What is a good net worth for my age in Australia?

There is no figure that applies to everyone: net worth depends heavily on income history, home ownership, superannuation contributions, and life stage, so age-based multiples are a poor fit for most individual situations. As population-level context only, the ABS Survey of Income and Housing put median Australian household net worth at $579,200 (2019–20, the most recent survey of its kind, the ABS has since discontinued this survey, so it remains the latest comparable figure), heavily influenced by property ownership and with very wide variation, the wealthiest 20% of households held over 92 times the net worth of the poorest 20%. This is a statistic about Australian households in general, not a personal benchmark. The most useful comparison for your own situation is usually your own net worth over time, tracked using the same method each time.

Should I include my superannuation in my net worth?

Superannuation can be included in net worth because it is an asset you own, although access is restricted until applicable release conditions are met. Those conditions generally involve reaching preservation age and retiring, or turning 65 (see the superannuation guide for the full list). Leaving super out understates total assets, while including it means part of your net worth is a long-term asset rather than money you can spend. This calculator lists superannuation separately, and its financial assets figure notes that super is not freely accessible.

Should I include my home in net worth calculations?

Yes. Include your home's current estimated market value as an asset and your remaining mortgage as a liability; the difference is your property equity. Your home generally produces no income and cannot easily be sold in part, so property equity is a measure of ownership rather than money you can access directly. If most of your net worth is in your home, your overall figure will move closely with property values.

How often should I calculate my net worth?

There is no required frequency. Many people record it once a year at a consistent date, such as the end of the financial year (30 June), so each reading is comparable. Property and share values move daily, so more frequent readings mostly capture short-term market movement rather than changes in your underlying position.

What is a healthy debt-to-asset ratio in Australia?

There is no single ratio that counts as healthy for everyone, so this calculator does not set a target. The debt-to-asset ratio is total liabilities divided by total assets: a ratio of 40% means you owe $40 for every $100 of assets. What the ratio means depends on the type of debt and asset involved, a mortgage secured against a home is very different from credit card debt, and it shifts as loans are repaid and asset values change. It is most useful for seeing how the balance between what you own and what you owe changes over time. Liabilities exceeding assets (a negative net worth) is common for people early in their careers who have taken on a mortgage or HECS/HELP debt before assets have had time to build.

How do I improve my net worth quickly?

Net worth only changes in two ways: the value or quantity of assets goes up, or the amount of liabilities goes down. Assets grow through contributions (adding cash, super, or investments), market movements (property and share prices changing), or a combination of both. Liabilities fall through repayments (mortgage, personal loan, HECS/HELP, or credit card repayments) or, less commonly, through refinancing. Which of these to prioritise, and by how much, depends on your interest rates, tax situation, and personal circumstances. A licensed financial adviser can help weigh these trade-offs for your specific situation.

Is HECS/HELP debt included in net worth?

Yes. HECS/HELP is a liability, so it is included in total liabilities at its current outstanding balance. It charges no interest, but indexation is applied each 1 June to the part of the balance that has been unpaid for more than 11 months, using the lower of CPI or the Wage Price Index, so an unpaid balance can grow from year to year (2.8% on 1 June 2026, according to the ATO). Repayments are income-contingent rather than on a fixed schedule, and both compulsory and voluntary repayments reduce the balance. The HECS/HELP Repayment Calculator and the HECS-HELP guide cover repayments in more detail.

Does vehicle value count as an asset?

Yes, a vehicle is an asset, but it typically depreciates, often most quickly in the first few years. Entering its current estimated resale value gives a more accurate snapshot, and that value will usually be lower at your next reading. Any car loan is entered separately as a liability.

Is a mortgage a liability?

Yes. Your mortgage is a liability because it represents money you owe to the lender. The number to enter is the outstanding principal balance, not the monthly repayment. The property itself is the offsetting asset. The difference between your property's current market value and the outstanding mortgage is your property equity, the portion that contributes to net worth. Example: $850,000 property value minus $540,000 outstanding mortgage = $310,000 in property equity. Both the full asset value and the full liability must be entered for the equity figure to be correct.

What is the difference between net worth and cash flow?

Net worth is a balance sheet, a snapshot of total assets minus total liabilities at a point in time. Cash flow is what comes in and goes out each month. You can have high net worth but tight cash flow (asset-rich, cash-poor, which can happen when most wealth is held in a home) or strong cash flow but low net worth (high income, low savings rate). They describe different things: net worth summarises the balance sheet at a point in time, while cash flow describes income and spending over a period.

