Last week a client sat across from me and said something I hear at least twice a month. She had no idea where her money went. She made good money. She paid her bills. But every month felt like chaos.

She is far from alone. Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study found that 69% of Americans say financial uncertainty has made them feel depressed and anxious, an 8-point increase from just two years ago. The pattern is clear. When people avoid looking at their money, anxiety compounds. When anxiety grows, avoidance deepens. The cycle feeds itself.

A 15-minute financial monthly check-in breaks that cycle.

This is not another budgeting system that demands hours of your time or makes you feel guilty about last month’s spending. This is a judgment-free financial wellness ritual designed to do four things. Review what happened without shame. Track progress toward one meaningful goal. Verify your automated systems are working. Plan for next month’s reality.

After three decades of working with families, I have seen the same transformation dozens of times. The people who commit to this monthly practice stop avoiding their bank accounts. They sleep better. They make faster progress on goals that felt impossible six months earlier. The clarity alone reduces the financial anxiety that keeps 63% of Americans awake at night.

Click play and watch the YouTube video below for a quick overview of the article:

The Tools You’ll Need (The Secret to Speed)

This 15-minute process, your MichaelRyanMoney.com monthly financial status check in, is only possible with the right tools. The key is a financial aggregator that automatically links to your accounts and does the heavy lifting for you.

• Financial Dashboard: 
  You need a central hub to track everything. Empower Personal Dashboard (formerly Personal Capital) is my top recommendation because its Net Worth tracker and Retirement Planner are best-in-class and completely free. Alternatives like YNAB (You Need A Budget) also work well.
• Your Budgeting Tool: 
  This could be your aggregator (like YNAB) or a simple spreadsheet where you track your income and major expenses.
• The Worksheet: 
  Bookmark our free 15-Minute Financial Check-in Worksheet to guide you through the process and track your progress month over month.

The 5-Step, 15-Minute Financial Wellness Check-in

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Open your chosen financial dashboard and the worksheet. Let’s begin.

Step 1: Your Net Worth Snapshot (2 Minutes)

Your Net Worth is the ultimate measure of your financial health. It’s the one number that tells you if you’re moving in the right direction.

• Action: 
  Open your Empower Personal Dashboard or chosen aggregator. Or use my Net Worth Calculator. Look at the main Net Worth number at the top.
• On Your Worksheet: 
  Write down today’s date and your current net worth. Compare it to last month’s number.
• Ask Yourself: 
  Did my net worth go up or down? Why? (e.g., “Market was up, so my 401(k) retirement plan grew,” or “We paid down a chunk of our mortgage balance.”).
  This isn’t about judgment; it’s about understanding the drivers of your wealth.

Step 2: Your Savings Rate Check-up (3 Minutes)

Your Savings Rate, the percentage of your gross income you’re saving, is the most powerful lever you have for achieving financial independence.

• Action: 
  Look at your contributions for the past month to all savings and investment accounts.
  This includes your 401(k) contributions, any IRA contributions (both Traditional IRA and Roth IRA), and transfers to brokerage or savings accounts.
• On Your Worksheet: 
  Add up your total savings for the month.
  Divide it by your gross monthly income to get your savings rate. (e.g., $2,500 saved / $15,000 gross income = 16.7% savings rate).
• Ask Yourself: 
  Am I meeting my goal? (A common benchmark recommended by institutions like Fidelity is to save at least 15% for retirement).

Step 3: Your Recent Spending Audit (5 Minutes)

This is not a full budget review. This is a quick, high-impact audit to catch financial leaks and ensure your spending aligns with your values.

• Action: 
  In your financial dashboard, review your transactions for the last 7 days. Look for three things:
  1. Subscriptions: 
     Any recurring charges from services you no longer use? (e.g., that streaming service you forgot about).
  2. Surprises: 
     Any transactions you don’t recognize? This is your first line of defense against fraud.
  3. “Is It Worth It?” Purchases: 
     Look at your top 3 largest discretionary purchases.
     Did they bring you real value, or was it an impulse buy?
• On Your Budget Worksheet: 
  Note any subscriptions to cancel, any fraudulent charges to investigate, and one observation about your spending.

Step 4: Your Cash Flow Pulse (2 Minutes)

Your Monthly Cash Flow (Income minus Expenses) determines your ability to save and invest.

• Action: 
  Your financial dashboard should show you a simple cash flow summary for the previous month.
• On Your Worksheet: 
  Write down last month’s total income, total spending, and your net cash flow (the difference).
• Ask Yourself: 
  Was my cash flow positive or negative? 
  If it was negative, which spending category was the primary cause?
  This quick check prevents you from slowly drifting into credit card debt.

Step 5: Your Goal Progress Review (3 Minutes)

Finally, reconnect with your “why.” Your money is a tool to build the life you want.

• Action: 
  Look at your primary financial goals (e.g., “House Down Payment,” “Kids’ 529 College Savings Plan,” “Vacation Fund”).
  Check the current balance of the accounts associated with those goals.
• On Your Worksheet: 
  Note the progress you made toward one of your top goals.
• Ask Yourself: 
  What is the next single action I can take to move this goal forward? (e.g., “Automate an extra $100 transfer to my high-yield savings account for the house down payment.”).

That’s it. In 15 minutes, you have audited your entire financial life, identified potential problems, and reconnected with your goals. This small, repeatable habit, tracked on your financial wellness check-in worksheet, is the true secret to building lasting wealth and, more importantly, lasting peace of mind.

Your Next Steps to Building a Powerful Financial Habit

True financial health isn’t found in a complex spreadsheet you only open once a year; it’s built through the small, consistent habit of awareness. This 15-minute financial check-in is your simple tool to replace vague money anxiety with quiet confidence, ensuring you always know where your money is going.

After years of advising, I can assure you that this weekly ritual of reviewing your spending habits and tracking your savings goals is the single most effective way to stay in control. You’re not just reviewing numbers; you’re building a healthy, proactive relationship with your finances.

Now that you have the worksheet, your next step is to put it on your calendar. To continue your journey, explore our other resources on budgeting and money management below. And for more simple, powerful habits to boost your financial health, sign up for our weekly newsletter.