Sixty minutes really isn’t very long. It’s a lunch hour. A TV show. A dog walk. But that’s all it could take to get your finances fit for your goals in life and perhaps save you some money. Not a bad way to spend an hour…

That’s how long it takes on average to have a Financial Health Check with your Premier Manager, although they can be even shorter.

Oh, and it’s free. If you decide to take up any of the advice given by your Premier Manager, the service involved may come with a fee, but the Financial Health Check itself won’t cost you a penny. You don’t even have to be a NatWest customer to have one – so even if your family or friends bank elsewhere they could still benefit.

True to its name, it’s basically a friendly chat with your Premier Manager – via video call or in person – on all things relating to your money.

But before cash even comes into the conversation, first and foremost it shines a spotlight on you. Your life. Your hopes, dreams and fears. Where you are now and where you want to be. A good financial plan is only any use if it’s perfectly suited to your needs, after all.

Your Premier Manager then takes a deep dive into your financial life, covering every aspect to see if your money’s serving you in the best possible way. Your spare cash, savings, investments, pensions, ISAs, will, any fees you pay, and more – it’s all included.

It’s this ‘no stone left unturned’ approach that makes it so effective, says Premier Banker and Area Manager Mark Anderson.

“I think it’s really important that we take a full, holistic approach,” he says. “Every element of anyone’s financial set-up is connected, so it’s important to cover everything and ensure it all ties together in a way that’s really going to help you – now and further down the road.”

While the discussion can delve into any specific areas you want, it broadly covers five key topics:

• your goals and lifestyle
• any loans you have
• investments and savings – how you’re trying to grow your money for the future
• insurance – how you’re protecting your wealth should the unexpected happen
• day-to-day banking – your current account, credit cards, overdraft and so on

“We then take a look at what your main focus in life is right now,” says Mark. “You could be about to buy your first property, taking your first steps into investing, or want to get stuck into inheritance tax planning to protect your money for the future and your family.”

Your Premier Banker asks you a series of questions to help paint the most accurate picture and identify any gaps, then makes recommendations. And either our own experts or our team of trusted adviser firms – including accountants and will specialists – could support you if you decide to proceed with anything they suggest.

Getting ready for your financial health check needn’t be a big job. You don’t need to pull together 12 months’ worth of bank statements beforehand or anything like that.

Mark says, “Whatever facts and figures you have will obviously help us, but a broad idea of what’s happening with your finances would certainly do the trick, at least at first. The main thing is to have a think about your priorities and what you want out of life.”