Net Worth Calculator Australia

Enter your assets and liabilities to calculate your personal net worth (total assets minus total liabilities) in seconds.

When to use

When you want a snapshot of your financial position, or to start tracking your net worth over time.

Who it's for

Anyone who wants to understand their overall financial position, at any income level or life stage.

What you'll need

Approximate values for your assets (savings, super, property, investments) and your liabilities (mortgage, loans, credit cards).

Assets (what you own)

Cash & Savings

Bank accounts, term deposits, and cash on hand.

Superannuation

Your current super balance. Check your fund's app or last statement.

Investments / ETFs

Share portfolio, ETFs (VAS, VGS, VDHG), managed funds, crypto.

Property value

Estimated current market value of all property you own.

Vehicle value

Current estimated resale value of your car(s).

Other assets

Business interests, jewellery, art, or any other valuables.

Superannuation can be included in net worth because it is an asset you own, although access is restricted until applicable release conditions are met. See the Superannuation Calculator or the superannuation guide.

Liabilities (what you owe)

Mortgage balance

Remaining principal on your home loan(s).

Personal loans

Any personal or consumer loans outstanding.

Credit card debt

Total outstanding balance across all credit cards.

HECS / HELP debt

Your current HECS-HELP balance. Find it on the ATO app or myGov.

Car loans

Outstanding balance on vehicle finance.

Other debts

Buy-now-pay-later, family loans, or any other outstanding debts.

HECS/HELP debt is indexed annually and included here at its current outstanding balance. For repayment estimates, see the HECS/HELP Repayment Calculator or the HECS/HELP guide.

Enter your assets and liabilities above to calculate your net worth

You don’t need to fill every field, start with what you know and refine from there.

Total assets and liabilities
Your net worth
Debt-to-asset ratio

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Net worth

What is net worth?

Net worth is simply what you own minus what you owe. If your assets total $600,000 and your liabilities total $350,000, your net worth is $250,000. It summarises your financial position in a single figure and, unlike income alone, reflects what has been accumulated over time. It is a snapshot based on the values you enter, not a prediction of future wealth.

Why tracking net worth matters

Net worth summarises what you own and owe in a single figure, which makes changes over time easy to see. Income alone does not show this: saving, repayments, market movements, and new borrowing can all change net worth even when income stays the same. Recording the figure at regular intervals shows how it moves, without treating any single reading as a verdict.

Assets vs liabilities - the key difference

Assets are things you own that hold or can grow in value, such as property, superannuation, share and ETF portfolios, and savings accounts. Liabilities are amounts you owe to others, such as your mortgage principal, HECS/HELP debt, and credit card balances. Both are included because counting assets alone ignores debts that must be repaid, while counting debts alone ignores what you hold. Net worth rises when assets grow faster than liabilities, which can happen as mortgage repayments reduce debt and as asset values change, and it can fall when asset values fall or borrowing increases.

Superannuation and net worth

For many working Australians, superannuation is one of the largest assets they hold, yet it is easy to overlook because it cannot be accessed freely. Superannuation can be included in net worth because it is an asset you own, although access is restricted until applicable release conditions are met, such as retiring after reaching preservation age or turning 65. Investment earnings inside the fund are generally taxed at up to 15% during the accumulation phase. Your latest balance is shown in your fund's app or on your annual statement.

HECS/HELP debt and your net worth

HECS-HELP debt is a distinctive Australian liability. It carries no interest, but each 1 June the part of the balance that has been unpaid for more than 11 months is indexed by the lower of CPI or the Wage Price Index (2.8% on 1 June 2026, according to the ATO). There is no fixed minimum monthly amount: compulsory repayments are collected through the tax system once income passes the minimum repayment threshold, and voluntary repayments are optional. Enter your current balance, which you can find through myGov or the ATO app.

How compounding affects net worth over time

Compounding has a large mechanical effect on how net worth grows: a $50,000 investment portfolio growing at 7% p.a. reaches over $380,000 after 30 years through investment growth alone, without any further contributions added. Because each year's growth builds on the year before, the change in any single year looks small, while the cumulative effect over decades is substantial. This is one reason net worth is usually tracked annually rather than month to month.

What moves your net worth

Net worth changes for two reasons: assets change in value or quantity, and liabilities are paid down or increased. Here is how some of the most common factors work mechanically.

