Learn how to calculate your net worth

Who owns America's wealth?

This visualization breaks down the total net worth of all US households by wealth percentile, listing the number of households in each percentile. As you'll see in the graphic, the total net worth of all US households is close to $160T, and the richer half of the country owns roughly 98% of it. Check out the visual here.

The mean net worth for an American household is now $1M

That's according to 2024 data from the Federal Reserve. In 1848, just 50 households had achieved a net worth of at least $1M (roughly $40M in today's dollars). Millionaires have become significantly more common due to a multitude of factors, such as price increases in securities, inflation, and rising home values.

The price of a mutual fund is based on its net asset value (or NAV).

The median trust fund contains roughly $285K

That’s according to data from the US Federal Reserve. There isn’t a specific net worth that can help determine whether or not someone needs a trust—but contrary to popular belief, trust funds can be great estate planning tools, even for people who aren’t ultra-wealthy.

Calculate your capital gains tax bill

If mental math is not your forte, a handy tool can help you figure out what you owe at tax time. Find the purchase and sales price of an asset, your taxable income, your tax filing status, and the length of time you held said asset, and you'll get your total for Uncle Sam.

Track Warren Buffett’s real-time net worth

Buffett is worth many, many billions of dollars. As a self-made billionaire, he is the eighth-richest man in the world, and his real-time net worth changes daily.

Calculate the financial outlook for your retirement

This simple calculator takes your age, income, planned contributions, and expected retirement needs into account to give you a portrait of how your financial condition will look when it comes time to start withdrawals.

Living wage calculator

Some people who work low-wage jobs don't make enough money to pay for the cost of basic needs (like housing or child care) in their area of the country. Curious to see whether or not you make what's considered a "living wage" for your city or state? To find out, plug your locale into this Living Wage Calculator.

A ‘rent vs. buy’ financial calculator

The New York Times built a continuously updated financial calculator to help potential homebuyers figure out which makes more sense given their individual situation: buying or renting a home. It takes into account how long someone plans to own the home for, mortgage rates, and more.

Owning a home can help build wealth via tax benefits and more

In addition to tax benefits and the potential to build equity in your home, houses are also typically considered an appreciating asset. That means their value is likely to increase over time.

Calculate: Do you need to file for bankruptcy?

About 77% of American households had some debt at the end of 2023. However, when debt becomes crushing, it's time to consider a management plan or a bankruptcy filing. This calculator helps explore whether debt is manageable based on inputs like medical debt, payday loans, and gross annual income.

A cost basis is an asset's purchase price after accounting for certain other factors

If you bought a share for $5 and sold it for $140, your capital gain would be $135...on paper, at least. In reality, the math is fuzzier. Capital gains are actually the difference between the sale price of the asset and your cost basis.

Addressing psychological barriers to building wealth

Almost half of adults in the US report owning no investable assets. For many, the barrier to entry is the belief that investing is too complex for them to get involved. Consulting with a financial psychologist, this article addresses the cognitive bias that causes so many people to miss out on financial opportunities, and offers tips on how to get past the anxieties and just begin.

Use this tool to calculate the dollar value of your parental mental load, from meal planning to coordinating after-school care, then see resources that help generate solutions.

Explore Ray Dalio's real-time wealth ranking and net worth

Dalio's profile in Forbes tracks his net worth, wealth history, and global wealth ranking. As of early 2026, Dalio is in the top 200 richest people in the world.

Visualizing the world's wealth in 2019

The world has a net worth of $360T. The U.S. economy continues to dominate given its sheer size, Asia and Europe are not that far behind.

How to balance paying down debt vs. investing

When someone has extra money in their pocket, they're quickly faced with a decision: Is it a better idea to use that money to pay down debt, or invest it? While the answer depends on each individual's financial situation, this video explains which solution works best depending on the circumstances. Watch it here.

The national debt is the total amount the US government owes its creditors

This US Treasury page explains what the national debt is, how it accumulates from annual deficits, and why rising debt can affect interest costs, fiscal flexibility, and long-term economic stability.

Capital assets include investments from stocks to fine jewelry

Capital assets can be classified as property owned and used for personal or investment reasons. If a capital asset grows in value and the holder decides to sell it, their “capital gains” would be roughly the difference between the original purchase price and the amount of money they sold the asset for.

What is a lien?

A lien is a legal claim or right to someone else's property, such as a home. For instance, if someone wins a lawsuit against you and they can’t immediately collect the money you owe them, they might have the right to file a lien against your property.

The average US household carries $105,056 in total debt

This article breaks down the average household debt by category, including credit card debt ($6,523), personal loans ($11,274), and more.

A FIRE number is the amount of money someone needs in retirement

To calculate one’s FIRE number, FIRE followers typically multiply their expected annual expenses in retirement by 25.

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be complex

Debtors must know whether their liabilities are secured or unsecured and what type of assets they have. They also need to know what a filing can and can’t help them with.

Use this mortgage calculator to estimate how much you can borrow, factoring in fundamentals such as financial standing, property cost, loan length, and more.

Should you pay off debt or invest?

Some experts say you should put aside 20% of each paycheck and use that money for future goals, such as saving, investing, and paying off debt. But which should you prioritize first? It all depends on where you are in your financial journey. This article outlines the steps you should take depending on what your finances look like right now. Read it here.

