Net Worth Calculator
Add up everything you own, subtract everything you owe, and see where you stand financially. Takes about 5 minutes.
How do I calculate my net worth?
Net worth is the value of everything you own minus everything you owe. Add up your assets: checking and savings balances, retirement and brokerage accounts, the current market value of your home and cars, and any other items worth over $500. Then add up your debts: mortgage balance, car loans, student loans, credit card balances, and any other money owed. Subtract total debts from total assets. The result is your net worth.
Use current market values, not what you paid. A car you bought for $25,000 three years ago may be worth $15,000 today. For your home, check Zillow or recent comparable sales. According to the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, median household net worth is $39,000 under age 35, $135,600 at 35 to 44, and $364,500 at 55 to 64. Compare yourself to the median, not the average; a small number of ultra-wealthy households pulls averages up sharply. Recalculate quarterly to track the trend.
Net worth by the numbers
- Median net worth, US households under 35: $39,000: per the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. Average is $183,500, but a few very wealthy households inflate that figure. Median is the better benchmark.
- Median net worth, ages 55 to 64: $364,500: this is the peak pre-retirement window. By 65 to 74, the median edges up to $409,900 as homes are paid off and 401(k)s mature.
- Primary residence is the largest asset for most: home equity accounts for roughly 25% of total household net worth in the US. Retirement accounts come next at about 22%.
- Negative net worth is common in your 20s and early 30s: student loans plus a recent mortgage push millions of Americans below zero. Direction matters more than the starting number.
What is a good net worth by age 30?
A useful benchmark is one full year of salary saved by age 30, per Fidelity's retirement guidelines. For a household earning $70,000, that is $70,000 in invested assets. The Federal Reserve median for households under 35 is $39,000, so hitting your salary in savings already puts you well ahead of half the country.
How often should I track my net worth?
Once per quarter is the sweet spot. Monthly is too frequent because market swings create noise. Annually is too rare to catch problems. Pick a fixed day, like the first weekend of January, April, July, and October. Use the same tool each time so the numbers stay comparable.
What is net worth?
Net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. That is it. Add up your bank accounts, investments, property, and anything else with a dollar value. Subtract your mortgage, loans, credit card balances, and other debts. The number you get is your net worth.
Think of it as a financial snapshot. Your income tells you how much money flows in each month. Your net worth tells you how much you have built up over your entire life. A high income with a negative net worth means the money is leaving as fast as it arrives. A modest income with a growing net worth means you are building something real.
Average net worth by age
The Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (2022) provides the most reliable net worth data in the United States. Median is more useful than average here because a handful of billionaires pull the average way up. The median tells you where the typical household actually stands.
| Age group | Median net worth | Average net worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,500 |
| 35-44 | $135,600 | $549,600 |
| 45-54 | $247,200 | $975,800 |
| 55-64 | $364,500 | $1,566,900 |
| 65-74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 |
| 75+ | $335,600 | $1,624,100 |
Notice how the average is 3 to 5 times higher than the median in every age group. That gap is the ultra-wealthy pulling the number up. Compare yourself to the median, not the average.
How to increase your net worth
Net worth grows two ways: your assets go up or your debts go down. Most people benefit from working both sides at once.
Pay down high-interest debt first. Credit card debt at 20%+ interest erases investment gains. Every dollar you put toward a 22% credit card balance is a guaranteed 22% return. No investment matches that.
Automate your savings. Set up automatic transfers on payday. Money that moves before you see it does not get spent. Even $50 per biweekly paycheck adds up to $1,300 per year before any investment returns.
Track quarterly. Calculate your net worth every three months. Watching the number move builds momentum. When you see a $2,000 improvement from last quarter, it reinforces the habits that got you there.
Increase your savings rate. When you get a raise, send at least half of the increase to savings or debt payoff before lifestyle inflation absorbs it.
Teaching your kids about financial health
Understanding your own net worth helps you model financial awareness for your kids. When children see parents tracking money deliberately, they absorb the habit. You do not need to share exact numbers. The process matters more than the figures.
Start with concepts they can grasp. A child who saves birthday money in a jar already has an "asset." If they borrow from a sibling, that is a "debt." Net worth is just the difference. Frame it that way and the idea clicks fast.
Help your kids practice
The Kids Budget Planner teaches children to track income and spending with age-appropriate categories. The Savings Goal Calculator helps them set and reach real targets. Ages 8-14.
Open Kids Budget PlannerFrequently Asked Questions
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Include everything with a dollar value. Assets: bank accounts, retirement accounts, investments, home equity, vehicles, and valuables worth over $500. Debts: mortgage balance, car loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans, and any money you owe. Use current market values, not what you paid. For your home, check recent comparable sales or use an online estimator.
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Yes, especially in your 20s and 30s. Student loans alone put millions of Americans into negative net worth territory. A new homeowner with a large mortgage often has a negative net worth for years. What matters is the trend. If your net worth moves upward each quarter, you are on the right track regardless of the starting point.
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Once per quarter is the sweet spot for most people. Monthly is too frequent because short-term market swings create noise. Annually is too rare to catch problems early. Pick a day each quarter, update your numbers, and compare to the previous quarter. The habit matters more than the frequency.
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Yes. Your home is typically your largest asset. Include its current market value in assets and your remaining mortgage balance in debts. The difference is your home equity. Some people track two numbers: total net worth (with home) and liquid net worth (without home and mortgage) to see how much they could actually access.
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Start with what they already own. A child with $40 in a savings jar and a $15 toy they could sell has $55 in assets. If they borrowed $5 from a sibling, they have $5 in debt. Net worth: $50. Use real numbers from their life. Our <a href="/learn/saving/budget-planner/">Kids Budget Planner</a> helps them practice tracking what comes in and what goes out.
Raise kids who understand money early
You are tracking your net worth. Your kids can start learning the same habits at their scale. Penny Time gives them hands-on practice with budgeting, saving, and spending decisions. Free, no ads, ages 8-14.
No credit card. No ads. No strings.