How interest rates affect debt

Not all debt carries the same cost. Credit cards generally charge some of the highest rates, home loans usually charge lower rates spread over a longer term, and HECS/HELP charges no interest at all, only annual indexation. The higher the rate, the faster an unpaid balance grows, and the more each repayment reduces the interest that would otherwise accrue.

How superannuation contributions are taxed

Concessional contributions, including amounts salary sacrificed, are generally taxed at 15% inside the fund rather than at your marginal income tax rate (higher-income earners can pay more). This different tax treatment is one reason super is tracked as a separate, less accessible asset category rather than folded into everyday savings.

How investment growth compounds

Money invested in diversified assets such as ETFs grows through both capital growth and reinvested dividends. Because each year's growth is calculated on the previous year's larger balance, the dollar increase compounds over time, larger in later years than earlier ones even at the same percentage return.

How mortgage repayments become equity

Each mortgage repayment is split between interest (a cost) and principal (a reduction in what you owe). The principal portion reduces the mortgage balance and so increases property equity by the same amount. Net worth rises only to the extent the repayment is funded from new income rather than from existing savings, which fall by the same amount. Early in a loan term more of each repayment goes to interest; later on, more goes to principal, a structure known as amortisation.

Tracking net worth over time

A single net worth calculation tells you where you are today. Regular tracking shows how that figure changes over time. These four habits make tracking more useful.

Calculate at the same time each year

The end of the Australian financial year (30 June) is a natural anchor, your super fund publishes its annual statement, property markets publish data, and tax-time thinking prompts a full financial review.

Track direction, not absolute numbers

Short-term market swings can make quarterly net worth calculations noisy. A single snapshot reflects that day's property and market valuations, so the trend over 3–5 years usually tells you more than any one figure. A rising or falling trend over that period reflects the combined effect of contributions, repayments, and market movements, not necessarily any single decision.

Record the breakdown, not just the total

Note total assets, total liabilities, property equity, super balance, and investment balance separately. This shows where change is coming from between snapshots, rather than just the net figure.

Compare against your own past figures

The most relevant comparison for your net worth is usually your own figure from a previous snapshot, not another household's or an external target. Use the Retirement Income Calculator to see how a super and savings balance could translate into future retirement income.

Worked examples

Recent graduate - $12,000 super, $8,000 savings, $14,000 car, $28,000 HECS, $9,000 car loan: A 24-year-old two years into their first job might hold $34,000 in assets: super $12,000, savings $8,000, and a $14,000 car. Against a $28,000 HECS debt and $9,000 car loan ($37,000 total liabilities), net worth is −$3,000. A negative net worth at this stage is common: the liabilities already exist while assets are still being built. Super grows with each pay cycle, HECS/HELP compulsory repayments begin once income passes the repayment threshold, and the car loan has a finite term. Entering updated balances later shows how the figure changes as these move.
Homeowner mid-30s - $780,000 property, $95,000 super, $560,000 mortgage: A 35-year-old homeowner with a $780,000 property, $95,000 in super, $18,000 in savings, and a $22,000 car holds $915,000 in total assets. Against a $560,000 mortgage and $8,000 car loan ($568,000 total liabilities), net worth is $347,000. Property equity is $220,000, 28% of the property value. Each principal repayment reduces the mortgage and increases property equity by the same amount. The Mortgage Repayment Calculator shows how the loan balance falls over time.
Investing couple mid-40s - combined super $380,000, investments $95,000, property $1.1M: A dual-income couple in their mid-40s might hold $1,650,000 in total assets: property $1,100,000, combined super $380,000, investment portfolio $95,000, savings $45,000, and cars $30,000. With a $410,000 remaining mortgage and no other debts, net worth is $1,240,000. Super and investments together total $475,000, a substantial block of wealth growing independently of property values. Use the Superannuation Calculator to project combined super growth to retirement and the ETF Growth Calculator to model the investment portfolio over the same horizon.
Retiree couple, age 67 - paid-off home, super pension, investment portfolio: A retired couple aged 67 hold a $680,000 owner-occupied home (fully paid off), combined superannuation of $540,000 in account-based pension phase, an investment portfolio of $160,000 in ASX shares and ETFs, $20,000 in savings, and two cars worth $18,000 in total. Total assets: $1,418,000. No outstanding debts. Net worth: $1,418,000. Super pension payments are tax-free for both partners over 60. The investment portfolio provides liquidity and income outside super. Unlike earlier life stages there are no liabilities to subtract, net worth equals total assets. Use the Retirement Income Calculator to model how long $540,000 sustains drawdown at your target annual income.

