🔒 No login📡 No data collected🌍 US · Canada · UK · UAE · Australia · Singapore
💰
Your Money & Assets
How much you have, where it comes from, and how spread out it is
01 / 20
How much are you worth — everything you own minus everything you owe?
Add up everything you own across both countries — savings, investments, property, gold. Then subtract all your loans and debts. What's left?
7
$3M+
Strong foundation — especially if a meaningful portion is liquid, not just home equity. In HCOL cities like SF, LA, or NYC a $3M number can be mostly one house.
5
$1M – $3M
Good progress — check how much is actually accessible vs. tied up in property. In HCOL cities this range can feel strong while liquid savings are thin.
3
$300K – $1M
Still building — every dollar here is real progress regardless of city
1
Under $300K
Just getting started — every NRI was here once
💡 HCOL cities distort this number. A $2.5M home in California with a $600K mortgage and $200K in savings gives you a $2.1M net worth on paper — but only $200K you can actually use. Run two numbers: total net worth, and what you could access in 90 days without selling your home. The second number is what actually protects you in a crisis.
02 / 20
Where does your money come from each month?
If you lost your job tomorrow, would other income still come in — or does everything stop?
7
Multiple sources of income
Job + rent + freelance + investments — money comes in from different places
5
Main job + something small on the side
A little extra coming in — rental, dividends, side work
3
One job, but you're highly skilled
Doctor, senior engineer, specialist — if you lost this job you'd find another quickly
1
One job, and your visa depends on it (H1B)
If you lose this job, your visa situation gets complicated too. But you're earning — that's the starting point
1
On H4 EAD — income tied to spouse's visa status
Your right to work disappears if your spouse loses their H1B or changes status. One of the most fragile income situations in NRI life.
1
On F1 / OPT — limited and temporary work authorization
Income is restricted. Building even a small emergency fund now matters more than it feels like it does at this stage.
03 / 20
Is your money spread around, or is most of it in one place?
Many NRIs have most of their money in one place without realising it — a flat in India, company shares, or their employer's stock through bonuses and retirement accounts. If that one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong.
7
Spread across stocks, property, cash, and different countries
Not all eggs in one basket — money in different places and types
5
Diversified portfolio within my country of residence — stocks, funds, savings
No property yet, but solid spread across asset classes. Many NRIs build this way early on — it's the right foundation.
5
Mostly stocks + a property back in India
Decent spread, but most of it is tied to one country
3
A lot tied up in your company's shares
If your company's stock drops, your wealth drops with it
1
Most of your money is in one thing — one flat, one stock, one account
Very common — just knowing this is the first step to fixing it
04 / 20
How much do you owe compared to what you own?
Debt is fine when income is stable. But if your income stops and you have big loans — things get stressful fast.
5
Under 10%
Almost nothing owed — very comfortable position
4
10% – 20%
Some loans, well within control
3
20% – 35%
Loans are getting heavy — manageable but worth watching
1
Over 35%
Loans are high relative to what you own — worth making a plan to bring this down
🛡️
Your Safety Net
Your safety net — visa, savings cushion, insurance, and family protection
05 / 20
How secure is your right to live and work where you are?
This is the single biggest factor in NRI financial planning. Everything else depends on this. (US: F1 → H1B → Green Card → Citizen · Canada: PR · UK: ILR · AUS: PR · UAE: Residency Visa). H4 EAD holders: your status depends on your spouse's H1B — select accordingly.
9
Citizen or permanent resident — fully settled
You can change jobs, take a break, start a business — without visa stress
6
On a work visa, but permanent residency is in progress
Good direction — filing is the hardest part, you've done it
4
On a work visa, haven't started permanent residency process
Your right to stay is tied to your job — worth starting the PR process
2
On H4 EAD — work authorization tied to spouse's H1B
Your right to work depends on your spouse's visa status. If they lose their job or change status, your EAD stops. High fragility — worth having a contingency plan.
1
On F1 / OPT / uncertain status
Temporary or restricted authorization — talking to an immigration lawyer about the path forward is the most important next step
06 / 20
If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you maintain your current lifestyle?
Not just survive — actually maintain. Rent, school fees, trips home, the life you have built. This number tells you how much freedom you actually have, not just how long you can last.
9
5 years or more
Real time freedom. You could walk away from a bad job, take a break, or rethink everything — without panic.
6
2 to 5 years
Solid runway. You have time to be selective, not desperate, when something changes.
4
6 months to 2 years
Some buffer. A disruption would be stressful but manageable if you act quickly.
1
Under 6 months
Very common. Even one extra month of runway changes how clearly you think in a crisis.
