Net Worth Calculator
Total assets, liabilities, allocation pie chart, and benchmark vs. US median
Last updated: November 2025 . Benchmark: Federal Reserve 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances
Assets
Liabilities
Asset Allocation
Benchmark vs. US Median (35-44)
Source: Federal Reserve 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. The median is a more honest benchmark than the mean, the mean is heavily skewed by ultra-high-net-worth households. Mean US household net worth in 2022 was ~$1.06M; median was ~$192k across all households.
Summary
Understanding Net Worth
What Counts as an Asset
An asset is anything of value you own outright (or own equity in). Cash, savings, HYSA, money market, taxable brokerage, retirement accounts (vested 401(k) + IRA + Roth IRA), primary home market value, other real estate, vehicles at current Kelley Blue Book value, business equity, and significant collectibles. Use realistic resale values, not what you paid. A 5-year-old car loses roughly 60% of its sticker price.
What Counts as a Liability
Money you owe: mortgage principal balance, HELOC, auto loan balances, student loans (federal + private), credit card balances you carry month-to-month, personal loans, business loans you personally guarantee. Do NOT include monthly recurring bills (rent, utilities, subscriptions) or paid-off cards. Tax liabilities for a current tax year are technically a liability if unpaid by year end.
Liquid vs. Illiquid Net Worth
Liquid = convertible to cash in days without major loss (checking, savings, brokerage, T-bills, money market). Illiquid = home equity, retirement accounts under 59 1/2 (10% penalty), business equity, vehicles. Both count in net worth, but only liquid net worth pays bills today. Many advisors recommend tracking both; the gap between them is your retirement and equity exposure.
Why Median, Not Mean
The Fed publishes both mean and median household net worth. Mean is skewed by billionaires, US mean household net worth in 2022 was ~$1.06M, while median was only ~$192k. Median is a more honest benchmark of where a "typical" household stands. The age-band medians shown here are from the Fed 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, the gold-standard US wealth dataset, published every three years.
Common Net Worth Targets
Two popular rules of thumb: (1) The Millionaire Next Door formula, expected net worth = age x pre-tax annual income / 10. So a 40-year-old earning $80k "should" have ~$320k. (2) Trinity Study FIRE target, 25x your annual spending (4% safe withdrawal rate). If you spend $60k/year, target $1.5M to retire indefinitely. Neither is gospel, but both give useful checkpoints.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between liquid and illiquid net worth?
Liquid = convertible to cash quickly without major loss (checking, savings, brokerage, T-bills, money market). Illiquid = home equity, retirement under 59 1/2, business equity, vehicles. Both are net worth, but only liquid pays bills today and survives emergencies.
Should I include home equity in net worth?
Yes, home equity (market value minus mortgage) is an asset and counts. But also track "investable net worth" separately, which excludes the primary home, to focus on assets that can fund retirement income. Both views are useful.
What about 401(k) vesting?
Only count vested employer contributions. With 3-year graded vesting and you in year 1, only 33% of employer money is actually yours. Your own contributions are always 100% vested immediately. Plan statements usually show vested vs. unvested separately.
How do I handle deferred compensation and RSUs?
Vested RSUs and owned shares count at current market value. Unvested RSUs are NOT yours yet, exclude them. Non-qualified deferred comp (NQDC) is subject to employer creditor risk; count at face value with that caveat. Stock options count at intrinsic value (price - strike) only if in the money.
Why does net worth matter more than income?
Income is what you earn; net worth is what you keep. A $300k earner spending $295k is one job loss from trouble. A $80k earner with $400k saved and a paid-off house is wealthier. Net worth, especially liquid net worth and the 25x-of-spending FIRE target, is the metric financial independence is built on.