Calculator assumptions

Values are estimates: Property valuations, vehicle resale values, and super balances are approximations. A home's true market value is confirmed only at sale; agent appraisals and online tools can vary by 5–15%. Use your best current estimate and refine over time.
Market values change continuously: Share prices, property values, and super investment returns move every business day. A net worth figure is a snapshot at a point in time, not a fixed number. Recalculate at least annually, ideally at the end of each financial year, to track direction rather than fixating on any single result.
HECS/HELP balances are indexed annually: HECS-HELP debt carries no interest but is indexed each 1 June, on the part of the balance unpaid for more than 11 months, by whichever is lower, CPI or the Wage Price Index. Annual rates from 2021 to 2026 ranged from 0.6% to 4%, so the balance can rise noticeably each June. The ATO publishes the current rate and your latest balance.
All figures are in nominal dollars: Net worth is expressed in today's dollars. Over time, inflation erodes the real purchasing power of a nominally growing balance. Use the Inflation Calculator to convert any projected future net worth figure into today's purchasing power.
Not financial advice: This calculator provides a snapshot based on the figures you enter. It does not account for tax on unrealised capital gains, the cost of selling assets, or your personal circumstances. A licensed financial adviser can help you develop a strategy based on your full situation.

Common mistakes when calculating net worth

Entering property value without adding the mortgage as a liability: The most common input error is entering your home's estimated value as an asset but leaving the mortgage balance blank. Your equity is property value minus mortgage, the calculator can only show this accurately if both figures are entered. If your home is worth $800,000 and you owe $540,000, your net worth includes $260,000 in property equity, not $800,000.
Omitting superannuation: Many Australians skip the super field because the balance feels inaccessible until retirement. For a 45-year-old on an average wage, super can represent $150,000 or more, omitting it can understate total assets by 20–40% or more. Check your fund's app or last annual statement and include it.
Confusing income with wealth: A household earning $250,000 per year with high debt and few investments can have a lower net worth than a household earning $90,000 that invests consistently. Net worth measures accumulated assets minus liabilities, not current earnings. Income only builds net worth when the surplus is directed into assets rather than consumption.
Leaving out small liabilities: Buy-now-pay-later balances, personal loans, and HECS debt are real liabilities even when repayments feel manageable. A HECS balance indexed each June grows automatically. Including all liabilities gives an honest picture; leaving any out inflates the calculated net worth.
Not refreshing figures after market movements: A net worth calculation using 2021 property values significantly overstates current wealth if prices have since corrected, and one from a market trough understates it. Recalculate with current values at least once a year, particularly after significant property or share market moves.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good net worth for my age in Australia?: There is no figure that applies to everyone: net worth depends heavily on income history, home ownership, superannuation contributions, and life stage, so age-based multiples are a poor fit for most individual situations. As population-level context only, the ABS Survey of Income and Housing put median Australian household net worth at $579,200 (2019–20, the most recent survey of its kind, the ABS has since discontinued this survey, so it remains the latest comparable figure), heavily influenced by property ownership and with very wide variation, the wealthiest 20% of households held over 92 times the net worth of the poorest 20%. This is a statistic about Australian households in general, not a personal benchmark. The most useful comparison for your own situation is usually your own net worth over time, tracked using the same method each time.
Should I include my superannuation in my net worth?: Superannuation can be included in net worth because it is an asset you own, although access is restricted until applicable release conditions are met. Those conditions generally involve reaching preservation age and retiring, or turning 65 (see the superannuation guide for the full list). Leaving super out understates total assets, while including it means part of your net worth is a long-term asset rather than money you can spend. This calculator lists superannuation separately, and its financial assets figure notes that super is not freely accessible.
Should I include my home in net worth calculations?: Yes. Include your home's current estimated market value as an asset and your remaining mortgage as a liability; the difference is your property equity. Your home generally produces no income and cannot easily be sold in part, so property equity is a measure of ownership rather than money you can access directly. If most of your net worth is in your home, your overall figure will move closely with property values.
How often should I calculate my net worth?: There is no required frequency. Many people record it once a year at a consistent date, such as the end of the financial year (30 June), so each reading is comparable. Property and share values move daily, so more frequent readings mostly capture short-term market movement rather than changes in your underlying position.
What is a healthy debt-to-asset ratio in Australia?: There is no single ratio that counts as healthy for everyone, so this calculator does not set a target. The debt-to-asset ratio is total liabilities divided by total assets: a ratio of 40% means you owe $40 for every $100 of assets. What the ratio means depends on the type of debt and asset involved, a mortgage secured against a home is very different from credit card debt, and it shifts as loans are repaid and asset values change. It is most useful for seeing how the balance between what you own and what you owe changes over time. Liabilities exceeding assets (a negative net worth) is common for people early in their careers who have taken on a mortgage or HECS/HELP debt before assets have had time to build.
How do I improve my net worth quickly?: Net worth only changes in two ways: the value or quantity of assets goes up, or the amount of liabilities goes down. Assets grow through contributions (adding cash, super, or investments), market movements (property and share prices changing), or a combination of both. Liabilities fall through repayments (mortgage, personal loan, HECS/HELP, or credit card repayments) or, less commonly, through refinancing. Which of these to prioritise, and by how much, depends on your interest rates, tax situation, and personal circumstances. A licensed financial adviser can help weigh these trade-offs for your specific situation.
Is HECS/HELP debt included in net worth?: Yes. HECS/HELP is a liability, so it is included in total liabilities at its current outstanding balance. It charges no interest, but indexation is applied each 1 June to the part of the balance that has been unpaid for more than 11 months, using the lower of CPI or the Wage Price Index, so an unpaid balance can grow from year to year (2.8% on 1 June 2026, according to the ATO). Repayments are income-contingent rather than on a fixed schedule, and both compulsory and voluntary repayments reduce the balance. The HECS/HELP Repayment Calculator and the HECS-HELP guide cover repayments in more detail.
Does vehicle value count as an asset?: Yes, a vehicle is an asset, but it typically depreciates, often most quickly in the first few years. Entering its current estimated resale value gives a more accurate snapshot, and that value will usually be lower at your next reading. Any car loan is entered separately as a liability.
Is a mortgage a liability?: Yes. Your mortgage is a liability because it represents money you owe to the lender. The number to enter is the outstanding principal balance, not the monthly repayment. The property itself is the offsetting asset. The difference between your property's current market value and the outstanding mortgage is your property equity, the portion that contributes to net worth. Example: $850,000 property value minus $540,000 outstanding mortgage = $310,000 in property equity. Both the full asset value and the full liability must be entered for the equity figure to be correct.
What is the difference between net worth and cash flow?: Net worth is a balance sheet, a snapshot of total assets minus total liabilities at a point in time. Cash flow is what comes in and goes out each month. You can have high net worth but tight cash flow (asset-rich, cash-poor, which can happen when most wealth is held in a home) or strong cash flow but low net worth (high income, low savings rate). They describe different things: net worth summarises the balance sheet at a point in time, while cash flow describes income and spending over a period.

