I’ve been a Francophile for as long as I can remember. I’ve studied the French language (and used to be pretty darned good!). As I teenager, I spent two full summers as a student in the South of France in Aix-en-Provence and Grenoble. I fell in love with French culture, food, literature and, yes, even some cute French boys! When late August rolls around, I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to emulate the French who, like the rest of Europe, almost completely shut down for a much needed (and completely un-American) two-week-long vacation. But there’s something new about France that I only recently discovered: the French tradition of la rentrée .As you might expect, la rentrée does have some association with back-to-school season, but it’s about so much more than school children. La rentrée is a time when everyone—school children, yes, but also authors, politicians, and even newscasters—returns from the summer break filled with a nationwide sense of optimism for a fresh beginning . We may be thousands of miles away from Paris, but in the spirit of all things French, I’m on a mission to create our own financial la rentrée right here at home.The best thing about la rentrée is that it doesn’t feel like a chore. There’s no word to describe it in English, but the closest I can come to putting it into my own words is that while there may be work to be done, each task is approached with hope and happiness and positive energy.Related: Lessons in the Importance of Community and the Riches of Living an Ideal Life
Here are five simple steps to kick off your own financial la rentrée this month:
Review your tax strategy. With autumn comes the final stretch of the tax year, which means that it’s your last chance to make changes that can have a real impact on your tax bill come April 15. While tax planning is important every year, the new Tax Law makes careful planning particularly important in 2018. As I wrote in my recent tax planning blog post , the current tax tables may understate your withholding, so now is the time to compare your actual withholding amounts with your projected tax bill, and to seek out other opportunities to optimize your taxes. Check your credit report. When is the last time you checked your credit report? Monitoring your account balances and financial transactions is very easy and it’s the best way to prevent identity theft and fraudulent use of your credit history. I recommend CreditKarma which offers unlimited and free access to your credit report, as well as a free credit monitoring service. I also like the idea of placing a credit freeze on your account which requires institutions to contact you before approving any new request for credit. Learn more about protecting your financial privacy in my blog post Getting personal about privacy . Weigh your cash balances. Cash planning is the foundation for any solid financial plan. If you don’t already have a sufficient “freedom fund” of cash, read why it matters and how to get started in my post There’s no such thing as an unexpected expense . If you do have your fund in place, take a look at how your balance has changed in the past year. If your balance is increasing significantly, you’re likely living below your means and may need to review your financial plan to be sure you are making your money work effectively. If your balance is decreasing, take a close look at why. If you’re living beyond your means or not saving appropriately for vacations, household purchases, and other “expected expenses,” an adjustment is in order. Review your long-term goals. Are your financial goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely? Are they in writing? As I wrote in my last blog post Am I on the right path? , whether you are investing your time, your money, or both, you need a plan. Reviewing that plan regularly to be sure you’re on track toward your vision of the future is a must. Sit down and spend some dedicated time to explore your goals today—alone or with your partner if you have one—and create a SMART plan to get there on time and on target. Get help with the details. When I was in my 20s, I was able to keep myself motivated and physically fit all on my own. These days, not so much. That’s precisely why I hired a personal trainer. Nancy S. knows how to get me in shape and how to keep me motivated throughout the process. Most importantly, she points out things I didn’t know about how to get and stay fit and healthy. When it comes to your finances personnelles , a Certified Financial Planner ( CFP ® ) can be your dream coach. A CFP is trained to help you identify SMART goals and create a realistic plan to get you where you want to be when you want to be there. No matter where you are in your financial life, hiring a fiduciary advisor may be the best la rentrée activity there is.La rentrée is all about optimism and creating a fresh start.My personal la rentrée this year has been focused on rediscovering my love for French. I’ve been brushing up on my vocabulary and grammar using the
Duolingo app (if you want to discover or rediscover any language, I highly recommend it!), I’ve been nose-down in Martin Walker’s Périgord-based detective series
Bruno: Chief of Police, and I just discovered a French-language podcast called
Coffee Break French that I can’t wait to start. I’m on my way to better, more proficient French and having fun along the way. I hope you’ll join me by embarking on your own la rentrée to improve your finances. What a wonderful way to slip into autumn. And if you do need help to make it happen, you know where to find me. À bientôt!
