Your net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. Enter your balances below to calculate it and see where it puts you among US households your age.
| Total assets | -- |
| Total debts | -- |
| Debts as a share of assets | -- |
| Percentile for your age group | -- |
| Median for your age group | -- |
Percentiles from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances (2022 dollars), our calculation from the public data. The starting figures are an example; replace them with your own. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
How to Calculate Your Net Worth
Net worth = total assets − total liabilities.
- Add up what you own. Use current balances and what each item would actually sell for today, not what you paid.
- Add up what you owe. Use the payoff balance on every debt, including 0% loans and money owed to family.
- Subtract. A positive result means you own more than you owe; a negative result means your debts are larger than your assets.
For example, a household with $457,000 of assets (a $350,000 home, $60,000 in retirement accounts, $15,000 invested, $12,000 in the bank and a $20,000 car) and $300,000 of debts (a $260,000 mortgage, a $12,000 car loan, $25,000 of student loans and a $3,000 card balance) has a net worth of $157,000. That is the calculator’s starting example, and it sits just above the median of $135,300 for households headed by someone aged 35–44.
Net Worth Worksheet
Step 1: What You Own
| Asset | What to use | Your amount |
|---|---|---|
| Checking, savings, money market, CDs, cash | Current balances | $______ |
| Taxable investments (brokerage, crypto) | Current market value | $______ |
| Retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), IRA, HSA) | Current balance, vested only | $______ |
| Primary home | Realistic sale price today | $______ |
| Other real estate | Realistic sale price today | $______ |
| Vehicles | Private-party value, not dealer retail | $______ |
| Business equity | What you could sell your share for | $______ |
| Cash value of permanent life insurance | Surrender value on your statement | $______ |
| Valuables worth selling (jewelry, art, collectibles) | What a buyer would pay | $______ |
| Total assets | $______ |
Step 2: What You Owe
| Debt | What to use | Your amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage and home equity loans or lines | Payoff balance | $______ |
| Auto loans | Payoff balance | $______ |
| Student loans (federal and private) | Current balance including interest | $______ |
| Credit cards | Full balance, even if paid monthly | $______ |
| Personal, medical and other loans | Current balance | $______ |
| Total liabilities | $______ |
Step 3: Subtract
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Total assets | $______ |
| − Total liabilities | − $______ |
| = Net worth | $______ |
What Typical American Families Hold
These are the Federal Reserve’s own measures: the share of families holding each asset or debt, and the median amount among the families that have it. Use them as a sense check on your own worksheet, not a target.
| Asset | Share of Families Holding It | Median Amount Among Those Holding It |
|---|---|---|
| Checking, savings and other transaction accounts | 98.6% | $8,000 |
| Certificates of deposit | 6.5% | $26,000 |
| Stocks held directly | 21% | $15,000 |
| Mutual funds and other pooled funds | 11.5% | $150,000 |
| Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA and similar) | 54.3% | $87,000 |
| Vehicles | 86.6% | $28,000 |
| Primary residence (market value) | 66.1% | $323,000 |
| Other residential real estate | 13% | $225,000 |
| Business equity | 12.8% | $150,000 |
Source: Federal Reserve, 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, public data (2022 dollars), our calculation; matches the Fed’s published Tables 3 and 4 within rounding. Medians are for families that hold the item, not all families.
| Debt | Share of Families With It | Median Amount Among Those With It |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage or home equity debt on primary residence | 42.2% | $156,000 |
| Other residential property debt | 4.4% | $122,000 |
| Credit card balances | 45.2% | $2,700 |
| Vehicle loans | 34.7% | $15,000 |
| Student loans | 21.7% | $24,500 |
| Other installment loans | 18.6% | $2,300 |
| Total debt (any kind) | 77.4% | $80,200 |
Source: Federal Reserve, 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, public data (2022 dollars), our calculation; matches the Fed’s published Tables 3 and 4 within rounding. Medians are for families that hold the item, not all families.
For how these debts change over a lifetime, see average debt by age.
What to Include and What to Leave Out
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| All bank, brokerage and retirement accounts | Future Social Security or pension payments you haven’t received |
| Home and other property at today’s realistic value | Future earnings or expected inheritances |
| Vehicles at private-sale value | Everyday belongings (furniture, electronics, clothing) |
| Vested stock and RSUs | Unvested stock options and RSUs |
| Cash value of whole or universal life insurance | Death benefit of any life policy; term life (no cash value) |
| Every debt, including 0% and family loans | — |
Retirement accounts count in full, even though withdrawals are taxed later. That is the standard definition, used by the Federal Reserve too; just remember that a $100,000 traditional 401(k) will not buy $100,000 of spending after tax.
