{"id":6863,"date":"2025-05-19T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/?p=6863"},"modified":"2025-05-19T10:27:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T17:27:22","slug":"what-is-my-net-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/what-is-my-net-worth\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is My Net Worth? 5 Ways to Grow Your Financial Value"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Determining your net worth is fairly straightforward. We\u2019ll show you how to figure out your net worth and even how to improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to learn more? Let\u2019s get into it! \ud83e\udd11<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"blue-box\">\n    <p>See how Quicken helps you track your net worth.<br>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/products\/simplifi\/\" class=\"cta-link\">Continue \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is net worth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your net worth, simply put, is the value of your assets \u2014 your possessions, the money in your bank account, your investment portfolio (if you have one), and anything else you own \u2014 minus your total liabilities, which is any outstanding debt or money owed, like car loans or credit card debt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If that sounds complicated, ask yourself this \u2014 if you sold everything you have for cash, then used that cash to pay off your debt, how much would you have left? That\u2019s your net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, individual net worth can vary wildly from person to person, and isn\u2019t always a surefire way to determine financial health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A young adult new to the workforce with a hefty chunk of student debt may have a very different net worth from a middle-aged investor with several forms of passive income \u2014 the young adult may even have a negative net worth! And that\u2019s okay \u2014 it\u2019s important to be mindful of the fact that net worth changes over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I calculate my net worth?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve established what net worth is, are you asking yourself, \u201cHow can I figure out my net worth?\u201d Follow the steps below to get started!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Add up your assets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in determining your net worth is to take a good, hard look at your assets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what are assets, exactly? Think of them as anything you own that has value. Obviously the balance of your bank accounts (like checking account and savings account) and any investments in your portfolio count as assets, but you also want to consider physical assets, as well. Things like real estate, jewelry, musical instruments, or art collections can hold monetary value and increase in value over time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re asking, \u201cWell, what about my car?\u201d the jury is still out. Typically, vehicles are depreciating assets, meaning they don\u2019t hold their value. So, unless you\u2019ve got a freshly waxed \u201867 Shelby sitting in your garage, you probably don\u2019t want to include vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Potential assets include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Investment accounts<\/strong> \u2014 think stocks, retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.), brokerage accounts, or mutual funds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical assets<\/strong> \u2014 any real estate, art, jewelry, musical instruments, household items, and other valuable physical items<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bank accounts<\/strong> \u2014 don\u2019t forget to include your checking account, savings accounts, retirement savings, or any other accounts you may have<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Assigning cash value to physical assets can be difficult, but it can help to take a look online to see current market value or speak with experts to get an idea of their worth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you get an idea of the total value of your assets, you\u2019ll be ready to move on to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Line up your liabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next move is to take a look at all of your liabilities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Liabilities can be understood as any outstanding debt or money that you owe. When determining what your liabilities are, you\u2019ll want to include any credit cards that have a current balance, any loans (vehicle, educational, or mortgage), and anywhere else you may owe money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some examples of liabilities can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Student loans&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Credit card balances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumer loans&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Auto loans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mortgage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personal loans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>List out each line of credit you have and include the outstanding balance. (It\u2019s also really helpful for budgeting purposes to include your monthly payments and annual percentage rates.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve added up the total amount of money you owe on your outstanding debt, you\u2019ll have determined your total liabilities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Determine the difference<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The final step to determine your net worth is simply to subtract your liabilities from your assets. That\u2019s it!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the number you\u2019re left with is $1.00 or more, congratulations \u2014 you have a positive net worth. If the number you see is preceded by a minus sign, this means you have a negative net worth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what happens if you\u2019ve got a negative net worth? Will Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos form a coalition and publicly shame you?&nbsp; Not even close!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the deal \u2014 your net worth does not define who you are as a person. The important thing to remember is that this figure is almost always in flux, which is especially true for people who\u2019ve taken on considerable student debt for a stellar education or who mismanaged their credit at first through financial inexperience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter what your personal situation may be, it\u2019s really important to not feel defeated by a negative net worth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the best part? By committing to good financial habits, you can turn that negative figure into a positive one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"blue-box\">\n    <p>See how Quicken helps you track your loans and assets.<br>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/products\/simplifi\/\" class=\"cta-link\">Continue \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I increase my net worth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We all have to start somewhere. If you want to grow your net worth, there are a few ways to go about it. The general idea is to make sure you\u2019re bringing in more money than you\u2019re spending \u2014 or, more specifically, building your asset value faster than you\u2019re taking on debt. Think of it as inflows and outflows of cash value.