💡 Most NRIs confuse emergency fund (survival) with lifestyle runway (freedom). This question is about the second one.
07 / 20
If you couldn't work tomorrow, is your family financially protected?
Most NRIs have health insurance but forget the rest. If you got seriously ill and couldn't work for a year — what happens to your family's finances?
6
Personal term + employer life + employer disability — fully layered
The strongest setup: independent personal policy plus employer coverage. You're protected if you change jobs too.
5
Life insurance + disability + the works — family is protected
Strong coverage across different scenarios
4
Life insurance plus one more policy
Decent protection, a few gaps
3
Just the basic life insurance from your employer
Bare minimum — and you'd lose it if you changed jobs
1
Little or no coverage outside of work health insurance
Family is exposed if something happens — a basic term life policy is surprisingly affordable and quick to set up
💡 This covers your working years abroad. If you plan to return to India, healthcare in retirement is a separate and significant cost. Indian private healthcare inflation runs at roughly 14% annually — a plan that works today may not cover what you need in 20 years.
08 / 20
If something happened to you tonight, could your family access your money?
Not a fun question. But an important one. Does your spouse know every account — 401K, IRA, Vanguard/Fidelity/Schwab, India mutual funds, NRE/NRO accounts, crypto — every password, every property? Is there a will? And critically — does your spouse have Power of Attorney to act on your behalf in India if needed?
9
Will written, accounts listed, spouse knows everything
Fully covered — family won't have to fight courts or guess passwords
6
Will exists, spouse is broadly aware — no POA yet
Good start. POA is the missing piece — especially for India property and banking
4
Just nominees added to accounts — no will, no full picture
Nominations help but they're not enough — especially across two countries
1
Nothing in place yet
The most common gap — and the most fixable. A simple will + shared document with accounts can be done in a weekend
💡 A will is not enough across two countries. A Power of Attorney allows your spouse to sell property, manage bank accounts, and deal with Indian government offices on your behalf — without you being present. Selling even a straightforward Mumbai flat without POA is a months-long ordeal. Rural land is a nightmare.
🔭
Your Life Optionality
Where your career and life are headed in the next 5–10 years
09 / 20
Where is your career going over the next 5 years?
Your income today is just one number. The real question is — is it likely to grow, stay flat, or get disrupted? H4 EAD holders: your career trajectory also depends on your spouse's visa stability — factor that in.
7
Growing fast — income and opportunities increasing
High demand, good trajectory, room to grow
5
Secure job, but not much growth ahead
Comfortable but not accelerating — worth thinking about what's next
3
Industry is changing fast — role might look different in a few years
Worth upskilling and building options — the industry is shifting
1
Role may not exist in the same form in 2–3 years
Time to start building a parallel path — even small steps now make a big difference in 2 years
10 / 20
How many real country options do you have — places where you could actually live and work?
This is about location flexibility, not emergency planning. Whether you want to stay where you are, move back to India, or keep all doors open — how many places have you actually built a real option in?
7
Three or more real options
Current country + India + at least one more. Each one is realistic, not just theoretical.
5
Two solid options
Whether that's current country + India, or two other countries — both feel real and financially viable.
3
One clear option — haven't built a backup
A deliberate single-country plan is fine. A second option would add resilience.
1
I feel tied to one place and haven't thought through alternatives
Very common. Even a rough plan for one other country changes how free you feel day to day.
🔍
Halfway there.
Most NRIs discover at least one weak area they didn't expect in the second half.
11 / 20
Does where your money lives match where you plan to spend it?
If your savings currency and your spending country are misaligned, exchange rate moves quietly work against you over 20 years.
5
Yes — my money is in the right currency for my plan
Whether retiring in India, the US, or elsewhere — where I'll spend matches where my money lives.
3
Roughly aligned — I have a sense of the plan, not the full detail
Good enough for now. Worth getting more precise in the next 2–3 years.
2
My savings currency and likely spending country don't match
Worth modelling. A 20-year currency drift can shrink purchasing power significantly.
1
I haven't connected my savings location to where I'll actually live
Very common. One of the most underrated planning gaps for NRIs in any country.
12 / 20
Have you financially modelled what your life looks like in 10 years?
Staying in the US, moving back to India, or keeping options open — have you run the numbers? Taxes, cash flow, healthcare, lifestyle costs — or is it still a feeling? Key question: what happens to your 401K and IRA if you move back to India? Most NRIs have never modelled this.
5
Yes — taxes, cash flow, and lifestyle costs are modelled
Whether staying put or moving, I know what the next 10 years look like financially.
3
Some parts are planned — not the full picture yet
I have a direction and some numbers. A few gaps I haven't looked at closely.
