You see a doctor once a year for your body. Your finances deserve the same, and it takes an hour.
Block time in December or on your birthday, pour a coffee, and answer these ten questions.
Cash
- Is my emergency fund where I want it? One month, three, six?
- What did I spend on that I wouldn’t choose again? Scan your statements for the pattern.
Protection
- Would my income be protected if I couldn’t work? Check life, health and critical illness cover against your current life.
- Are my beneficiaries correct? Anyone to add or remove?
- Are any premiums at risk of lapsing? Confirm due dates and payment methods.
Debt
- What do I owe, and what does it cost? Are the highest-cost balances shrinking?
Growth
- Am I investing regularly, and is it suited to my timeline? Review fund fact sheets, not just balances.
- What is my net worth compared with last year? Direction matters more than size.
Life
- What changed this year? Job, family, health, goals. Does my plan still fit?
- What’s the one thing to do next? Pick one action, with a date.
How to run it
- Gather statements, policies and account balances beforehand.
- Write answers in one document, kept with your important papers.
- Schedule any follow-up calls or changes while the list is fresh.
- Share one line with your partner or a trusted person.
What you’ll likely find
Usually small things: a lapsed beneficiary, a forgotten subscription, a goal that needs a new number. Fixing them early is easy. Finding them in a crisis isn’t.
Put the date in your calendar before you close this page.