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Finance · Personal Finance

Net Worth Calculator

Add up what you own, subtract what you owe, and see your true financial position — with an assets-vs-debts chart.

Assets — what you own
Checking, savings, and cash on hand.
Brokerage, 401(k), IRA, and other accounts.
Current market value of any real estate.
Resale value of cars and other vehicles.
Valuables, business equity, receivables.
Liabilities — what you owe
Balance still owed on your home.
Student, auto, and personal loan balances.
Total unpaid card balances.
Medical bills, taxes owed, anything else.
Example profiles — tap to try
Net worth
$120,000Positive

Total assets $380,000 − total liabilities $260,000.

Assets vs liabilities

Your net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe: net worth = total assets − total liabilities. Add up cash, investments, property, and vehicles, then subtract mortgages, loans, and credit-card debt. For example, $380,000 in assets minus $260,000 in liabilities gives a net worth of $120,000.

What net worth is

Net worth is a single snapshot of your financial position: the total value of what you own (your assets) minus the total of what you owe (your liabilities). It’s the number that stays after you imagine selling everything and paying off every debt. Unlike income, which measures money flowing in, net worth measures the stock of wealth you’ve actually built up — which is why it’s the figure most personal-finance plans track over time.

Net worth = total assets − total liabilities

Total assets = cash + investments + property + vehicles + other. Total liabilities = mortgage + loans + credit-card debt + other debts.

Worked example

Take a household with $380,000 in assets and $260,000 in debts.

  1. 1
    List everything you own at its current value. Cash, investments, home, and vehicles — use market or resale value, not what you originally paid.
  2. 2
    Add your assets into one total. $12,000 + $25,000 + $320,000 + $18,000 + $5,000 = $380,000 in total assets.
  3. 3
    List every balance you still owe. Mortgage, loans, and credit-card balances — the amount left to pay, not the original amount borrowed.
  4. 4
    Add your liabilities into one total. $240,000 + $15,000 + $4,000 + $1,000 = $260,000 in total liabilities.
  5. 5
    Subtract liabilities from assets. $380,000 − $260,000 = $120,000 net worth.

What counts as an asset vs a liability

Assets are things of value you own; liabilities are balances you still owe. List each at its current amount.

ItemTypeHow to value it
Cash, checking & savingsAssetMoney you could spend today
Investments & retirement accountsAsset401(k), IRA, brokerage — current balance
Home / propertyAssetCurrent market value, not purchase price
VehiclesAssetResale value, which falls over time
MortgageLiabilityBalance still owed on the home
Student, auto & personal loansLiabilityOutstanding principal remaining
Credit-card debtLiabilityFull unpaid balance you carry

Reading and tracking the number

Track the trend, not the snapshot. One net-worth figure means little on its own — the point is to recalculate every month or quarter and watch the direction. A number that climbs steadily, even slowly, is the sign of healthy finances; the exact total matters far less than which way it’s moving.

Negative net worth is normal early on. If a mortgage or student loans outweigh what you’ve saved, your net worth can be below zero — that’s common in the first years of a career, not a failure. As you pay down debt and build savings, the same calculation gradually turns positive.

Is my home an asset or a liability?
Both sides show up. The home’s current market value is an asset, and the mortgage balance is a separate liability. The difference between them — your home equity — is what actually adds to net worth, so a house with a large mortgage may contribute very little at first.
Should I include retirement accounts like a 401(k) or IRA?
Yes. Count them at their current balance, since they’re money you own even if it’s locked up for now. Just remember that early withdrawals can trigger taxes and penalties, so the spendable value today is a bit lower than the raw balance.
What value should I use for my home — purchase price or market value?
Use current market value, roughly what it would sell for today, not what you paid. A recent appraisal, comparable sales, or an online estimate all work as a starting point.
Can my net worth be negative?
Yes, and it often is early on. When debts like student loans or a fresh mortgage exceed what you’ve saved, the total drops below zero. It’s a snapshot of one moment, not a verdict — paying down debt steadily moves it back up.
How often should I recalculate my net worth?
Monthly or quarterly is plenty for most people. Checking too often just adds noise from normal market swings; the useful signal is the longer-term trend across several updates.
Should I count my car as an asset?
Yes, at its resale value — but remember vehicles depreciate, so that figure shrinks each year. Some people track “liquid net worth” separately, which leaves out cars and other hard-to-sell items to focus on assets they could quickly convert to cash.