What Net Worth Should You Have at Your Age? (2024)

Why One Benchmark Is Never Enough

Net worth benchmarks come in three fundamentally different flavors. Income-relative benchmarks (like the Fidelity guidelines) ask whether your assets are on pace for retirement readiness. Wealth-accumulation formulas (like Stanley-Danko) ask whether you are accumulating wealth efficiently relative to your income and time. Peer comparisons (like the Federal Reserve SCF data) ask how you rank against others in your demographic. All three are useful; none is complete on its own.

The Fidelity guidelines — 1x salary by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 10x by 67 — are the most widely cited because they connect directly to retirement readiness. They assume you start saving at 25, save 15% of income consistently, and earn 5.5% real returns. Miss any of these assumptions and the benchmarks need adjustment. The guidelines were designed for investable assets, not total net worth — home equity does not count toward these targets.

The Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances provides the only real data on where Americans actually stand. The 2022 survey shows median net worth for 35-44 year-olds at $135,600 — well below the Fidelity target for a household earning $80,000 ($240,000). This gap between where people should be and where they are is the core financial planning challenge of the current generation. Knowing both your target and your peers' reality gives you calibrated context for your own situation.

Check all three benchmarks at once

Enter your age, income, net worth, and savings rate. Get your Fidelity target, Stanley-Danko expected wealth, peer percentile from Fed SCF 2022 data, and the exact savings rate needed to reach your benchmark by retirement.

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How to Use Net Worth Benchmarks to Build a Retirement Plan

1
Calculate your investable net worth — separate from total net worth
Start by separating your assets into investable (401k, IRA, Roth IRA, taxable brokerage, HSA) and non-investable (home equity, car value, personal property, business equity that requires sale to access). Investable net worth is what funds retirement withdrawals. Total net worth is useful for overall wealth tracking but will give false comfort for retirement planning if heavily tilted toward real estate or illiquid assets.
2
Apply the Fidelity benchmarks to investable assets only
At your current age, the Fidelity target is a multiple of your current annual income in investable assets: 1x at 30, 3x at 40, 6x at 50, 8x at 60, 10x at 67. If you are between these ages, interpolate. The benchmarks assume 15% savings rate from age 25 — if you started later or have saved less, your gap will be larger. Use the target as a diagnostic, not a verdict.
3
Find your peer percentile using Fed SCF data
The Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances is the authoritative source for American household wealth data. Key 2022 medians: under 35: $39,000; 35-44: $135,600; 45-54: $247,200; 55-64: $364,500; 65-74: $409,900. If your net worth is above these figures, you are in the upper half of your age group. Always compare to median, not mean — the mean is distorted by billionaires and is not a useful reference point for most households.
4
Calculate the savings rate needed to close your gap by retirement
If you are behind any benchmark, the actionable question is: what savings rate do I need now to reach the Fidelity target by my retirement age? The calculator does this math directly. The answer is often achievable — a 3-5% increase in savings rate, combined with compound growth, typically closes a significant gap over a 10-15 year horizon. Knowing the specific number removes the paralysis of feeling 'behind' and replaces it with a concrete target.
5
Build a realistic catch-up plan with specific leverage points
For households behind their benchmarks, the highest-leverage catch-up strategies are: maximize 401k contributions (especially if behind; catch-up contributions of $7,500/year allowed at 50+); reduce high-rate debt aggressively to free monthly cash flow for investing; increase income through career moves, promotions, or side income that is directed entirely to savings; and consider delaying retirement by 2-3 years (which dramatically reduces both the accumulation needed and the withdrawal period).

Net Worth by Age — Common Questions

What is the average net worth for a 40-year-old?

Per 2022 Federal Reserve data, median net worth for the 35-44 age group is $135,600 and the mean (average) is $549,600. The median is more representative — the mean is heavily skewed by very high-net-worth households. For planning purposes, compare to the median. A 40-year-old with $135,600 in net worth is at the median for their age group, though significantly below the Fidelity retirement benchmark for most income levels.

I am significantly behind the Fidelity benchmark. Is it too late to catch up?

For most people under 55, catch-up is possible. The key is identifying your required savings rate and committing to it consistently. The calculator shows the exact savings rate needed. At 45 with a $200,000 gap to the Fidelity target and 20 years to retirement, an additional $500/month invested at 7% return closes approximately $245,000 of that gap through compounding. Delaying retirement by 2-3 years has a disproportionate positive impact — it adds years of accumulation and subtracts years of withdrawal.

Does my house count toward net worth benchmarks?

For total net worth calculation: yes. For retirement readiness benchmarks like Fidelity: no. Home equity is an asset but is not investable income in retirement unless you sell the home and downsize. Retirees who plan to remain in their home through retirement should track investable net worth separately and treat the Fidelity benchmarks as targets for that investable number.

How does having a pension change the calculation?

A defined benefit pension is extremely valuable — it is effectively a guaranteed annuity. To compare it to investable assets, multiply the annual pension income by 25 (the same multiple used for the FI number). A $30,000/year pension is worth $750,000 in lump-sum equivalent. If you have a pension, subtract this equivalent value from your Fidelity target before calculating your gap — you need significantly less in investable assets to fund the same retirement income.

Find out exactly where you stand

Compare your net worth against Fidelity, Stanley-Danko, and peer percentile benchmarks simultaneously — and get your required savings rate to reach any target by retirement.

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