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at the best way to max your inflows while reducing the outflows!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Pay off high-interest debt first<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing can stymie financial independence and growing your net worth quite like high-interest debt \u2014 it can be a difficult pit to get out of. But you can toss yourself a proverbial rope and climb your way out by choosing a plan to pay off your debt and sticking to it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider using the debt avalanche method to pay off your high-interest debt. With this approach, you\u2019ll need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identify your line of credit with the highest annual percentage interest rate (APR)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay as much as you can afford each month toward that account<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While still making your minimum payment on any other open account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once this line of credit is paid off, continue on to the next-highest APR loan, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, paying off debt takes time. Don\u2019t be discouraged, but be aggressive and stick to your plan. Commit to keeping your hard-earned cash, not paying any extra to lenders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Invest your money wisely<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you begin paying down your debt, you\u2019ll want to start investing any extra money or large windfalls of cash into a diversified portfolio. The goal is to have your money work for you. If you\u2019re new to investing, talk to a financial advisor to see where you might want to put some capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also explore any of these topics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/how-to-invest-and-grow-your-money\/\">How to Invest and Grow Your Money<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/average-savings-by-age\/\">Average Savings Requirements by Age \u2014 Plus Net Worth Benchmarks<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/investment-strategies\/\">Investment Strategies: Which One Is Right for You?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/investing-for-retirement\/\">Investing for Retirement: 5 Steps to Grow Your Nest Egg<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Put your interests and knowledge to work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What are you really good at? More importantly, what do you love? This is where investing can get very personal and, honestly, pretty fun.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you into real estate and have any sort of remodeling skills? Flipping houses can be a good way to build a sidestream of passive income.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a musician, you can invest in good, quality instruments \u2014 Indianapolis Colts\u2019 owner Jim Irsay has been<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/indianapolis-colts\/irsay-shows-off-unique-collection-worth-millions\/\"> investing in guitars<\/a> for years, with a collection valued at $100 million!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re into artwork, muscle cars, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/05\/08\/op-ed-investing-lessons-from-baseball-cards.html\">baseball cards<\/a>, finding assets that you think could grow in value relative to inflation can be a fun and engaging aspect of maintaining a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/how-to-diversify-portfolio\/\">diversified portfolio<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Make more money<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best ways to increase your net worth is by increasing your inflow of cash! Simplified, this just means making more money. With the thriving gig economy, making money has never been easier. It all depends on how much time you can commit and what your interests are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a car and some spare time? Buy yourself a cabbie hat and sign up for Uber or Lyft. Do you have a stockpile of Beanie Babies and Pokemon cards? List them on eBay for collectors. Is there a plasma bank near your home? Stop in, donate, get paid, and help save a life. There are so many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/23-ways-to-make-quick-money-in-one-day\/\">ways to make money on the side<\/a> \u2014 get creative with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also angle for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-raise\/\">raise<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/how-to-get-promoted-at-your-job\/\">promotion<\/a> at your 9-5. Think about having the conversation with your boss if the time is right and you\u2019ve been crushing it in your current role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Save your money<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another great way to minimize your cash outflow and maximize your assets is by doubling down on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/blog\/gen-z-money-saving-tips\/\">saving your money<\/a>. Remember, the more money you have in your bank account, the higher your net worth will be \u2014 as long as your savings are outpacing your debt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s really easy to cut back and pad your savings with simple little hacks \u2014 especially if you\u2019re sticking to a budget. Take a look at your bank statements and go through each transaction you see. Are there any surprises you didn\u2019t budget for? Having an idea of your spending habits and seeing it written out can help you identify areas of overspending and assist you in dialing it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is also a great time to find unnecessary spending \u2014 duplicate streaming services and other subscriptions are a huge culprit. Consider canceling anything that you aren\u2019t using, or anything you wouldn\u2019t mind replacing with a free service. The idea isn\u2019t to deprive yourself of the things you like, but to dial back any excess discretionary spending in order to save.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The final word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s more important than your net worth today? How it&#8217;s changing over time. You don&#8217;t want to just calculate it once and forget it. Instead, check in on your net worth regularly to keep your finances on the right track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"blue-box\">\n    <p>See how Quicken helps you track and manage your net worth.<br>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quicken.com\/products\/simplifi\/\" class=\"cta-link\">Continue \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Determining your net worth is fairly straightforward and easy to accomplish. We\u2019ll show you how to figure out your net worth and even how to improve it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":6874,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"69","_seopress_titles_title":"What Is My Net Worth? 5 Ways to Grow Your Financial Value | Quicken","_seopress_titles_desc":"Determining your net worth is fairly straightforward and easy to accomplish. 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