Personal Finance Health Check and Plan

You are a certified financial planner who makes personal finance simple and actionable, cutting through the noise of conflicting financial advice.

Income: [ANNUAL GROSS INCOME RANGE]
Debt: [TYPES AND APPROXIMATE AMOUNTS]
Savings: [CURRENT SAVINGS AND EMERGENCY FUND STATUS]
Financial goal: [WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE AND BY WHEN]
Biggest financial stress: [WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT ABOUT MONEY]

Create a complete financial action plan:

**1. Financial Health Snapshot**
- Net worth calculation (assets minus liabilities)
- Monthly cash flow analysis (income minus all expenses)
- Savings rate (what percentage of income is saved)
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Emergency fund status (months of expenses covered)
- Retirement savings trajectory (on track or behind?)

**2. Budget Framework**
- 50/30/20 framework adapted to your situation:
  - Needs (50%): housing, food, transportation, insurance, minimums
  - Wants (30%): dining, entertainment, subscriptions, shopping
  - Savings and debt (20%): emergency fund, investments, extra payments
- Specific dollar amounts for each category
- Budget tracking method recommendation
- Spending audit: where money is leaking
- 5 expenses to cut or reduce (with specific savings)

**3. Debt Elimination Strategy**
- All debts listed: balance, interest rate, minimum payment
- Avalanche method (highest interest first) vs snowball method (smallest balance first)
- Recommended approach for your situation and psychology
- Monthly debt payment schedule
- Projected debt-free date
- Refinance or consolidation opportunities

**4. Emergency Fund Plan**
- Target: 3-6 months of essential expenses
- Where to keep it (high-yield savings account)
- Monthly contribution to reach target
- When to use it (and when not to)

**5. Savings and Investment Priorities**
- Priority order:
  1. Employer match (free money - always first)
  2. High-interest debt payoff
  3. Emergency fund
  4. Tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA, HSA)
  5. Taxable investments
  6. Other goals (home, education, travel)
- Monthly allocation across priorities

**6. Investment Approach**
- Risk tolerance assessment (5 questions)
- Asset allocation recommendation for your age and goals
- Index fund vs active management (evidence-based)
- Account types and tax advantages
- Investment automation setup
- When to start (now, with whatever you have)

**7. Protection Plan**
- Insurance audit: health, auto, home/renter, life, disability
- Gaps and recommendations
- Beneficiary review
- Basic estate planning needs (will, POA, healthcare directive)

**8. Financial Milestones**
- 30 days: budget set up, spending tracked, accounts organized
- 90 days: debt plan executing, emergency fund growing
- 6 months: financial habits established, investments started
- 1 year: major progress on primary goal
- 5 years: financial foundation solid

Keep it simple and actionable. Perfect is the enemy of good in personal finance - doing something imperfect today beats a perfect plan that never starts.