Do you handle your money or does your money handle you?

There are basic financial fundamentals that we all need to address every year. It’s a New Year and time for all of us to get a financial grip!

The timing couldn’t be better.

Everybody’s still in that “clean slate” state of mind, right? After all it is a new year. But what I’m talking about aren’t resolutions. These are doable, incremental, achievable money management goals that will alleviate a lot of your/our money anxieties. And more importantly, your money mindset need only be: once a month is all it takes.

If you agree to that simple stipulation, by year’s end, you’ll have done at least a dozen things to take care of your money and improve your money knowledge. Have I peaked your interest? Perfect.

Here’s a calendar of suggestions for what to do financially each month this year.

January: Get your free annual credit reports.

• Only from the government mandated site https://www.annualcreditreport.com/.
• Read them, challenge in writing anything that’s incorrect or not yours.
•  It’s important that you know what’s being said about you and your money.

February: Organize your documents in preparation for doing your taxes.

• Use folders and label (Receipts 2010, insurance, investments, etc).
• Create a safe place to store the documents.
• Shred old or no longer needed documents.

March: Review all your insurances.

• Life, health, disability, long-term care and casualty.
• Money Central has a calculator to help figure out how much insurance you need.

April: Review all your debts.

• Credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, any long-term obligations.
• Check to see if rates and/or terms have changed.

May: Review your will and update it.

• Especially if major life changes such as births, deaths, divorce, marriage, job loss or relocation.
• 66% of Americans do not have a will.
• If you have children and no will, the state will decide their guardianship if both parents are deceased.

June: Find a certified financial planner.

• The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors.
• Be sure to know how they get paid (fee only, hourly, % of assets).

July: Review employer matched savings programs.

• Make sure you’re contributing the % necessary to qualify.
• Check the diversity of your investment portfolio.

August: Determine your net worth.

• List the value of all your assets and possessions.
• List the amount of your liabilities and debt.
• This helps accurately determine the level of home/renters insurance you need.

September: Go paperless with bills.

• Every account that’s paperless can be retrieved online 24 hours a day.
• Saves time and money – no stamps needed.
• Convert to online banking and bill paying.

October: Create an automatic savings contribution.

• Easy to set up an automatic, recurring transfer with your bank to move money from checking to savings.
• The easiest money saved is money you never see.

November: Check your retirement contribution.

• Set up contribution that coincides with your pay day.
• The best time to start saving for your retirement is in your 20s.

December: Analyze your auto insurance coverage.

• Make sure you’re getting the best deal and are adequately covered.

Remember that mind over money matters. If you want to jumpstart your financial education, make a decision to read the first paragraph of stories on the front page and Marketplace page of the Wall Street Journal, for example, and see how your interest and your money knowledge will grow. It’s your money, so take it personally.

Here’s to your health and wealth!