I know that finances are intimidating, and most people have no clue where to start. The problem is that this fear makes us paralyzed. We are terrified to make a mistake, so we do nothing. But doing nothing and ignoring your finances is the worst thing you can do. Friends, I’m a financial planner, and while there are obviously times someone should see a professional – if you can’t for whatever reason, you CAN get started on your own. I want every one of you to have your finances together, so your families are prepared and protected! So here are the financial biggies (yes, that’s an industry term) that you can do right now, from your home, in about two hours total.

Create a will:
It’s one of the most important things you can do, especially if you have children. However, it’s the one my clients most often put off, and for obvious reason; no one wants to think about their death! If you are not ready to meet with an estate attorney, an easy and inexpensive way to create an enforceable will is through LegalZoom. This site walks you through the steps and asks for information such as the executor of your will, guardian of your children and beneficiaries of your property. Then all you have to do is sign (along with witnesses) and store it in a safe spot.

Buy life insurance:
Here is another critical financial task that is often put off for many reasons; it’s hard to be sure how much to get, what type and where to start. When it comes to insurance, I often recommend SelectQuote to clients. All you have to do is fill out an online form. They simplify the process by finding the best deals from top rated providers. They will set up a medical evaluation in your home, then the insurance provider you chose will provide final rates. SelectQuote only provides term insurance, which is what we almost always recommend to clients. Term is best if you want temporary and affordable insurance to protect your children and spouse during the years they are dependent on you. For example when a client has a baby, we recommend 20 year term insurance. This will protect the child until they are out of school and can be self-sufficient. A general guideline for the amount needed is 5-10x your yearly income. Even if you’re not sure exactly how much you need, just get started with enough to provide some protection and peace of mind for your family. You can always add more later.

Save for retirement:
If you have not started contributing to your retirement account, get started today. Even if you can’t add much now – the earlier you start, the longer you have for your investments to earn money! If it’s an employer matched plan (like a 401K), try to put in the maximum amount your employer matches; that’s free money! To get started, ask your HR manager to help determine how much to contribute (or just ask for instructions – everything can be set up online), which will be set up as an automated payment. The next step is to invest those funds. If you’re not comfortable with investing (most aren’t) and not working with a professional (most don’t), an easy way to invest them is through a target date fund. Basically, you pick the one with the date that’s closest to your target retirement date, and for a fee the investments are managed by the fund manager. Again, the most important step is to just get started.

Have an emergency fund:
You should have money set aside that will cover 3-6 months of expenses. This should be in a savings account that earns some interest. Decide how much you can put away each month and automate the monthly transfer. Then it’s done, and you don’t need to think about it again. It will take some time to build up, but start saving what you can now.

Set up an education account:
529s are a tax advantaged way to save for your child’s education tuition. First step is to choose what plan to use. Most states allow you to deduct your contributions (on state income tax return, up to a limit). Savingforcollege.com is a great resource; it provides a US map where you can click on your state and go directly to that state’s 529 plan. If your state doesn’t provide tax advantaged plans, visit Vanguard or T Rowe Price for other top rated options. Next step is to choose your investments. Many plans offer professionally managed age-based options, a good choice similar to how the target date funds work in retirement accounts. Finally choose how much you want to contribute, and how often. Remember, you can always change the amount of your deposits.

I promise – anyone can do these simple five steps. And the total time to do the ALL of the above is less time than it takes to watch most NetFlix movies. So instead of watching Good Will Hunting (again) tonight, organize your finances. You will feel so much better when they are done (and you’ve already seen that movie 20x).