2
I have a life plan but haven't connected it to the finances
The vision is clear. The numbers behind it are not.
1
I haven't really thought 10 years ahead in financial terms
Very common. A rough model changes how clearly you see your decisions today.
💡 The RNOR window is the most underused tax opportunity for returning NRIs. When you move back to India, there is a 2–3 year window where foreign income is not taxed in India. Roth conversions and 401K withdrawals during this window can save significant amounts. Most NRIs miss it entirely because they never modelled the return.
13 / 20
How much of your wealth is already spoken for by family commitments?
Parents' medical bills, kids' college, weddings, siblings needing help — and for families with children born abroad, OCI card renewals and dual-country documentation costs. These feel far away until they're not. What percentage of your current wealth would they cost?
5
Under 10% of net worth
You've set money aside for what's coming — not caught off guard
3
10% – 25%
Aware of what's coming and roughly prepared
2
25% – 40%
Big commitments ahead, still working out how to fund them
1
Over 40% of net worth
A lot coming up — but having even a rough number puts you ahead of most people
🔍
Hidden Risks
The risks that don't show up on any balance sheet
14 / 20
Have you been putting off important financial decisions — for months or years?
Wills, nominees, insurance cleanup, old accounts, property paperwork. Not because money is short — but because the decision felt complicated, or the future felt uncertain.
4
I review and act on decisions within a clear time window
No major pending item has been sitting for more than 6 months.
3
Some delays, but I usually get to it within a year
A few things are pending, but they do get done eventually.
2
Big decisions sit for years — visa uncertainty makes it hard to commit
The "maybe next year" feeling has become the default.
1
My financial life is basically built around postponement
Starting is the hardest part — but even one decision this month changes the pattern.
💡 The hidden cost of waiting. You don't see a loss on screen. You just lose time, compounding, tax windows, and options. The cost is invisible — until it isn't.
15 / 20
If you weren't around tomorrow — could your family actually find and manage everything?
Not just "is there a will" — but is the whole system simple enough for your spouse to navigate alone? Across two countries, multiple accounts, different tax rules, old EPF, NRE/NRO accounts, property, nominees, passwords?
4
Yes — everything is documented, shared, and easy to find
Accounts, nominees, taxes, documents — all in one place. Spouse can handle it.
3
Mostly yes — some gaps but the big things are covered
A few loose ends, but nothing that would create a serious crisis.
2
Honestly, some important parts only I know about
Old accounts, property details, passwords — it lives in my head, not on paper.
1
My family would struggle to locate or manage everything
A shared document with accounts and contacts is a one-hour fix that protects decades of work.
16 / 20
Is your future life plan based on real numbers — or mostly on assumptions?
Most NRIs carry a version of their future in their head that has never been stress-tested. What happens to your plan if costs are higher, the exchange rate moves, or the timeline shifts? And critically — does your plan account for how US retirement accounts (401K, IRA) are taxed if you return to India?
4
My plan has been stress-tested
Higher costs, delayed timeline, bad exchange rate year — I've thought through the scenarios.
3
The base plan is modelled — I haven't stress-tested the edges yet
I know the numbers if things go to plan. Less clear on what happens if they don't.
2
I have a plan but it's built on assumptions I haven't verified
The vision is clear. The financial foundation under it is less solid than it feels.
1
My future plan is mostly a feeling — not a financial model
Very common. A plan that hasn't been tested tends to crack at the exact moment you need it most.
17 / 20
How organized are your cross-border financial records?
Think across both countries — accounts, nominees, beneficiaries, FBAR/FATCA filings, India ITR, NRE/NRO accounts, OCI card validity, 401K/IRA beneficiary designations, property documents, estate plan. Not whether the documents exist. Whether they are findable, current, and in one place.
4
Everything is in one place — updated in the last 12 months
India and abroad. Someone else could navigate it without asking me.
3
Mostly organized — some things are current, some are outdated
The important stuff is there. A few accounts or nominees have not been touched in years.
2
Scattered — documents exist but finding them would take time
Old emails, different folders, some paperwork only in India. It works until there is a crisis.
1
Honestly, I am not sure what I have or where most of it is
Very common after 10+ years across two countries. A one-hour audit changes this completely.
💡 Document chaos costs money — missed nominees, wrong beneficiaries, tax filing gaps. It is invisible until it is not.
18 / 20
Are your financial decisions driven by your own goals — or by what others around you are doing?
A lot of NRI financial dysfunction is not from bad investing. It is from buying the wrong house, taking the wrong job, or staying in the wrong country because of what the community expects — not what you actually want.
4
My decisions reflect what I actually want — not what looks right
I know what I am building toward. Most decisions come from that plan, not from what others are doing.
