Entry № 19 · logged Oct 7, 2026Free, no sign-upMoney · Wealth
Your net worth, posted to the ledger
Income is what you earn. Net worth is what you keep. List what you own and what you owe, and this wealth ledger stamps the difference — then posts your rough percentile against the Federal Reserve’s household wealth data for your age bracket.
Prefilled at $475,000 in assets against $322,000 in debts: a $153,000 net worth. That sits $14,412 above the $138,588 median for ages 35 to 39 — about the 52nd percentile.
The wealth ledger, Form NW-19. Left column: everything you own, each line posted as an asset. Middle: everything you owe. Bottom: the grand total — assets minus liabilities — stamped, with your standing against the median household your age.
- Total assetsbiggest line: home value$475,000
- Total liabilitiesbiggest line: mortgage$322,000
- Net worthdebt is 67.8% of assets$153,000
Against the bracket · ages 35–39
Median household net worth: $138,588. You sit $14,412 above it.
Roughly the 52nd percentile of households your age.
A rough estimate — wealth is lopsided, so percentiles interpolate between the Fed’s published 25th, median, 75th, and 90th percentiles. Treat the percentile as a ballpark, not a ranking.
Ahead of the median
Estimates, not advice. Use current market value for the home, payoff balances for debts, and skip anything you merely hope to earn. Retirement accounts count — future paychecks don’t.
Common questions Form NW-19
How do I calculate my net worth?
Add up everything you own (assets) and subtract everything you owe (liabilities). Worked example: $635,000 in assets — $25,000 cash, $60,000 investments, $80,000 retirement, a $450,000 home, a $20,000 vehicle — minus $435,000 in debts — a $380,000 mortgage, $35,000 in student loans, a $15,000 auto loan, $5,000 on cards — leaves a $200,000 net worth.
What is the average net worth by age in the US?
By the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, median household net worth runs $138,588 at ages 35–39, $213,586 at 45–49, $321,074 at 55–59, and $393,480 at 65–69. Averages run far higher — $1,836,884 at 65–69 — because the very wealthy drag the mean up.
Is the median or the average net worth more meaningful?
The median — the midpoint household, half above and half below. The average is pulled up by high-net-worth households: at ages 65–69 the median is $393,480 while the average is $1,836,884. Nobody you know is the average.
Is a negative net worth bad?
Not by itself. Roughly one in five US households under 35 owes more than it owns, mostly because of student loans. What matters is the trajectory: a rising net worth year over year beats a high-but-shrinking one every time.
How often should I recalculate my net worth?
Quarterly is plenty for most people. Home values and investments move, debts amortize, and the ledger above remembers your last numbers between visits — pick a date, post it, and compare.