A typical net worth is roughly $750 under 16, $30,000 at 25 to 31, $141,000 at 35 to 41 and $400,000 around retirement, while the top 10% at each age need far more, from $20,000 as a teenager to over $3 million near 60. Net worth is what you would have if you sold everything you own, paid off all debts and put the rest in a bank account. The script argues it is the simplest number to track, because you cannot grow what you do not measure.
Three notes on the data. It uses western figures (US, Canada and western Europe) because many other countries do not report this data, so adjust the scale to your economy. It uses the median rather than the average, which inheritances skew. And each age bracket gets a low-to-high range, a median and the threshold for the top 10%.
Watch the full video here, or skip to the breakdown below.
Net worth by age at a glance
- Ages 0 to 25: the starting line (1:52)
- Ages 25 to 41: the marketplace prices you (4:56)
- Ages 41 to 55: plateau, then compounding (11:14)
- Ages 55 to 75: retirement planning and the plateau (13:00)
- Ages 75 and up: spending down (16:58)
Ages 0 to 25: the starting line
Ages 0 to 16: net worth runs $500 to $1,000, with a median of $750. Most of that comes from parents, grandparents or a lemonade stand. To reach the top 10% you need at least $20,000 saved up yourself. Under $500 is not doing well, and over $1,000 deserves a pat on the back.
Ages 16 to 21: this is usually the first job and the first time you get paid for your time, with money going on a laptop, clothes and experiences. Holdings span $2,500 to $10,000 and the median is $4,500. The top 10% need $65,000, which is the 20-year-old with a car, paying their own rent. The script says these are usually young creators with side hustles who found a way to earn early.
Ages 21 to 25: you realize how much you need money and start making moves. Expect $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,800, and below $5,000 is a red flag. The top 10% have crossed $100,000, mostly because they found a space where their age is an advantage and started a couple of years ahead.
At every age the top 10% are already well ahead of the median.
Ages 25 to 41: the marketplace prices you
Ages 25 to 31: the marketplace puts a value on your skill set, and your worth is whatever someone else is willing to pay at scale. Balances range from $10,000 up to $100,000,, and the typical person sits at $30,000. To be in the top tenth, aim for $175,000.. Below $10,000 the video calls for a wake-up call, because being broke at 25 can pass as a joke but entering your 30s that way is not funny.
Ages 31 to 35: you are finally paid a fair share. Net worth runs $50,000 to $250,000, including home equity, savings and investments. The median is $90,000. The top 10% threshold is $375,000. You may be paying off a home and starting a family, and the gap with old friends becomes noticeable.
Ages 35 to 41: adulting feels real. The typical (median) figure is $141,000, inside a spread of $75,000 to $450,000,. Top-tenth territory begins at $700,000.. The narrator says income rises gradually from here and peaks within about ten years. It adds that 60% of divorces happen before 40 and that net worth takes about a 30% hit on average after one, so choosing a partner is a major financial decision. A big red flag is reaching 40 with no investments that grow through time, since inflation will eat whatever you have built.
Reaching 40 with nothing that grows is the biggest red flag.
Ages 41 to 55: plateau, then compounding
Ages 41 to 45: you are established, likely debt-free or close, and your lifestyle has stabilized, so growth often plateaus. Expect $100,000 to $750,000 and the median dips to $135,000 because kids become more expensive and people liquidate holdings for school and more. The top 10% have crossed $1,050,000 and their investments grow faster than their lifestyle.
Ages 45 to 51: Median: $215,000. Spread: $175,000 to $950,000,. Top 10% line: $1.95 million.. Assets bought a decade ago keep climbing and hedge you against inflation. A house bought for $400k is now $750,000, and disciplined investors see their portfolio rise substantially. You can ride out a crisis and know how to use a recession.
Ages 51 to 55: Most people land near $275,000, though results run $200,000 to $1.2 million. Crossing $2.5 million puts you in the top tenth.. The author says the median has shot up 40% since 2019, mostly due to covid and inflation.
Compounding shows up most clearly after 45.
Ages 55 to 75: retirement planning and the plateau
Ages 55 to 61: the kids have left, the house is worth more than you think, and you are weighing a sale or handover of your business. Balances range from $250,000 up to $1.75 million, and the typical person sits at $350,000. To be in the top tenth, aim for $3 million.. You worry your wealth will not sustain your lifestyle into retirement, with health the main concern.
Ages 61 to 65: traditional retirement is near, and only 25% of men and 15% of women keep working after 65. The typical (median) figure is $400,000, inside a spread of $300,000 to $2 million. Top-tenth territory begins at $3.3 million.. Only 1 in 20 people ends up buying the holiday home they wanted, since the median second home is around $435,000 plus taxes and upkeep, so most settle for a timeshare or renting.
Ages 65 to 71: for the first time net worth does not rise. Median: $400,000. Spread: $300,000 to $2 million. Top 10% line: $3 million., because many have hit retirement age and 42% of retirees receive income from investments.
Ages 71 to 75: net worth keeps climbing as asset prices rise with expanding cities. Most people land near $430,000, though results run $350,000 to $1.85 million. Crossing $2.75 million puts you in the top tenth.. Almost 50% of people have no retirement savings, and 15% of retirees still carry debt such as a mortgage or credit cards.
Having no savings going into retirement is the main problem for almost half of people.
Ages 75 and up: spending down
Ages 75 to 85: Balances range from $300,000 up to $1.85 million, and the typical person sits at $350,000. To be in the top tenth, aim for $2.75 million.. About 70% have a pension and roughly 15% of retirees rely on their children for financial support. Many 80-year-olds fear their savings will not last, and some sell their homes to pay for elderly care communities.
Ages 85 and up: as of 2024, only 24% of people reach 85, and the number is rising. Health care at that age is very expensive, so assets are liquidated and the numbers fall across the board. Holdings span $250,000 to $1.2 million, the median barely crosses $300,000. The top 10% sit above $1.9 million.
The last decades are expensive, so the plan has to cover them.
Measure it once a year
The bonus advice is to calculate your net worth at least once a year: net worth equals assets minus liabilities. Doing it yearly lets you optimize for growth.
The host also mentions high net worth individuals, people worth over $30 million at any age, and says there were 233,590 of them in the US alone in the previous year. A subset it calls golden millionaires have a net worth in millions higher than their age, such as over $30 million at 30.
FAQ
What should my net worth be by age 35?
For ages 31 to 35 the video gives a range of $50,000 to $250,000, with a median of $90,000 and a top 10% threshold of $375,000. At 35 to 41 the median rises to $141,000.
What is net worth?
It is assets minus liabilities: what you would have if you sold everything you own, paid off all your debts and put the rest in a bank account.
Why does the video use median net worth instead of average?
Inherited wealth skews the average dramatically. The median excludes the extremes and better shows where a typical person stands.
How much net worth puts you in the top 10% at 40?
The video says $700,000 for ages 35 to 41 and $1,050,000 for ages 41 to 45.
How often should you calculate your net worth?
At least once a year. The video says doing so lets you optimize for growth.
Keep reading
- How to Calculate Your Net Worth
- Kim Kardashian Net Worth 2016
- This Luxurious Penthouse in Tel Aviv’s G Tower is Worth Every Penny!
