How the rating works

You answer questions in seven areas. Each answer is scored against fixed, published rules, and the areas are weighted to give a Financial Efficiency Rating from 0 to 100. The same answers always produce the same result.

• Cash flow25%Your four numbers: income, living expenses, debt payments, and what's left over each month.
• Credit15%How you use and repay credit, and what your debt costs.
• Savings15%Emergency reserves and how easily you can reach your money.
• Protection and estate15%Wills, beneficiaries, insurance coverage, and succession.
• Opportunity10%Whether you're ready for the goals and opportunities you care about.
• Taxes10%Filing, withholding, and the tax-advantaged accounts available to you.
• Investing and retirement10%Saving for the long term and keeping costs and risk in view.

Skipping is fine

Every question can be skipped, answered “I don’t know”, or declined. A skipped answer is never counted as zero: it’s left out, and your results show how complete the assessment is. With most answers in, your rating is Final; with fewer, it’s Provisional. Your monthly income, expenses and debt payments in the cash flow section are needed for any rating.

What the rating is, and isn’t

It’s an educational, proposed methodology for seeing where your money could work harder. It isn’t a credit score, a validated prediction, or financial, tax, legal or investment advice. Owning or wanting any financial product never changes your rating.