3
Some comparison pressure, but I mostly stay on my own path
I feel it, but it does not usually win. I can tell the difference.
2
A lot of my decisions are shaped by what peers or family expect
The house, the car, the school — hard to separate what I want from what looks right.
1
Comparison pressure runs most of my financial life
It is exhausting and expensive. Naming it is the first step to changing it.
💡 This is the question most scorecards skip. Comparison pressure is one of the most expensive forces in NRI financial life.
🏉
Family & Legacy
Parents, gold, and the obligations most NRIs never put a number to
19 / 20
Have you actually put a rupee figure on what supporting your parents will cost?
We all know we'll support them. The question is — have you actually written down the number? Hospital bills, flights back and forth, medicines, maybe a caregiver someday. Most NRIs have a feeling, not a plan.
6
Number is set, money is put aside — sorted
You know the number and have the money ready — sorted
4
They're financially independent — you're a backup, not the main source
They have their own income — great position to be in
3
"We'll figure it out when needed" — no real number yet
The most common answer — worth putting even a rough number down
1
Sending money already but no real budget for it
You're already doing the right thing — writing down the monthly amount turns a habit into a plan
✨
Almost done.
One question left. Your resilience score is about to be calculated.
20 / 20
How much gold does your family have — and does anyone actually know where it is? 😂
Jewelry, coins, bars, that "investment" your mom bought at the wedding. It's real wealth — but can you actually access it? Does your spouse know where it is? Did you declare it at customs? 👀
6
Yes, and it's documented
Written down, insured, spouse knows exactly where it is
4
Some jewelry / coins, loosely tracked
Exists somewhere, roughly known — not fully tracked
3
A full locker back home, no paperwork
The classic NRI locker situation — real value, zero paperwork
6
No gold, or immaterial amount 👍
No gold is not a weakness — this question is about documentation, not accumulation. Nothing to document = full points here.
😰
Morning Anxiety Check
How you feel about your finances matters as much as the numbers
When you open your work email in the morning, what do you feel?
Job security, layoffs, visa stress — rate it honestly from 1 to 10.
5
1 — Zero anxiety10 — Constant dread
⚠️ Score above 7 → −5 point penalty applied
✅ Low anxiety — that's real wealth. Your structure is probably working. Make sure it's not complacency.
⚠️
Warning Signs
Tick all that apply — 3 or more reduces your score
Check every condition that applies
These are the situations that make everything else riskier. If three or more apply to you, your score is adjusted down — because these things compound each other.
On H1B / work visa with no Green Card / PR filed yet — or on H4 EAD
H1B without PR means your right to stay is tied to your employer. H4 EAD is doubly fragile — both your income and your right to work depend on your spouse's H1B status.
Saving less than 15% of your gross household income
This applies regardless of income level or city. A high income with a low savings rate still means a short runway if income stops. Cash flow relative to income matters more than the raw spend number.
Loans are more than 25% of what you own
High loans relative to your wealth amplify risk — a paydown plan alongside investing helps a lot.
Only one person in the household is earning
One income means one point of failure. Even a small second income stream makes a big difference.
No will written in either country
Without a will, courts in each country decide what happens to your money. It can take years and cost a lot.
Spouse has no account access, passwords, or Power of Attorney in India
If something happened to you today, could your spouse pay next month's bills — or sell property in India without a years-long court battle? Account access + POA together close this gap.
⚠️ 3 warning signs checked — your score will be reduced by 15%.
NRI Financial Fragility Scorecard
rupeestories-ctrl.github.io/NRI-Scorecard
—
/ 100
—
—
Most NRIs score between 55 and 75 the first time they take this. Score above 100 means bonus territory — you've gone beyond the basics.
Community Scores
61
Average
115
Highest
32
Lowest
Strongest Area
—
Biggest Gap
—
⚠ Biggest Fragility Risk
📊 What This Score Typically Looks Like
🎯 Fragility Radar
How your score breaks down across the five dimensions of NRI financial resilience
A balanced shape means your finances are resilient across all dimensions. Large dips show where an unexpected event — job loss, health issue, family emergency — could create the most stress.
📊 Score Breakdown by Category
⚠️ Your Weakest Areas
These are your highest-opportunity areas. Most people who know their gaps fix at least one within 6 months. Pick the top one and start there.
🚀 Fastest Ways to Strengthen Your Score
Based on your answers, these changes would have the biggest impact.
📋 Share on r/RupeeStories
Paste this in the comments. Brutally honest scores only.
Join the conversation
Drop your score in the comments. What's your weakest category? That gap between 50 and 100 is what we should be talking about.