Millions of Americans routinely measure signs of physical health, from weight and blood pressure to cholesterol and daily steps.

However, Ted Jenkin argues that the country has no equally simple way to tell whether people are financially well.

Jenkin, President of Exit Stage Left Advisors and Host of The Red, White & Green Show, says Americans often know scattered financial numbers. They may know a credit score, a bank balance, or the value of a 401(k).

However, he argues those numbers do not fully answer the larger question of whether a household is financially healthy. Because of that gap, he says the country needs a clearer way to measure financial wellness before trouble becomes a crisis.

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Years ago, Jenkin introduced the idea of a Money BMI. He described it as a financial version of the Body Mass Index, meant to offer a simple reading of whether someone is on track.

His comparison is rooted in how doctors look for warning signs before a serious event. He writes that doctors do not wait until a person has a heart attack before discussing exercise, and he says the financial system should follow that same logic.

Today, he argues, too many Americans learn they are financially unhealthy only after something disruptive happens. He lists examples including a layoff, a divorce, a market correction, an unexpected medical bill, or retirement arriving years sooner than expected.

By that point, he says, fixing the problem becomes harder. Therefore, he believes households should ask more precise questions than simply, "How much money do you have?"

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Those questions include whether a person has an emergency fund and whether they are saving at least 15% of their income. He also points to whether a family could survive financially if something happened to the earner.

Jenkin also says people should ask whether they have a current estate plan, whether they are paying unnecessary taxes, and whether retirement savings will provide enough income. In his view, those answers offer a more complete picture than a brokerage statement alone.

He imagines an annual Financial Fitness Score that would be as familiar as stepping on a scale at a doctor's office. However, he says he is not calling for another government program, complicated regulation, or retirement plan that is hard to understand.

Instead, he describes the goal as a practical way to identify financial risks before they become financial emergencies. The point, in his framing, is inspection before crisis.

Jenkin then offers what he calls a Money BMI Check. The version provided asks whether someone has at least six months of emergency savings, saves at least 10% of income toward retirement, and has little or no high interest credit card debt.

It also asks whether investments match goals and risk tolerance. Finally, it asks whether beneficiaries, a will, and estate documents have been reviewed within the last five years.

Jenkin writes that checking five or six boxes likely indicates strong financial shape. Checking three or four suggests progress with more work ahead, while two or fewer means financial health deserves immediate attention.

He adds that someone in that last group might be considered financially obese, similar to the way a doctor might raise concerns about physical health. At the same time, he emphasizes that financial fitness is not reserved for wealthy people.

Jenkin says financial fitness improves through steady habits rather than dramatic changes. He lists small increases in savings, reducing debt, reviewing insurance, updating estate documents, and automating good financial decisions.

Over time, he argues, those habits can compound into lasting financial security. Meanwhile, he says America has spent decades encouraging people to build wealth, but has done less to help them measure whether they are on track.

Jenkin uses a leadership phrase to make the case for regular review: "Expect what you inspect." He asks why there is not a mandatory inspection system for a person's Money BMI.

He acknowledges that knowing a physical BMI does not automatically make someone healthier. In the same way, knowing a Money BMI does not automatically make someone wealthier, but he says it may provide a wake up call before it is too late.

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