What Net Worth Tells You
Net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. It is the single best snapshot of your overall financial position, because it captures savings, investments, property and debt in one number. Income shows how much money flows in; net worth shows how much of it you have actually kept.
Net worth = Total assets − Total liabilitiesWhat to Include
Assets are things with a cash value you could realistically sell or withdraw:
- Cash: checking, savings, money market accounts
- Investments: brokerage accounts, retirement accounts such as a 401(k) or IRA
- Property: the current market value of your home and any other real estate
- Vehicles and other valuables at what they would sell for today, not what you paid
Liabilities
Liabilities are every debt you still owe:
- Mortgage balance (the remaining principal, not the original loan)
- Car loans and personal loans
- Credit card balances
- Student loans and any money owed to family or friends
Worked Example
The sample figures in the calculator describe a household with a $350,000 home, $85,000 in a 401(k), $15,000 in savings, $25,000 in a brokerage account and $22,000 in vehicles — $497,000 in assets. Against that they owe $220,000 on the mortgage, $12,000 on a car loan, $4,500 on credit cards and $18,000 in student loans — $254,500 in liabilities. Their net worth is $497,000 − $254,500 = $242,500.
How to Use Your Number
- Track it every three to six months. The trend matters far more than any single reading.
- A negative net worth is common early in a career, especially with student loans. The goal is to move it upward over time.
- Growing net worth comes from two levers: increasing assets (saving and investing) and reducing liabilities (paying down debt, especially high-interest debt).
- Be conservative with home and car values. Overestimating them makes your finances look healthier than they are.
Your Data Stays Private
All calculations run inside your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored in an account, so you can enter real figures safely.