Net worth is the single most important number in personal finance: your total assets minus total liabilities. It's your financial net position — the cash you'd have if you sold everything and paid off all debts.
Assets. Include liquid savings (bank accounts, money market), investments (stocks, bonds, funds in taxable and retirement accounts), and real estate or vehicles (at fair market value, not purchase price).
Liabilities. Include all debts: mortgages, auto loans, student loans, credit cards, and personal loans. Missing a debt here understates your true liabilities.
Liquid vs net worth. Liquid net worth (cash, investments, minus urgent debts like credit cards) is how much you could spend immediately. Real estate and retirement accounts are illiquid — you can't access them without friction or penalties.
Tracking progress. Calculate net worth quarterly or annually. Year-over-year growth shows whether you're saving faster than your debts are shrinking. Most people's net worth grows through savings, investment returns, and paying down debt — in that order of importance.
Millionaire milestone. Net worth > $1M used to signal wealth; today, it's common in HCOL areas with home equity. Focus on the trajectory (are you improving?) and the composition (is growth driven by home equity or diversified investments?).