Last Business Friday: The One Page Plan That Can Transform Your Financial Life

Imagine turning your entire financial life into a single, simple snapshot—just one page, reviewed on the last business Friday of the year. Instead of sorting through scattered statements and endless details, you’ll have a clear, actionable roadmap at your fingertips. This concise summary—listing your goals, accounts, investment guidelines, and decision-making rules—keeps you grounded and focused, even when market noise or emotional reactions threaten to throw you off course.​

Why one page works

• A one-page financial plan brings clarity to what truly matters—your key goals, resources, and trade-offs—without overwhelming you with unnecessary data.​
• Because it’s brief, you’re much more likely to actually review your plan regularly (maybe even with your advisor) and stick to it—which is what really drives long-term results.​

What to include

• List your primary goals and time horizons—like when you want to retire, when you’ll need college funds, major purchases, or the date you want to be debt-free—ranked by what matters most to you.​
• Include a quick snapshot of where you stand: your current and target asset allocation, your main accounts (like 401(k)s, IRAs, brokerage, savings, HSAs), and any major liabilities such as mortgages or student loans.​
• Jot down your basic investment guidelines: how much risk you’re comfortable with, when you’ll rebalance, what you aim to save, and your rules for taking on (or steering clear of) new debt.​

Behavioral guardrails

• Decide how often you’ll check in on your accounts—maybe a quarterly review plus your annual Last Business Friday update. It’s also helpful to set rules for tuning out everyday market noise.​
• Think ahead about how you’ll handle wild market swings—like rebalancing back to your target instead of panic-selling—so you can outsmart your own instincts when emotions run high.​

Using it with your advisor

• Treat this page as a living snapshot. Over time, update it with your advisor as your goals, family situation, tax laws, or the market itself change.​
• When things feel uncertain, let this document ground you. Instead of reacting to every headline, come back to what you’ve written here—and only make changes when your goals or life circumstances truly shift.​

Finding gaps and updating

• Having everything in one place makes it much easier to spot what’s missing—maybe a beneficiary you forgot to update, unclear insurance coverage, or a goal that needs a specific dollar amount or date added.​
• Each year, block off your Last Business Friday to update your balances, check your progress on each goal, and jot down next year’s action items—like adjusting contributions, paying down debt, or taking care of estate planning.​

Disclosure
This material is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Consider your personal circumstances and consult with a qualified financial, tax, or legal professional before making any decisions.

Sources
https://www.incomelaboratory.com/how-to-build-the-perfect-one-page-financial-plan/​
https://behaviorgap.com/what-does-a-one-page-plan-look-like/​
https://www.kitces.com/blog/one-page-financial-plan-deliverable-opfp-jeremy-walter-carl-richards/​
https://snapprojections.com/blog/one-page-financial-plan/​
https://www.julyservices.com/wp-content/uploads/Behavioral-Guidance-During-Market-Volatility-8.23.pdf​
https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/dam/corp/research/pdf/principles_for_behavioral_design_nudging_for_better_investor_outcomes.pdf​
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2015/03/31/the-1-page-financial-plan-10-tips-for-getting-what-you-want-from-life/​
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-create-your-own-one-page-financial-plan-treyton-devore-cdaa-​
https://www.horsesmouth.com/why-your-clients-need-a-onepage-financial-plan-and-how-to-give-it-to-them​

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