Quicken Learn
The “first meeting” checklist: what an advisor would ask from your snapshot (and why)
A good financial advisor meeting isn’t magical. It’s structured.
They look at your snapshot, then ask a small set of questions that reveal:
- what’s solid
- what’s risky
- what’s missing
- and what to do next
You can do the same thing yourself.
This checklist is designed to be:
- practical (no jargon)
- fast (15 minutes)
- focused on decisions (not busywork)
Rough numbers are fine. The point is clarity, not perfection.
Ready for a clearer plan?
No bank passwords. AI opt-in. See exactly what data was used.
How to use this checklist (15 minutes)
- Answer what you can in one sitting.
- Skip what you don’t know.
- Circle the missing items you want to fill in later.
- Then ask one good question and pick 1–3 actions.
If you do this once, you’ll immediately know where your plan is strong and where it’s fuzzy.
A) Your snapshot basics (2 minutes)
- What’s your current net worth (roughly)?
- How much is in cash/savings right now?
- Do you carry revolving credit card debt month to month?
- What are your biggest “big rocks” assets? (retirement accounts, home, brokerage)
- What are your biggest debts? (mortgage/HELOC, student loans, credit cards)
Why this matters: it tells you if you’re stable or stretched before you talk about goals.
B) Cash buffer & lifestyle (3 minutes)
- Roughly how much do you spend per month?
- If your income stopped tomorrow, how many months could you cover essentials from cash?
- Is your cash balance trending up, flat, or down over the last 3 months?
- Any big one-time expenses coming in the next 6–12 months?
Why this matters: cash buffer problems create forced decisions (selling investments, using cards, stress).
C) Goals & timeline (3 minutes)
- When do you want to retire (age or year)?
- What does “retire” mean for you: fully stop, or scale back?
- Any other big goals: college help, home projects, travel, caring for family?
- What’s your #1 priority right now: stability, retirement speed, debt payoff, or lifestyle?
Why this matters: without a timeline, planning becomes generic.
D) Saving & contributions (2 minutes)
- Roughly how much do you save/invest per year right now?
- Are you consistently contributing to retirement accounts?
- Do you have any “irregular” income (bonus/RSUs/commission) that changes the plan?
- If you wanted to improve your plan, could you realistically add $250–$500/month?
Why this matters: savings rate is the lever that moves the timeline.
E) Debt reality check (3 minutes)
- List your credit cards that carry balances (and approximate APR if known).
- Do you know your mortgage/HELOC rates?
- Are you paying anything off aggressively—or just minimums?
- Is revolving debt a one-time spike or a pattern?
Why this matters: high APR debt quietly destroys progress. Patterns matter more than one month.
F) Risk & portfolio sanity (2 minutes)
- If your investments dropped 20% this year, would you panic-sell?
- Do you feel “too conservative” (too much cash) or “too aggressive” (too volatile)?
- Any concentrated risks (single stock, employer stock, single sector)?
- Do you need money from investments in the next 3–5 years?
Why this matters: allocation only works if you can stick with it.
G) The “adulting” stuff (optional, but important)
- Do you have life insurance? (if anyone depends on your income)
- Do you have disability coverage? (often the biggest risk)
- Do you have a will / basic estate plan?
- Any major health costs you expect?
- Any major taxes coming (home sale, RSUs, etc.)?
Why this matters: these items don’t feel urgent until they suddenly are.
The best first question to ask after this checklist
Once you’ve answered what you can, ask one question that forces a real next step:
- “Based on my snapshot and what I’ve entered, what’s the single biggest risk in my plan right now?”
- or
- “What are the top 3 actions I should take in the next 30 days?”
Then do those actions. That’s how you build momentum.
How FinlyLife helps (so you don’t do this alone)
If you import your Quicken snapshot into FinlyLife, you can answer this checklist and immediately ask the planner.
FinlyLife will:
- show what it used (“Data used”)
- call out what’s missing
- give next steps that are grounded in your numbers
FinlyLife provides educational financial planning guidance. It is not personalized investment, tax, or legal advice.
Ready for a clearer plan?
No bank passwords. AI opt-in. See exactly what data was used.
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