Net Worth Calculator 2026
Take stock of where you stand financially.
Calculate your total net worth in United States. Enter your assets — property, savings, investments, retirement accounts — and your liabilities — mortgage, loans, credit cards. Your net worth = assets minus liabilities.
Net worth is a snapshot. Track monthly for meaningful progress data.
Net worth = total assets minus total liabilities
Simple formula
Net Worth = Total Assets − Total Liabilities. Assets include everything you own that has monetary value: property equity, savings, investments, retirement accounts, vehicles, and other valuables. Liabilities are everything you owe: mortgage balance, personal loans, credit card balances, student loans.
Why track it?
Net worth is the single most comprehensive measure of financial progress. Unlike income (which can disappear), net worth represents accumulated wealth. Tracking it monthly reveals whether your financial decisions are building or eroding wealth.
US median net worth by age group
| Age group | US median net worth | Key milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $20,000–50,000 | Emergency fund + start investing |
| 35–44 | $80,000–200,000 | Mortgage reduction + pension growth |
| 45–54 | $200,000–500,000 | Peak earning, maximize contributions |
| 55–64 | $350,000–800,000 | Pre-retirement positioning |
| 65+ | $400,000–1,000,000 | Draw-down phase |
These are rough median estimates. Average figures are higher due to wealth concentration.
US net worth benchmarks by age 2026
The definitive US net-worth dataset is The Federal Reserve's triennial Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). The most recent release covers 2022 data; we show the full distribution below, and the 2026 ranges have been adjusted modestly for house-price and equity-market gains since the survey.
Median vs mean by age (2022 SCF, $USD)
| Age of head of household | Median net worth | Mean net worth | Ratio (mean/median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,040 | $183,380 | 4.7x |
| 35 – 44 | $135,600 | $549,600 | 4.1x |
| 45 – 54 | $246,700 | $975,800 | 4.0x |
| 55 – 64 | $364,270 | $1,566,900 | 4.3x |
| 65 – 74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 | 4.4x |
| 75+ | $335,600 | $1,624,100 | 4.8x |
Why the mean is 4-5x the median
The mean includes billionaires; the median does not. The top 10% of US households held roughly 67% of total household wealth in 2022 per the Fed's Distributional Financial Accounts. If a financial blog quotes a "$1 million average" figure at age 60, remember that the median is closer to $365,000 — the 50th-percentile US household. Targeting the mean will feel impossible; targeting the median (or the 60-70th percentile) is a realistic, meaningful goal.
What drives the difference
SCF also breaks wealth down by homeownership, education, and race. Homeowner median net worth is roughly 40x renter median ($400k vs $10k). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher households have median net worth ~5x those without. These gaps — not age alone — explain most of the variation. See Fed SCF Interactive Charts.
US federal estate and gift tax thresholds 2026
Once net worth passes the federal estate-tax exemption, The IRS takes up to 40% of the excess at death. Most US households don't come close — but the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) exemption doubling was scheduled to sunset, but the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) repealed that sunset and made the higher exemption permanent — raising it to $15 million per person from 2026. Anyone with a net worth in the eight figures should still plan ahead.
2026 exemptions and rates
| Item | 2026 amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal estate & gift tax exemption | $15 million / person | $30m per married couple with portability |
| Top estate-tax rate | 40% | On the portion above the exemption |
| Annual gift exclusion | $19,000 / recipient | $38,000 for spouses "split-gifting" |
| Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) exemption | $15 million | Mirrors estate exemption |
| Unlimited spousal deduction | Unlimited | US-citizen spouse only |
| OBBBA — 2026 exemption | $15 million / person | Sunset repealed; made permanent and indexed for inflation |
IRS authority: IRS Estate Tax. Gift-tax basics: IRS Gift Tax FAQs.
State-level estate and inheritance taxes
Twelve states plus DC levy their own estate tax on top of the federal one, often with far lower exemptions: Oregon $1m, Massachusetts $2m, Washington $2.193m (top rate 20%), New York $7.16m (with a "cliff" at 105% of the exemption), Minnesota $3m, Illinois $4m, plus CT, HI, ME, MD, RI, VT, DC. Six states levy an inheritance tax paid by heirs: IA (phasing out), KY, MD, NE, NJ, PA. Florida, Texas, and 33 other states have neither — a major retirement-relocation consideration for estates between $5m and $15m.
Frequently askedFrequently asked questions
Is a negative net worth bad?
A negative net worth means your liabilities exceed your assets. It's common in early adulthood (student debt, car loans, small mortgage with little equity). It becomes concerning if it's not improving over time or if debts have high interest rates. The goal is a consistently rising net worth.
Should I include my retirement accounts in net worth?
Yes — 401k, IRA, and retirement accounts are real assets. Many people underestimate their net worth by excluding them. Include the current surrender value for defined contribution schemes, and a calculated present value for defined benefit pensions.
Where these figures come from
Savings and investment figures on this page are drawn from The Federal Reserve (rates), the FDIC (deposit insurance), The SEC (investor protection), and The IRS (tax treatment of retirement vehicles).
- Federal funds rate — Federal Reserve — Open Market Operations.
- Interest rate & economic series — FRED — Federal Reserve Economic Data.
- Deposit insurance (up to $250,000) — FDIC — Deposit Insurance.
- Investor education — SEC — Investor.gov.
- IRA & 401(k) contribution limits — IRS — Retirement Plan Contribution Limits.
Last checked: April 2026. Rates and thresholds are reviewed against the source of record each November, when annual adjustments for the following tax year are published.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
Your result shows the projected growth or return based on the rate, contribution, and time period you entered — using standard compound or simple interest formulas.
Use this to set savings targets, compare investment options, or understand the impact of starting earlier. Adjust the rate and timeframe to model optimistic and conservative scenarios.
Not a guaranteed return. Actual investment outcomes depend on market conditions, fees, taxes, and timing that cannot be predicted with certainty.
Uses standard financial formulas with the inputs you provided. All calculations run in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
Savings and investment results are dominated by three factors: the rate of return, the time horizon, and regular contributions. Compounding amplifies all three over time.
Returns on returns accelerate growth over time. The difference between 5% and 7% over 20 years is much larger than the 2% gap suggests — compounding is non-linear.
Adding even small regular amounts dramatically increases the final balance. $100/week invested at 7% for 20 years grows to over $110,000 in contributions and $110,000+ in returns.
Starting 5 years earlier often produces a larger final balance than doubling your contribution rate. Time is the most powerful variable in savings calculations.
To improve your savings outcome, focus on starting earlier, increasing contributions, and minimizing fees and tax drag on returns.
Starting with a small amount today and increasing over time beats waiting to start with a larger amount. Time in the market matters more than timing the market.
A 1% annual fee on a $100k balance costs $1,000/year and compounds against you. Compare fee structures across savings and investment products.
401(k)s, IRAs, HSAs, and 529 college-savings plans shelter growth from tax — letting more of your returns compound for you instead of leaking to the IRS each year.
Savings decisions connect to investment, tax, and retirement planning. Use these calculators to model the broader picture.
Work backwards from a target amount to see how much you need to save each month.
Savings goal →Model how an initial investment grows with regular contributions over different time periods.
Compound interest →See what your future balance is worth in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation.
Inflation calculator →