How to calculate your net worth

5 steps to calculate your net worth

Your net worth is the value of your assets (things you own) minus your debts or liabilities (things you owe).

1. Make a list of all your assets. Be as thorough as you can. As well as obvious assets like your house and car, include shares, other investments, the amount in your transaction and savings accounts, superannuation, businesses, caravans and boats. Include the value of each asset in your list and be as accurate as possible with your estimates.
2. Add up the value of all your assets. Use the value of each individual asset to work out the total value of all your assets.
3. Make a list of all your debts. Once again, be as thorough as possible and don't leave anything out. Include your mortgage, credit card debt, car and personal loans, HECS debt, business loans and anything else you can think of. Include the amount of each debt.
4. Add up the value of your debt. Use the amount of each debt to work out the total amount you owe.
5. Subtract. Subtract your total debt from the total value of your assets. The number you get is your net worth.

One easy way to do this is the use an app, like the free Finder app. The Finder app will automatically calculate your net worth in real time for you - no pen and paper or calculator required.

Calculating your net worth: Assets vs liabilities

Here's a breakdown of what is classed as an asset nd what's classed as a liability in terms of calculating your net worth.

Assets include:

• Australian and international shares and exchange traded funds
• Real estate you own (or the portion of the mortgage that you've paid off)
• Land you own
• Cars and boats
• Money in a bank account, savings account or term deposit
• Your superannuation or SMSF balance
• The value of any cryptocurrency that you own
• The value of a business you own

Liabilities include:

• Outstanding home loan balance
• Credit card debt
• HECS debt or other student loans
• Personal loan debt
• Car loans
• Business loans

Your net worth is therefore the amount by which the value of your assets exceeds your liabilities. If this figure is negative, something fairly common for many recent graduates, your net worth reflects how much debt you would still owe even if you sold off all your assets.

Does your car count towards your net worth?

It’s worth pointing out that some financial experts recommend against including some assets such as your house and car in your net worth calculation. The argument is that if you wouldn’t consider selling these assets to pay off your debt, there’s no point in including them in your net worth sums. Whether or not you choose to count them is up to you.

If you're using your net worth for something like a home loan, the bank would include things like your car because it would be assumed that you can sell this if needed to service the loan.

Does your super count towards your net worth?

Again, this depends what exactly you're using your net worth calculation for but in most cases yes. Just because you can't access your super until you retire, it doesn't make it any less yours. The money in your super is part of your overall wealth, so it should usually be included in the calculation.

Why is net worth important?

Calculating your net worth is a simple and very effective way to determine your financial wellbeing. Think of it like a health check for your overall financial position. When you work out your net worth, you can gauge how much money you would have left over (or how much money you would owe) if you had to sell all your assets to pay off all your liabilities.

Of course, the reality of net worth isn’t quite that simple. For example, you probably don’t want to consider selling your house to settle debts, while some of your assets (such as super) can’t be accessed until you reach a certain age. So your net worth isn’t really a true reflection of how much money you could get your hands on if you cashed in all your assets and paid off any liabilities.

However, while this may make net worth seem a little impractical and even pointless, calculating your net worth is actually an extremely useful exercise. When you know exactly what your financial status is, you can make informed decisions about your financial future and work to increase your net worth.

For example, if your net worth is calculated as a negative figure, you could look at ways to reduce debt and improve your financial health. If your net worth is positive, you might want to consider a range of investment opportunities that could help you grow your worth even further.

Your net worth is also changing all the time. If you’ve just paid for a two-week overseas holiday or taken out a car loan, your net worth will have taken a hit. But if you’ve paid off your credit cards and made regular deposits into a savings account for the past year, your net worth will be a much more pleasing figure than it was 12 months ago.

Once you understand how your financial decisions affect your net worth, you can start making smarter choices about how you manage your money. And by regularly calculating your net worth and comparing it with past results, you can track your financial performance over time.

What if I have a negative net worth?

In many cases, you may have a negative net worth because you’ve only recently graduated from university. While you may have run up a substantial HECS debt and also have credit card debt to your name, you probably haven’t had enough time to start earning enough money in the workforce to pay off the money you owe.

However, a negative net worth could be an indication that you have borrowed too much money. From mortgages and car loans to personal loans and credit card debt, these large numbers can quickly add up in the liabilities column. And if you don’t own any assets to offset those liabilities, a negative net worth is the result.

If you have a negative net worth, the first step to turning this around is paying down your debts and reducing your liabilities.

What your net worth means for your savings

If you have a negative net worth, your main focus in the immediate future may be on paying down debt rather than boosting your savings balance. But, if your current net worth is a substantial positive figure, it may be time to reassess your financial goals.

While a savings plan offers a secure and steady way to boost your finances, other investments such as property and shares may offer the potential for higher returns.

Simple tips to improve your net worth

Open a savings account and save money

Open a savings account and contribute to it regularly. You might be surprised just how quickly you can build a substantial balance with a little discipline, and this can have a hugely positive effect on your net worth.

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Name	Product	Maximum Variable Rate p.a.	Standard Variable Rate p.a.	Intro Period	Government Guarantee
Virgin Money Grow Saver		0.65%	0.1%	Ongoing		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
MyState Bank Bonus Saver Account		1.1%	0.05%	Ongoing		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Westpac Life (18-29 year olds only)		2.5%	0.15%	Ongoing		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Westpac Life		0.25%	0.15%	Ongoing		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Invest money

Investing your money can help you grow your wealth - if you make the right investment decisions. From shares and property to exchange traded funds (ETFs) and forex, there are plenty of ways you can invest your money to build for a better financial future. If you're new to share trading, learn how to buy shares online with our step-by-step guide.

Cut back on spending

Put together a budget and see where you can cut back on your outgoing expenses. It'll also help you to reduce frivolous spending and impulse purchases - these will only have a negative effect on your net worth. Make sure you actually need to make a purchase before parting with your hard-earned dollars.

Don’t over-borrow

Borrowing large amounts will offset the value of any assets you own, so it’s important that you make sensible decisions when borrowing money. Taking out a large loan or multiple loans can severely impact your finances, so make sure you can comfortably afford to service any loan you apply for.

Set a goal

Once you know what your net worth is you can set yourself a goal. For example, what is your ideal net worth for retirement? Work out a realistic figure and then start to think about what you need to do to make it a reality.

Pay off debt

The lower the value of your liabilities, the better your net worth will be. So regardless of whether you owe money on a credit card or home loan, paying down the amount you owe will reduce your future interest payments and boost your net worth. Setting up a debt payment plan and/or consolidating all your debt into one loan can help.

Calculate net worth regularly

Doing this regularly will allow you to work out exactly how your decisions affect your financial standing, and can help you work out whether you are well on your way to achieving your financial goals or if you are straying off course. Keeping your net worth at the front of your mind will ensure that you are always thinking of ways to improve it, and it will act as a wake-up call if you need to rethink your money management.

Calculating your net worth allows you to determine your level of financial health and track its improvement over time. Calculate your net worth and start making better financial decisions today.