Mike MilliganFounder and CEO, 1.oak Financial · Founder and CEO, 1.oak Financial

Strategies for Tax Season

28 Jan 2026 · 0 min

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In this segment of his "Strategies for Tax Season" video, Mike Milligan urges listeners to treat an emergency fund as their primary financial safeguard for 2026. He points out that the start of the year is an ideal time to either launch or rebuild this safety net. Citing a Bankrate statistic that 56% of U.S. adults would need to borrow or use credit to cover a $1,000 emergency, Milligan underscores the prevalence of financial vulnerability. He then references Dave Ramsey’s well‑known advice from the 7 Baby Steps, which recommends beginning with a $1,000 emergency fund, positioning this as a concrete, actionable first step for viewers.

All right, emergency fund, your first line of defense for 2026. It's early in the year, which makes this the perfect morning, uh, the perfect morning and day to start to, uh, or rebuild your emergency fund. According to Bankrate, 56% of US adults can't cover a $1,000 emergency without borrowing or dipping into credit. That's why our radio friend Dave Ramsey says on his 7 Baby Steps, start with a $1,000 emergency fund.