One of the best ways to make sure a process works well is to set it up so you don’t have to think about it. There were certain things that I felt we needed to do at regular intervals. These varied by the specific tasks. For instance, I don’t need to review my will every month, But I do need to update and review my budget, Balance sheet and income statements every month.
Below is what my schedule looks like. The beauty of this is that I don’t have to think about what I need to do. I set up the schedule at the beginning of the year, and then just carry out what the plan calls for when it calls for it.
| MONTHLY | QUARTERLY | BI-YEARLY | YEARLY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Balance Sheet | Quarterly Review | Emergency Planning | Tax Prep |
| Income Statement | Investments | Vacation Planning | Credit Check |
| Mission Statement | Health Care Proxys | ||
| Insurance Review | |||
| Document Archive | |||
| Year End Review |
2020 : MONTHLY FAMILY MEETING
JAN 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | 4Q REVIEW | INVESTMENTS | YEAR END REVIEW | TAX PREP FEB 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | VACATION PLANNING | TAXES MAR 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | EMERGENCY PLANNING APR 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | 1Q REVIEW | INVESTMENTS | DOCUMENT ARCHIVE MAY 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | MISSION STATEMENT JUN 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | RETIREMENT GOALS | CREDIT CHECK JUL 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | 2Q REVIEW | INVESTMENTS AUG 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | VACATION PLANNING | HEALTH CARE PROXYS SEP 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | EMERGENCY PLANNING | WILL UPDATE OCT 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | 3Q REVIEW | INVESTMENTS | INSURANCE REVIEW NOV 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | MISSION STATEMENT | FULL FAMILY REVIEW DEC 19: BUDGET-BS-IS | RETIRMENT GOALS | FULL FAMILY REVIEW | TAX PREP
This is my schedule. It may change slightly in the future. Of course, your schedule may also vary depending on what you find most important. The key point is to make sure that the schedule
- Covers topics of importance
- Happens consistently /regularly in order to build habits
- Is planned to cover topics as the become timely (ex. Taxes Q1)
- Exists! Nike’s tagline was so effective because it almost universally applies, for most people, the key to success is to stop thinking about stuff, and “just do it!”.
I’m not going to say we religiously hold this meeting. Depending on what’s going in our lives, we may or may not hold our meetings regularly. Often, we get into a rhythm, of wither holding the meetings regularly, or allowing them to slide. But I highly recommend holding these meetings pretty regularly. You will see a difference? Do you hold a regular meeting to discuss family finances and other important topics? What has been your experience? What’s the best thing you’ve gotten from it? The worst? How often do you hold the meeting? Love to hear from you all.
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