What this net worth calculator does
Your net worth is the one number that shows where your money really stands. This net worth calculator adds up everything you own, then subtracts everything you owe. You enter your accounts, your home, your car, and any debts, and the tool gives you the result right away. No spreadsheet, no guessing.
List what you own
Enter your cash, checking, and savings balances, plus any investments or retirement accounts like a 401(k) or IRA. Add the current value of your home and car if you have them.
List what you owe
Type in your debts. That means your mortgage balance, car loan, student loans, and any credit card balances you carry from month to month.
Read your net worth
The calculator subtracts your debts from your assets and shows your net worth at the top. A positive number means you own more than you owe.
Run it again later
Come back every few months and update the figures. Watching the number move over time tells you far more than any single snapshot.
How net worth is calculated
The math behind it is simple. Net worth = total assets - total liabilities. Total assets are everything you own that has value. Total liabilities are everything you still owe.
Say you own a home worth $320,000, with $85,000 in retirement accounts, $22,000 in a brokerage account, $15,000 in cash and savings, and a car worth $18,000. That puts your assets at $460,000.
Now the debts. You still owe $245,000 on the mortgage, $18,000 in student loans, $9,000 on the car loan, and $4,000 on credit cards. Your liabilities come to $276,000.
Subtract one from the other and your net worth is $184,000 ($460,000 - $276,000).
What moves your net worth
A few things push this number around faster than the rest. Your home is usually the biggest asset, so use a realistic market value, not the price you paid years ago. Retirement accounts grow over time even when you are barely adding to them, which quietly lifts your total.
Debt works the other way. High-interest credit card balances drag the number down month after month. Paying down a mortgage does the opposite, slowly building equity you can count on. Cars and other vehicles lose value as they age, so they help your total less each year.
Tips for an accurate number
Use current market values for your home and car, not what you paid. A quick online estimate gets you close enough.
Count what you own, not what you earn. Your paycheck is income, not an asset, so it does not belong here.
Include every debt, even the small ones. Leaving a credit card balance off the list only fools you.
Check your retirement and investment balances on the day you run the numbers, since they move with the market.
Run the calculator every quarter and write down the result. The trend matters more than any single figure.
Remember your emergency fund still counts as an asset, even though you want to keep it ready for surprises.
Net worth calculator FAQ
What counts as a good net worth?
There is no single right answer, since it depends on your age, your income, your goals, and where you live. A common rule of thumb is to aim for a net worth equal to your yearly income by your 30s, and several times that by your 50s. The more useful goal is simply seeing your number grow year over year.
Should I include my house in net worth?
Yes. Your home counts as an asset at its current market value, and the mortgage you still owe counts as a liability. The gap between the two is your home equity, which is a real part of your net worth.
Does my 401(k) or IRA count?
It does. Retirement accounts like a 401(k) or IRA are assets, so include their current balances. Just keep in mind the money is harder to reach before retirement age, and early withdrawals can come with taxes or penalties.
What is the difference between net worth and income?
Income is the money you earn, like your salary or a side gig. Net worth is what you have built up after the bills are paid, meaning what you own minus what you owe. You can have a high income and a low net worth if you spend everything you make.
Can my net worth be negative?
Yes, and it happens more often than you might think. If your debts add up to more than your assets, the calculator shows a negative number. Recent grads with student loans often start here, and steady payments move them back toward zero and beyond.
How often should I calculate my net worth?
Once every three months works well for most people. That is often enough to catch a real trend, but not so often that normal market swings stress you out. Pick a date, like the first of each quarter, and stick with it.
Personal finance