Asset location is the type of account an asset is placed in

Investors are likely familiar with “asset allocation,” creating an ideal mix of different asset types in an individual's portfolio. But asset location matters just as much for investors who are conscious of how much they owe in capital gains taxes.

How to visualize the enormous wealth of Elon Musk

The disruptive innovator and founder of SpaceX and Tesla is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, an unimaginable sum. This simple interactive visual uses pixels (representing $1K each) on a scrolling screen to demonstrate the billionaire's wealth compared to other known financial values, like the cost of building a Boeing 777 or the net worth of Tiger Woods.

A 'debt trap' refers to the need for loans or credit to cover the expenses incurred from other debt

Debt traps can be caused by unforeseen expenses or inadequate savings and can be a brutal cycle to break. At the end of 2025, total household debt in the US reached $18.8T, according to data from the Federal Reserve of New York.

Use this marriage tax calculator to see how much two specific people might pay if they were to get married, based on their individual income levels and more.

The number of illiquid millionaire households is increasing

"Illiquid" refers to the increasing number of millionaire households that have most of their net worth tied up in housing and retirement accounts. Rising home values and the growing prevalence of 401(k) plans and IRAs as primary retirement savings vehicles have contributed to the increase.

Use this annuity income calculator to estimate how much money someone can expect in their annuity payouts, depending on factors such as how much they invest and how long they expect to be paid.

Estimate your Social Security benefits

To calculate your Social Security benefit, the government uses information such as your birthday, current earnings, future retirement date, and more. Calculate an estimation for your future Social Security monthly benefit here.

Use this interactive calculator to see if you could rebalance the federal budget by adjusting taxes and spending.

Most US billionaires made their wealth in banking and finance rather than tech

A third of US billionaires inherited much or all of their enormous fortunes. It can be tough to determine the exact net worth of billionaires given that much of their money is often tied up in company stocks, which fluctuate significantly in a given week. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

How to get out of debt

This article provides a few helpful tips for getting out of debt, such as learning more about the debt itself and asking for better interest rates. It also explains the popular "debt snowball" and "debt avalanche" methods for getting out of debt. Curious to learn more? Read the full article here.

How to owe nothing on your federal tax return

Do you know you can avoid owing the IRS money come tax season by making changes to your W-4? For context, a W-4 is the form you fill out when you first start a new job. It tells your new company how much money to withhold from each paycheck for taxes. Find out how to avoid writing a check to the IRS each April in this article.

Value investing is the strategy of buying assets you believe are worth more than their current price

Famed investor Warren Buffett is known for building his empire with this strategy, which he learned from his mentor Benjamin Graham.

See Bloomberg's continuously updated Billionaire Index

This ranking, updated daily, shows a running tally of the world's 500 richest people. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has largely been atop the list, with a net worth of around $723B as of June 2026. Values fluctuate significantly as much of the wealth is tied to equity in companies. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

How to rebuild your credit score

It's easy to let your credit score slip without realizing it. Checking your credit score and getting to know what's on your credit report are the first steps to getting to the "700 club," or "good score" range, according to one financial expert.

Americans are projected to inherit $105T over the next 30 years

Today, someone's financial standing has more to do with their families than any other outside factor. Of the more than $100T of projected inheritance, that money is concentrated among a few wealthy estates and families.

About 88% of all homebuyers feel their home is a good investment.

Probate is a legal process that determines if someone’s will is valid

The executor of the will in question not only collects estate assets, but also pays outstanding taxes and more. Grantors sometimes opt for a revocable trust instead of a will so their assets avoid probate in the event of their death.

NFTs are unique assets that exist on the blockchain

This SNL skit accurately defines non-fungible tokens in a song and skit. They are cryptographic tokens that represent digital assets like art, and their value can be volatile.

Learn how tax credits are applied to income taxes

Tax credits are directly subtracted from the amount of money taxpayers owe on their annual income. Unlike tax deductions, credits reduce the owed amount while deductions reduce how much income is taxable. There are different types of tax credits that are either fully or partially paid out.

There are three different ways to calculate gross domestic product: the expenditure approach, the value-added approach, and the income approach.

The 'ultrawealthy' in 2026 hold $30M or more

This group of ultra-high-net-worth individuals holds more than double the assets of the top 1% of Americans (and this group holds over a third of all American wealth). These folks go beyond a well-funded retirement plan and a paid-off home common to middle-class households with investments in private equity, commercial real estate, and alternative assets like art.

The countries with the highest wealth per person, ranked

When looking at countries with the highest average wealth per person, the United States comes in at number three (with $564,862 per person). But the US doesn't even make the top 10 when looking at the median wealth per person rather than the average, which is perhaps a more accurate version of the data. Explore the numbers here.

Compounding, explained

During conversations about personal finance, the term "compounding" gets thrown around—but not everyone understands how compound interest and compound returns work. Broadly speaking, compounding is what happens when you not only earn returns or interest on your original investment, but also on the accumulated returns or interest you receive over time. This article explains how both of these processes function, and what compounding could mean for your wallet.

A company is ‘in the black’ if it is profitable

If a company is “in the red,” however, it is unprofitable. The expressions stem from the days before computers were widely used in accounting, when accountants updated financial data in their books by hand, using different colored ink (black and red) to signal a company's profitability.

The average household checking account balance is $16K, while the median is $2.8K

Average household checking account balances have doubled since 1989. Older, white, educated, and male customers tend to have larger balances on average, according to the data. See further data visuals here.