Welcome to the Stay Or Go Planning System
You’re about to begin the Stay or Go Planning System, a simple process designed to help homeowners decide whether staying in their home or transitioning to a retirement community is the best path for their future.
The process follows the Stay or Go Framework on our Start Page:
Vision → Reality → Options → Confidence → Decision
By answering a series of thoughtful questions, you will begin organizing your thoughts and evaluating the key factors that influence this important decision.
Once you've completed the questionnaire, we will use your answers to create your personalized Stay or Go Clarity Report which will summarize your responses. It is designed to help you better understand your situation and can also serve as a helpful starting point for conversations with your family, financial advisor, or other trusted professionals.
The goal is simple:
To help you move forward with clarity, certainty, and confidence about your future.
You can begin below.
Note: This process usually takes about 10–15 minutes to complete.
Take Note: This form is not intended to be used with mobile devices like iPads, iPhones, and Android phones. Please use a Mac or Windows computer.
A Quick Check-In
What you’re feeling isn’t a problem — it’s information.
The Fence
Being “on the fence” often feels safe in the short term. But over time, it can quietly increase stress and mental fatigue. Indecision feels like not choosing — but it is a choice.
Step 1: VISION - Your Ideal Future
This step helps you create a clear picture of the life you want to build, which will make the decisions ahead much easier.
Before deciding whether to stay in your home or move somewhere new, it's important to imagine what you want the future to look like.
- What would an ideal lifestyle feel like in the years ahead?
- Where would you live?
- What would your days look like?
- Who would be around you?
- What do you want more of and less of in your life?
Take some time to yourself to clear your mind of all the craziness in the world. This is the most important part of your Stay Or Go Journey. Let’s have some fun fantasizing about what a perfect day/life looks like for you. Grab a pad of paper, a glass of wine, coffee or tea and get comfortable. Close your eyes and picture yourself at some point in the future (5 or 10 years down the line)
Step 2: REALITY - Where You Stand Today
Good decisions start with an honest look at your current situation.
In this section, you'll evaluate five important areas of life:
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Financial position
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Physical and emotional health
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Support network
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Estate planning
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Real estate suitability
Understanding where you are today will help determine whether your current home can support the future you envision.
Let’s see how balanced you are:
Self-Evaluation Instructions:
1) Answer 5 questions, in each of the 5 categories.
2) Add up the number of YES answers and score the number at the bottom of each.
3) Starting from the center of the wheel, ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨ ⇨
plot your scores (1-5) in each category.
4) Connect the dots and you will see how balanced your wheel is, or isn't…
Evaluating Your Financial Position:
Evaluating Your Physical (Health and Social) Position:
Evaluating Your Personal (Support Network) Position:
Evaluating Your Trust & Taxes Position:
Evaluating Your Real Estate (Functionally) Position:
Step 3 (A&B): OPTIONS - Paths Available to You
3A: Tell us what you're looking for in a comunity
Let us know more about the community you seek:
Don't get overwhelmed, just answer what you can so we can recommend some ideal communities for you.
Maintenance-free lifestyle for active, self-sufficient seniors.
Daily support with care, meals, and personal assistance.
Secure, specialized care for memory-related conditions.
24-hour medical care and rehabilitation available on-site.
Multiple care levels in one community for lifelong support.
Flexible contract—stay or leave with short notice.
One-time payment securing lifetime residency and care.
Guarantees housing if funds run out later in life.
Reinvests earnings into resident care and community.
Privately owned; profits support investors or operators.
NOTE: Community availability may vary.
3B: Prioritize Your Community Criteria
Part two is NOT mandatory, but this quick activity helps you identify EXACTLY what matters most when choosing your future community. You’ll go through some short comparisons between features (like “Covered Parking” vs. “Short Wait List”) and choose which one feels more important.
When answering, think: "If you could only have ONE, what would it be"?
Your answers will help us — and you — find the communities that best fit your needs and priorities. It only takes about five minutes, and it might seem crazy, but just play it out, trust your instincts, and make the choices that really matter most to you.
💭 If you can only choose one, what would it be:
Comparison 1 of 21
⚖️ Just a quick tie-breaker to help us understand your priorities better.
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Step 4 (A&B): CONFIDENCE
Step 4A (Home Value & Taxes) is not mandatory. But if you’re planning to sell your home you'll need to know the current value and potential proceeds after Capital Gains Taxes. This will help us build your Stay or Go Clarity Report and give you the information you need to speak with your family, the community sales directors, and your financial planner.
Disclaimer: Brian Schwatka is not a CPA or financial planner; the figures provided are estimates only and intended for general informational purposes—please consult your tax or financial professional for specific advice.
Step 4B: CONFIDENCE - Your Financial Roadmap
Part 4B (Your financial roadmap) is not mandatory. But this section will help us build your Stay or Go Clarity Report and give you a longevity report and the information you need to speak with your family, the community sales directors, and your financial planner. It will give you a clearer picture of what’s financially comfortable for you.
Assets (combined)
(i) Assets you own outside of your primary home and retirement savings, such as additional real estate, business interests, or life insurance cash value, that could be used in the future if needed.
Recurring Income (combined)
(i) Regular income you receive from a former employer or government retirement system. This may include pensions such as MERS, STRS, SERS, or other public or private employer pension plans. Choose above.