Net Worth Calculator — assets minus liabilities

How it works

Net worth is the accounting identity assets − liabilities, applied to a household instead of a company. Assets are what you own: cash and savings, taxable investments, retirement accounts, the market value of real estate, and vehicles or other property. Liabilities are what you owe: the mortgage, auto and student loans, credit card balances, and any other debt. The single number is useful, but the itemized table is where the insight is — it shows how concentrated your assets are (a home that's two-thirds of everything you own) and which debts dominate, each as a share of its category.

Worked example

The default household owns $15,000 cash, $40,000 in investments, $85,000 in retirement, a $350,000 home, and $25,000 in vehicles — $515,000 in assets. Against that: a $250,000 mortgage, $18,000 auto loan, $22,000 student loans, $5,000 in cards, and $2,000 other — $297,000 in liabilities. Net worth is $515,000 − $297,000 = $218,000, and the table shows the home is about 68% of assets while the mortgage is roughly 84% of debts — this calculator's own breakdown of your figures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate net worth?

Add up the value of everything you own, add up everything you owe, and subtract the debts from the assets. Owning $515,000 and owing $297,000 gives a net worth of $218,000. Use current market values for assets — what you could sell them for today — not what you paid.

What counts as an asset?

Anything with resale value: cash and bank balances, taxable investments, retirement accounts, the market value of a home or other real estate, vehicles, and valuable personal property. Use realistic current values; an overstated home value or car value inflates net worth without changing your actual position.

Should I use my home's value or my home equity?

Enter the home's full market value as an asset and the mortgage balance as a liability — the calculation nets them for you, so the home contributes its equity to net worth. Don't enter equity as the asset and also list the mortgage, or you'd subtract the debt twice.

Why is my net worth negative?

Because your debts exceed your assets, which is common early on — student loans and a car loan against modest savings and no home equity. A negative net worth isn't failure; it's a starting point. Watch the trend: rising assets and falling debts move it up over time, which the number captures each time you re-run it.

What does the itemized breakdown tell me?

It shows each asset as a share of your total assets and each debt as a share of your total debts, so you can see concentration and leverage. A home that's 68% of assets means your wealth is tied up in one illiquid thing; a mortgage that's 84% of debt is normal, while credit cards being a large share is a flag worth acting on.

How often should I calculate it?

Once or twice a year is enough for most people — often enough to see the trend, not so often that market swings dominate. Use the same method each time (consistent asset values, all debts) so the change reflects real progress rather than a change in how you counted.

How accurate is this, and what does it exclude?

The arithmetic is exact for the values entered; its accuracy depends entirely on using honest current values. It excludes hard-to-value items unless you enter them (a business, collectibles, future pensions), and it's a snapshot, not a projection — it says nothing about income, cash flow, or where net worth is headed.