What is a good net worth by age?

Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (2022) median U.S. household net worth: under 35 — $39,000; 35–44 — $135,600; 45–54 — $247,200; 55–64 — $364,500; 65–74 — $409,900; 75+ — $335,600. These are medians, not targets. The widely used Fidelity benchmark suggests 6× annual salary saved by 50, 8× by 60, and 10× by 67 in retirement accounts specifically — a more useful number for retirement planning than total net worth.

Should I include my home in my net worth?

Yes, include the current market value of your primary home as an asset and the remaining mortgage balance as a liability. The difference is your home equity. However, many planners separate 'investable assets' (cash + retirement + brokerage) from total net worth because home equity does not fund retirement spending unless you sell or take out a HELOC. We show both numbers in the results.

What is the difference between net worth and investable assets?

Net worth includes everything (home, car, business). Investable assets is the subset that can actually generate retirement income — cash, retirement accounts (401(k), IRA, Gold IRA), and taxable brokerage. Augusta and Birch Gold use investable assets — not total net worth — to determine whether a Gold IRA fits, because home equity and vehicles can't fund a precious-metals position.

How much of my net worth should be in retirement accounts?

By age 55+, financial advisors typically recommend 40–60% of total net worth in retirement-eligible accounts. If you're below that, the gap is usually in over-allocated home equity or under-funded tax-advantaged accounts. Use this calculator's age-band comparison to see where you stand against the Federal Reserve median.

How does gold fit into a net worth strategy?

Most advisors recommend 5–20% of investable retirement assets in inflation-resistant assets like physical gold. The reasoning: gold has historically maintained purchasing power across multi-decade inflation cycles where stocks and bonds have lost real value. A Gold IRA holds physical gold inside a tax-advantaged account, so you keep the inflation hedge without sacrificing the tax benefits of a traditional IRA.

What is the average net worth of Americans by age?

There's a big gap between mean and median. The Federal Reserve's 2022 SCF reports mean household net worth of about $1.06 million but median of just $192,700 — the average is skewed by ultra-wealthy households. Use the median as your benchmark; it's the middle household, which is far more representative of where most Americans actually sit.

How do I increase my net worth before retirement?

Three levers, in order of impact: (1) increase tax-advantaged contributions — max 401(k) ($23,500 + $7,500 catch-up at 50+ in 2026), then IRA. (2) Pay down high-interest debt (credit cards, personal loans) before any non-essential investing. (3) Diversify the asset side — many pre-retirees are 80%+ stocks and home equity, leaving them exposed to a 2008-style sequence-of-returns event. A 10–15% gold allocation is the most common rebalancing move for this group.

Net Worth Calculator (1970) — Compare to Federal Reserve Median by Age

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Net Worth Calculator — How It Works

We compute net worth as total assets minus total liabilities — the standard accounting definition. Investable assets is a separate, narrower number we surface alongside it: cash + retirement + brokerage. Home equity, vehicles, and business value are real wealth but they don't fund retirement spending unless you sell, so we keep them visible but separate from the investable figure.

Age-band benchmarks come from the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the most rigorous U.S. household-balance-sheet survey. We use medians, not means — the mean is heavily skewed by ultra-wealthy households and overstates where typical Americans actually sit. The SCF is published every three years; this tool uses the 2022 release.

The recommended gold allocation (10–20% of investable assets) reflects guidance from major precious-metals analysts and the consensus inflation-hedge target used by most Gold IRA custodians. The actual right number for you depends on your age, time to retirement, and overall risk tolerance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Net worth is the total value of everything you own (assets) minus everything you owe (liabilities). Assets include cash, retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, real estate, vehicles, and business interests. Liabilities include mortgages, car loans, student loans, credit-card balances, and any other debts. The calculation is simple — assets minus liabilities — but the discipline of writing every account down forces a clarity most people avoid.

How Gold IRA Blueprint Keeps This Tool Accurate

Median net-worth benchmarks update when the Federal Reserve publishes the next SCF (every ~3 years). Display year and last-reviewed date roll automatically.

Last reviewed: January 2026 — next review January 2027

Gold IRA Blueprint|Net Worth Calculator

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Gold IRA Blueprint Keeps This Tool Accurate