Liquid Net Worth vs Total Net Worth
Total net worth includes everything. Liquid net worth counts only what you could turn into cash quickly without penalties or selling your home:
Liquid net worth = cash + taxable investments − non-mortgage debt
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash and savings | $30,000 |
| Brokerage account | $50,000 |
| Credit card and personal loan debt | −$5,000 |
| Liquid net worth | $75,000 |
Someone with a $500,000 total net worth can still have very little liquid net worth if nearly all of it is home equity and retirement savings. Tracking both shows whether you have wealth you can actually reach in an emergency.
What If Your Net Worth Is Negative?
It is more common among younger households than older ones. In the Federal Reserve’s 2022 survey, 7.5% of all US families had a negative net worth, and 16.9% of families headed by someone under 35 did, mostly because of student and auto loans taken on before assets have had time to build.
To turn it around:
- Stop adding debt. Every new balance pushes the break-even point further away.
- Pay off the highest-rate debt first. Credit cards charging 20%+ cost far more than a student loan at 6%.
- Keep any employer 401(k) match. A match is an immediate return that also raises your assets while you pay down debt.
A recent graduate with $12,000 of assets, $45,000 of student loans and a $6,000 car loan has a net worth of −$39,000. Paying $1,000 a month more toward debt than they add closes that gap in 39 months (a little over three years) before interest; interest makes it somewhat longer.
Common Calculation Mistakes
- Overvaluing the car. Use private-party value from a pricing guide, not what you paid or the dealer’s asking price.
- Using the purchase price of your home. Check recent sales of similar homes nearby and be conservative.
- Forgetting small debts. A medical bill or a loan from a relative still counts.
- Counting unvested stock. Only include shares you would keep if you left your job today.
- Double-counting. Count your home’s market value as an asset and the mortgage as a debt, or count home equity once. Not both.
How Often to Track Your Net Worth
Once a quarter works for most people: often enough to spot a problem, not so often that normal market swings dominate. Use the same date each quarter and the same valuation method each time, and look at the trend over a year or more rather than any single change.
A spreadsheet works fine; account-aggregator apps and many brokerages can also pull balances automatically.
Quarterly Check-In
| Question | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Total assets this quarter | $______ |
| Total liabilities this quarter | $______ |
| Net worth this quarter | $______ |
| Change since last quarter | $______ (+/− %) |
| Savings rate this quarter | ______% |
| Highest-rate debt remaining | ______ at ______% |
| On track for this year’s goal? | Yes / No / Adjusting |
| One thing to change next quarter | ______ |
How Your Net Worth Compares by Age
| Age of Household Head | Median Net Worth | Average (Mean) | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,400 | $152,600 | $372,200 |
| 35-44 | $135,300 | $548,100 | $415,000 | $1,049,600 |
| 45-54 | $246,700 | $971,200 | $800,000 | $1,973,600 |
| 55-64 | $364,300 | $1,564,100 | $1,122,200 | $2,960,900 |
| 65-74 | $410,000 | $1,780,700 | $1,176,100 | $2,997,400 |
| 75 and older | $334,700 | $1,620,100 | $975,200 | $2,699,000 |
| All families | $192,700 | $1,059,500 | $659,000 | $1,936,900 |
Source: Federal Reserve, 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, public data (2022 dollars). Families grouped by the age of the household head; percentiles computed from the survey's weighted records.
The median is the better benchmark: averages are pulled far up by the wealthiest families. For five-year age bands and a full breakdown, see net worth by age; to find your exact percentile, use the net worth percentile calculator.
The Fidelity Rule of Thumb
Fidelity’s guideline is for retirement savings, not total net worth: aim to have saved a multiple of your salary by each age.
| Age | Savings target | On a $75,000 salary | On a $100,000 salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1× salary | $75,000 | $100,000 |
| 35 | 2× salary | $150,000 | $200,000 |
| 40 | 3× salary | $225,000 | $300,000 |
| 45 | 4× salary | $300,000 | $400,000 |
| 50 | 6× salary | $450,000 | $600,000 |
| 55 | 7× salary | $525,000 | $700,000 |
| 60 | 8× salary | $600,000 | $800,000 |
| 67 | 10× salary | $750,000 | $1,000,000 |
How to Grow Your Net Worth
Net worth rises when you save more of what you earn, invest it, and reduce debt, which all work on the same equation from both sides:
- Automate saving so a set amount moves to savings or investments on payday.
- Capture the full employer 401(k) match before any other investing.
- Pay down high-rate debt, which is a guaranteed return equal to its interest rate.
- Invest steadily in low-cost diversified funds and leave them alone through downturns.
- Keep lifestyle costs from rising as fast as your income; raises are the easiest money to save.
For goals to aim at, see net worth goals by age and net worth milestones.
Related guides
- Net worth by age
- Net worth percentile calculator
- Net worth percentile by age
- What is net worth?
- Average savings by age
Part of our net worth guide.
Sources
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022” (public data, our calculations) and “Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2019 to 2022,” Federal Reserve Bulletin, October 2023. federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm
- Fidelity Investments. “How much do I need to retire?” fidelity.com
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