Your financial health isn’t a once-a-year event
Why your financial plan needs more than a once-a-year checkup
I recently had my annual physical exam.
Blood pressure, cholesterol, weight… all fine.
My doctor smiled, said I was healthy, and sent me on my way.
But as I walked out, something hit me: my “health” was based on just one day.
A single moment in time.
Out of 365 days, my health got measured on just one.
And if something not-so-obvious happened with my health the other 364 days?
Well, we’d hopefully catch it next year.
That’s when I realized: this is how most people (including many financial advisors) treat their financial planning.
The one-and-done plan problem
Too often, people think of a financial plan like a report card.
Once a year, they get a few papers and maybe a chart or two.
A financial health check-up.
Then it goes in a drawer. Or the trash.
They don’t look at it again until their next annual meeting — if they even have an annual “checkup.”
But money, like health, doesn’t work that way.
Your money life is like your body
Imagine if you treated your health like this:
You eat well… the day before your physical.
You go for a walk… the morning of.
You check your blood pressure… once a year.
We all know that’s silly.
Being healthy involves daily choices.
Small ones, stacked up over time.
Your financial health is no different.
You have financial vital signs: spending, saving, debt, investing, taxes.
And just like your body, these things can and will change.
Maybe you get hit with a big expense.
Or your income shifts.
Or the markets wobble.
Or a new tax rule dictates some changes in your retirement plan.
If you’re only checking your “money vitals” once a year, that’s like hoping one good blood test will keep you healthy all year long.
More is not always better
Some people are hypochondriacs.
They obsess over and worry about their health even when all their tests are clear.
They misinterpret normal bodily functions as dangerous symptoms.
While otherwise healthy, their constant anxiety can acutally have a negative impact their physical health.
Money is much the same.
And I believe there are financial hypochondriacs too.
Checking your accounts every day.
Obsessing over each market swing.
Glued to your news channel of choice and wondering how it might impact your retirement.
That’s not healthy either.
It leads to stress, not progress.
The goal is balance.
Not once a year.
Not once a day.
But an ongoing process that keeps things up to date without driving you crazy.
Financial planning is a process
A good plan isn’t something you do once and forget.
It’s something you return to.
Update.
Adjust.
Think of it like your garden.
You don’t plant in spring and never water again.
You weed.
You watch the weather.
You tend it.
Money is the same.
It needs care.
Not every day.
But more than once a year.
What real financial health looks like
It’s not about having the perfect portfolio or timing the market.
It’s about:
Knowing what’s coming in and going out
Understanding how your choices today affect your future
Having a trusted guide who helps you adjust along the way
That’s where I come in.
With the help of my team, I keep an eye on your investment portfolio every day and review your financial plan at least every month.
I’m watching for signals — changes in the market, the economy, or your own life — that might call for an adjustment.
That way, you don’t have to obsess over every detail.
You get the peace of mind of knowing someone’s watching over it with you.
You deserve better than a once-a-year money checkup
Your money life is too important, and too personal, to be given no more than an annual exam.
You deserve:
A plan that moves with you
A process that keeps pace with your life
A partner who checks in more than once a year — but doesn’t bury you in noise either
That’s how you stay financially healthy.
So yes, I’m glad my physical went well.
But I’m even more glad that when it comes to my money, I don’t wait 12 months to find out if something needs attention.
Neither should you.
If you’re ready for a plan that moves and adjusts with your life — and someone to keep watch so you don’t have to — let’s talk.
I appreciate your continued readership.
Please let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions for future essays.
Until next Wednesday,
Russ