Financial Expert Releases Free 15-Minute Checklist to Help Individuals Avoid Costly Organizational Gaps

Armik Aghakhani, CPA and Managing Partner of Chartered International LLP, has released a free resource designed to help individuals assess and organize key areas of their financial and personal records in just 15 minutes. The checklist, titled "The 15-Minute Personal Self-Check," serves as a plain-language guide to help people identify gaps, overlooked details, and areas requiring attention before minor issues escalate into major problems. Aghakhani emphasizes that the tool is about slowing down and being intentional, stating, "I've always believed that if you do the right thing long enough, the business will follow."

The resource is shaped by Aghakhani's real-world experience, which extends beyond his professional work into charitable involvement with organizations focused on faith, education, youth development, and children with autism. Through his work with the First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena and the Armenian Christian Outreach of PazNaz, Aghakhani supported initiatives like "Race for a Cause," which raised funds and fostered unity while supporting inclusive programs for children with autism. He explains, "When things feel complex, you have to slow down and be thorough. That applies to community work just as much as anything else."

The importance of such simple checks is underscored by industry data revealing significant consequences of disorganization. Individuals can incur $2,500 to $5,000 in cumulative costs from errors, delays, and corrections, while over 60% of people rely on incomplete or scattered records. Nearly one in three individuals only identify issues after receiving a notice or inquiry, and fixing problems later often takes three to five times longer than addressing them early. Aghakhani notes, "My job is to help people think clearly. Sometimes clarity starts with asking the right questions."

Aghakhani's charitable efforts, including direct support for creating the first sensory classroom for children with autism at a local Armenian school, reflect the long-term thinking that shaped the checklist. Rather than offering advice or predictions, the guide helps users identify what they know, what they don't, and what may need follow-up. Aghakhani emphasizes, "Integrity isn't a slogan. It's how you act when no one is watching." The checklist is designed for practical use: set aside 15 uninterrupted minutes, answer each question with yes, no, or unsure, highlight unclear items, and save it for future reference or annual review.

Common mistakes addressed by the checklist include assuming last year's situation still applies, storing important documents across too many platforms, avoiding confusing areas, and waiting until problems become urgent. Aghakhani states, "I don't need to be loud. I just need to be right." The resource is available now at no cost at https://www.charteredinternational.com/self-check, with Aghakhani encouraging users to complete it in one sitting, revisit it annually or after major life changes, and use it as a personal reference point. He concludes, "At the end of the day, this is about trust. If you protect that, everything else follows."