Calculate your personal net worth — what you own minus what you owe. Enter your assets (savings, property, investments) and liabilities (loans, credit cards, mortgages) to get your complete financial picture.
| Age Group | Median Net Worth | Mean Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,000 |
| 35–44 | $135,000 | $549,000 |
| 45–54 | $247,000 | $975,000 |
| 55–64 | $364,000 | $1,566,000 |
| 65–74 | $409,000 | $1,795,000 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances 2022
It is a snapshot of financial position at one moment, not a measure of income. A high earner with large debts can have a lower net worth than a modest earner who has been saving steadily.
The most common error is optimistic asset valuation. A house is worth what it would sell for after costs, not what a listing site estimates. A car is worth trade-in value, not what you paid.
Household goods, clothing and most electronics are worth very little second-hand and are usually better excluded entirely than counted at wishful figures.
This is common and often temporary. A recent graduate with student debt, or a new homeowner with a large mortgage and little equity, will frequently show negative net worth while being on a perfectly sound trajectory.
The useful signal is direction, not level. Tracking the figure once or twice a year shows whether the trend is improving — which is far more informative than a single snapshot, and less prone to being skewed by one volatile asset.