Financial Readiness Check Survey

The survey evaluates five dimensions: your primary financial goal, timeline for achieving it, current financial situation, the type of help that would be most valuable, and the specific blocker that has prevented progress. It routes you to one of five readiness paths (foundation building, debt reduction, growth investing, asset protection, or professional guidance) based on your combination of answers.

A calculator processes specific numbers (income, expenses, rates) to produce a numeric result. This survey assesses your overall financial stage and priorities to identify which calculator or action step will produce the most impact right now. It is a routing tool that points you to the right starting point rather than computing a single metric.

CFP Board 2025 research shows that identifying the specific barrier to progress (not knowing where to start, competing priorities, knowledge gaps, income unpredictability) is a stronger predictor of which intervention will work than the goal itself. Two people with the same goal but different blockers need different action plans.

Before. The survey results give you and the advisor a structured starting point that surfaces your priorities and blockers. CFP Board data shows that clients who arrive at an initial consultation with a self-assessment spend 30% less time on discovery and more time on actionable planning.

Retake it whenever your financial situation changes meaningfully: a new job, major expense, debt payoff milestone, or life event like marriage or a child. Most people benefit from an annual check-in to see whether their readiness path has shifted from foundation-building toward growth or protection.

It evaluates cash flow forecasting, profit margin tracking, accounts receivable management, tax planning, budget vs actual review, emergency fund, debt management, pricing strategy, financial reporting frequency, and advisor relationships.

Compound interest is interest calculated on both the original principal and previously accumulated interest. A $10,000 investment at 7% compounded monthly grows to $76,122 over 30 years based on historical S&P 500 returns.

Debt-to-equity ratio is total debt divided by total equity, measuring how much of a business is financed by borrowing versus owner investment. A ratio of 1.0 means equal parts debt and equity.

You answer 10 questions about your business finances covering transactions, revenue, sales tax, payroll, expenses, tax planning, compliance, structure, growth, and time spent on admin.

It evaluates revenue growth tracking, customer acquisition strategy, retention program, product development, market positioning, competitive awareness, team scaling plan, technology stack, process documentation, and goal setting.