Measuring Wealth: What’s Your Net Worth?
The road to financial security may be paved with a variety of investments and strategies. But before you travel too far, you may want to see if you’re headed in the right direction. By calculating your net worth, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are financially and be better prepared to make important decisions about your future.
What to Know Before You Begin
What exactly is net worth? It’s what’s left over when you add up all
your financial assets and subtract all your financial liabilities or debts.
Your financial assets may include money in bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual
fund shares, assets in retirement accounts, and the value of any real estate
you own. Unless you plan to sell your home and your car, you shouldn’t
include them among your financial assets.
Your liabilities may include outstanding loans and credit card debt. Don’t include your mortgage unless you listed your home among your financial assets.
The following worksheet will help you tally up your net worth.
Whether the result is less or more than you expected, don’t be too alarmed
or excited. Your net worth is only one measure of your financial health and
your ability to meet long-term goals. It’s really just a starting point
for a long-term financial plan. Once you put your net worth in perspective,
you’ll be ready to develop and implement a suitable long-term financial
plan with the assistance of a qualified financial professional.
Your Financial Assets:
|
Bank Accounts (savings and checking accounts, money markets, CDs) |
$______ |
| Retirement Accounts (employer plans, IRAs, pensions) | $______ |
| Other | $______ |
| Total Assets | $______ |
Your Financial Liabilities:
|
Loans (car, student) |
$______ |
| Credit Card Balances | $______ |
| Other | $______ |
| Total Liabilities | $______ |
Net Worth:
|
Subtract your liabilities from your assets |
$______ |
©2004 Standard & Poor’s Financial Communications. All rights reserved.
content originally from: http://www.lpl.com/libArticles/1061.html

