered through Capital Analysts or Lincoln Investment, Registered Investment Advisers. Securities offered through Lincoln Investment, Broker/Dealer Member FINRA/SIPC. www.lincolninvestment.com M3 Investment Services and the above firms are independent and non-affiliated.
S&P 500 Index is an index of 500 of the largest exchange-traded stocks in the US from a broad range of industries whose collective performance mirrors the overall stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a widely watched index of 30 American stocks thought to represent the pulse of the American economy and markets. The NASDAQ is an index that tracks the cumulative results on a market capitalization basis of all stocks trading in the NASDAQ system. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. 1/26