How this calculator works

Enter what you own (assets) and what you owe (liabilities). The calculator subtracts total liabilities from total assets to produce your net worth. Assets include cash and savings, investments (shares, ETFs, managed funds), superannuation, property at current market value, and any other assets of significant value. Liabilities include your mortgage balance, HECS/HELP debt, personal loans, car loans, and credit card balances. The result is your current financial position expressed as a single figure.

Superannuation can be included in net worth because it is an asset you own, although access is restricted until applicable release conditions are met. Use current market values for property and investments rather than the original purchase price; for your home, recent comparable sales in your suburb give a rough estimate.

Net worth is most useful as a tracking tool: recording it at regular intervals and comparing readings shows how it changes over time. A rising or falling figure reflects the combined effect of saving, repayments, new borrowing, and changes in asset values. The figure does not describe cash flow: a household can have high net worth in illiquid assets (like an expensive family home) while still finding monthly expenses tight.

Methodology and Sources

Updated June 2026ASIC Guidance

Educational information only, not financial advice.

Official sources

ASIC MoneySmart - Net worth calculator

Calculation methodology

Assumptions: Net worth = total assets − total liabilities, at today's values, from figures entered by the user.
Calculation: Assets and liabilities are summed within each category. Debt ratio = total liabilities ÷ total assets, which classifies your result into a financial-position label (from a strong position through to needing attention).
Limitations: A point-in-time snapshot; does not project growth, adjust for inflation, or value illiquid assets (such as property or vehicles) at realistic sale price.