The Stay or Go Assessment: What Your Readiness Score Actually Means

The Stay or Go assessment is the hero calculator on Leverage Abroad. It's the tool I wish I'd had when I started planning — a single number that tells you, honestly, whether you're ready to return or not.

But a number without context is just a number. In this post, I'll explain how the score works, what each dimension measures, and — most importantly — what you should do with your result.

The 8 Dimensions

The assessment covers 8 dimensions of return readiness, each weighted by importance. Here's what they measure and why the weights matter:

• Financial Readiness (25%) — Savings rate, savings progress, emergency fund. The heaviest weight because without financial foundation, nothing else matters.
• Relocation Budget (15%) — % of one-time relocation costs already saved. Second heaviest because this is the most underestimated cost.
• Cost-of-Living Gap (10%) — Understanding of the COL difference between current and target city. Lower weight because understanding doesn't equal action.
• Income Plan (15%) — Post-return income source identified and quantified. High weight because income replacement is the #1 post-return challenge.
• Debt Status (10%) — Will foreign debt be cleared before return? Debt that follows you home is a drag on your post-return finances.
• Housing Plan (10%) — Clear housing arrangement with budget. Rent/buy/build decided, costs calculated.
• Family Readiness (10%) — Family obligations mapped and planned. The 'black tax' quantified and projected post-return.
• Psychological Timing (5%) — Recent visit, local network, planning depth. Lowest weight because it's the most subjective and least financially impactful.

How the Score Works

Each dimension is scored 0-100 based on your answers. The total is a weighted average — Financial Readiness counts for 25% of your total, Psychological Timing only 5%. This means a great Financial Readiness score can offset a weak Psychological Timing score, but not the other way around.

The calculator also auto-feeds from other calculators you've filled. If you've already completed the Savings Rate calculator, the Financial Readiness dimension shows a '✓ Verified' badge and uses your actual savings rate instead of asking you to estimate it. This makes the assessment more accurate the more calculators you've completed.

The Score Bands

The total score falls into one of 5 bands, each with a specific action recommendation:

• 0-30: Not Ready Yet — Focus on diagnostic calculators first. You need to understand your starting point before planning.
• 31-55: Planning Stage — Building your foundation. Your savings rate and income planning need work before setting a return date.
• 56-75: Getting Close — Start concrete return planning. Address the top 3 weakest dimensions to move into 'Ready' territory.
• 76-90: Ready to Plan the Move — Set a return date. Finalize housing, logistics, and paperwork.
• 91-100: Go! — Book the flight. You've done the work.

What to Do With Your Score

Don't obsess over the exact number. A score of 62 isn't 'failing' — it means you're 62% of the way there. The real value is in the dimension breakdown. If your total is 62 but your Housing Plan dimension is at 20%, that's your clear next step: fill the Housing Budget calculator, decide rent/buy/build, set a budget.

The assessment also gives you your top 3 recommendations — the lowest-scoring dimensions, each linked to the relevant calculator. This is your personalized action plan. Don't try to improve everything at once. Focus on the top 3, re-take the assessment in 3 months, and watch your score climb.

Re-take the assessment every 3-6 months. Your score history is saved automatically — watching it trend upward over time is one of the most motivating parts of return planning.

Take the Stay or Go assessment yourself. It takes 5 minutes. Your return readiness shouldn't be a gut feeling. It should be a number.