Wealth secrets of investors: 5 biggest money lessons in 2026

Finder's 2026 Wealth Building Report reveals what actions investors take to grow their wealth - and it's more simple than you may think.

The newly released Finder Wealth Building Report looks at the actions that investors take to actively grow their wealth, and how these habits compare to those of regular Aussies.

The report includes data from a specially commissioned survey of 1,001 Australians with an investment outside of superannuation, high-interest savings and their family home.

It reveals that investors prioritise regular investments ideally from a young age and optimising their superannuation, among other things.

Here are 5 of the biggest lessons we can learn from investors, as revealed in the report.

1. Investors don't rely on property and superannuation alone

The average net wealth of Australian households is now $1.63 million.

But the majority of our wealth (73% of it) is tied up in just 2 products; property and superannuation.

And these don't necessarily help with affording day-to-day expenses like groceries, energy bills (and at the moment, petrol!).

Finder's Wealth Building Report found the difference between investors and the general population is that investors are far more likely to invest in assets outside of just property and super.

2. Investing early is key to building wealth

Investors who started investing in their 20s have 67% more wealth than those who started in their 40s.

The average net wealth of a mature investor (over 40) who started investing aged 20 is $1.74 million. For those who began in their 30s, it's $1.52 million, while for those who started in their 40s it's $1 million.

Seeing this, it's no wonder a third of Australian investors say their biggest financial regret is not starting to invest earlier.

3. Investors know that consistency is key

The report found 44% of Aussie parents have invested on behalf of their children in 2025, up from just 33% in 2024.

However, the difference between investors and the general population is that investors do it regularly.

Only 15% of average Aussies invest for their children regularly while almost double (29%) the amount of investors regularly make contributions.

Investors know the huge benefit of compounding and the difference it can make over the long term.

For example, a parent who invests $10,000 when their child is born will have $54,274 after 25 years (based on a 7% p.a. return).

But if that parent also added $100 a month, the amount after 25 years has almost trippled to $133,021.

4. Investors optimise their superannuation to build more wealth

Superannuation is widely misunderstood, despite it being one of the biggest drivers of wealth for most Australians (and something we can all access).

Worryingly, more than half of Australians (57%) have their retirement savings with a default super fund, and 21% have 2 or more super accounts.

Investors know the value of maximizing their super and use it to build wealth, with 41% of wealthy investors making additional super contributions.

The report found there is a lot of potential for average Aussies to increase their wealth through super: by consolidating funds, reducing fees, increasing returns and making small regular contributions the average 30-year old could retire with an extra $4 million.

5. Investors are more prepared for an emergency expense

Despite our wealth growing on paper, 42% of the general population has less than $1,000 saved and 1 in 5 Aussies have no savings at all.

Considering the average cost of a financial emergency is $5,130, this is concerning.

In comparison, just 14% of investors have less than $1,000 saved and only 2% have no savings set aside.

The report found there is work to be done to get back to basics and set up an emergency savings fund.