Here is the agenda for the annual financial meeting my nerdy husband and I undertake every February. I’ll write more about the results of this meeting tomorrow.
- Review Net Worth Report
- Review Cash Flow Report
- Discuss Major Expenditures
- Discuss Insurance (This year life insurance, last year disability insurance)
- Discuss Expected Tax Bill/Rebate
- Discuss Plan for Excess Cash (ex. CD – 1 year, 6 month, etc)
- Discuss Goals/Accomplishments from the previous year
- Exercise
- Write & Share Goals
- Ex. Retire @ 50
- Return to College
- Replace Furniture
- Assign a Time Frame to Each Goal (1 – 5 years, 10+ years, 30 years)
- Rank Goals
- Discuss Options to Achieve Goals
wow – you two sound really organized.
Do you meet regularly together about money, or ad-hoc? Do you find it hard to carve out a niche of time together for that purpose?
I got the idea for an annual meeting from a book called ‘The Family CFO.’ If you have never read that book I highly recommend it. It discusses the importance of sitting down once a year to discuss financial goals with your spouse. My husband and I started the tradition last year.
We hold the meeting in February, after all of the holidays are over. We have also vowed not to hold the meeting in our house. If you can afford it, go to a hotel for the night, sit down to a nice dinner, and then discuss your finances. It makes the discussion more enjoyable. After all you want to look forward to saving and planning for your financial goals.
We talk about money frequently and informally, probably once or twice a week at the dinner table, before going to bed, etc. But I think it’s important to carve out a special time to discuss long range goals. It’s also a great time to reflect back on all your accomplishments from the prior year.
Thanks, ‘one frugal girl’ 🙂
I actually help people somewhat in this area, but hadn’t heard of the book, and in my experience you are a pretty rare couple (although of course people come to me who by definition don’t do this). Anyway, in my next newsletter if it’s ok with you, I’ll link to this post as evidence that it can, in fact, be done! And your suggestion of doing it off-site is excellent.
Tip of the hat …
Of course you can link to this post. I’d be honored. And definitely, definitely, definitely read ‘The Family CFO,’ it’s one of the best personal finance books out there.
i’m putting the book on amazon wishlist.
thats pretty amazing.