The next eight weeks are unusually crowded. A lame-duck Congress, a Fed rate decision, a funding deadline, health insurance enrollment, the holiday retail season and new benefit rules all land between mid-November and mid-January.
This is every date that matters, in order, with a link to the full explainer for each.
The short version
- 25 November: inflation (PCE) and revised GDP data.
- 27 to 30 November: Black Friday to Cyber Monday.
- 7 December: Medicare open enrollment ends.
- 9 December: Fed decision. A rate hike is expected.
- 11 December: government funding runs out; states' deadline to opt into the Medicaid delay.
- 15 December: sign up for ACA coverage starting 1 January.
- 1 January: Social Security raise, Medicaid work requirements, new health plans.
- 3 January: new Democratic Congress sworn in.
- 15 January: ACA open enrollment closes.
November 2026
| Date | What happens | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 19 Nov | Weekly mortgage rate survey | Mortgage rates |
| Tue 24 Nov | Thanksgiving travel period begins | Thanksgiving travel |
| Wed 25 Nov | October PCE inflation; second estimate of Q3 GDP; mortgage survey moved up a day | The US economy |
| Thu 26 Nov | Thanksgiving | |
| Fri 27 Nov | Black Friday | Black Friday 2026 |
| Sat 28 Nov | Small Business Saturday | |
| Mon 30 Nov | Cyber Monday; Thanksgiving travel period ends |
December 2026
| Date | What happens | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 4 Dec | November jobs report | |
| Mon 7 Dec | Medicare open enrollment ends | Social Security and Medicare 2027 |
| Tue 8 to Wed 9 Dec | Fed meeting; decision 2 p.m. Eastern on 9 December | The Fed and inflation |
| Thu 10 Dec | November CPI | |
| Fri 11 Dec | Government funding expires. States must tell CMS if they will delay Medicaid enforcement | Shutdown deadline; Medicaid delay |
| Sat 12 Dec | Shutdown begins if no funding bill has passed | |
| Tue 15 Dec | Last day to pick an ACA plan for 1 January coverage | ACA open enrollment |
| Wed 23 Dec | Third estimate of Q3 GDP | |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day | |
| Thu 31 Dec | First SSI payment with the 3.6% increase | COLA 2027 |
January 2027
| Date | What happens | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | 3.6% Social Security COLA takes effect; Medicaid work requirements begin in 43 states and DC; 2027 health plans start | Medicaid |
| Sun 3 Jan | New Congress sworn in with Democratic majorities; House elects a speaker | Midterm results |
| Fri 15 Jan | ACA open enrollment ends in most states | ACA |
Which dates matter most for a small business?
If you only diarise five, make them these:
- 27 to 30 November. Your biggest sales weekend of the year if you sell to consumers. Have your pricing, stock and site speed sorted before Monday 23 November.
- 9 December. A Fed hike reprices variable-rate debt, credit lines and card balances within days. Know which of your borrowings float.
- 11 December. If you are a federal contractor, depend on federal permits, or have an SBA loan in process, get urgent filings in before this date.
- 15 December. If you or your staff buy individual health insurance, this is the cut-off for 1 January cover.
- 1 January. If you employ hourly workers on Medicaid, expect requests for hours confirmations.
How to use this calendar
Put the dates in your calendar now, with a reminder a week ahead. Then do one thing per date: a decision, a filing or a check, not a worry. Three habits make a period like this manageable:
- A 13-week cash flow forecast that you update weekly, so rate, demand and payment shocks show up early. Our template and guide takes an afternoon to set up.
- A one-page list of what depends on the federal government, so a shutdown is a checklist, not a scramble.
- One owner per deadline. Deadlines nobody owns are the ones that get missed.
If you would like help setting up that rhythm in your business, that is the operations work we do most. Get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Fed meeting in December 2026?
8 and 9 December, with the decision at 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday 9 December.
What is the deadline for ACA open enrollment for January coverage?
15 December 2026 for coverage starting 1 January 2027.
When does the new Congress start?
3 January 2027.
When is the government shutdown deadline?
11 December 2026.
Sources
Dates as given in each linked explainer, from the Federal Reserve, BEA, BLS, CMS, the Social Security Administration, HealthCare.gov, the NRF and Freddie Mac. As of 15 November 2026.
